New York takes big steps to curb Airbnbs

Major clampdown in Scotland too. However, the legislation as it stands means that rural places are hit as hard as tourist town centre ones. Nobody complained about rural ones but Airbnb is a blight in Edinburgh. Anti social behaviour++ and generally making life difficult for residents as well as massively reducing long term homes for local workers. Amsterdam and Barcelona also clamping down. Fair enough.

Just returned from Porto and Lisbon. Portugal is cracking down too. Before we could get the kex code for either apartment, we had to go to the direct Council's website to pay for local taxes. That means that our flat were both officially checked for safety, but also that the owners could not charge local taxes and pocket them themselves.

They have started cracking down on regulations here as well. This last March there was a fire in a building in Montreal where it was found to be many illegal short-term rentals. Several people died in the fire. Some of the listings showed rooms with no window, so no possible escape.

One of the problems is that city councils do not have the personnel to keep up with all the listings, licenses and inspections. They want to put the onus on Airbnb to make sure the permit numbers are legitimate, but of course Airbnb does not want that responsibility, saying they are just a listing agent, and assume all permits are vetted.

I admit to never checking to see if I have rented a legal listing. I have never asked for a permit, or checked to see if it was legitimate.

Out of curiosity, I checked in my home town, and found a rental just up the street. I did not know it was listed, and do not see anywhere for a permit to be listed or checked. So there is no knowledge of any safety alarms, the legality of the suite, etc. This is concerning.

At least we know hotels have to pass safety inspections, and pay a tourism tax to the local government.

MerylStreep

Is that the same as Airbnb?

A typo, sorry.

We have just booked an appartment in Porto- the Portugal rules require us to pay all local taxes before we travel. Many Airbnb pocketed the money but did not pass on local taxes, nor paid business taxes.

I have never heard of RbnBs,

Well it is a no brainer- charge a rent of £1200 for a permanent tenant, or £200 a night for 4 people on AirbnB, and pay someone cheap to clean and wash bed linen and towels.

that's one of the reasons so many local schools have closed down in inner london.

Yes, same all over the world, but with AirBnB, mainly Cities. However, NY is the first to take real steps to curb this.

BlueBelle

I was told recently in Barcelona that they hate the tourists because no one can buy a house as they are all bought up for Airbnb there were stickers around saying Tourists go home I was surprised

Locals can't buy a home in Cornwall.

Second homes, holiday cottages, AirBnB
☹

I was told recently in Barcelona that they hate the tourists because no one can buy a house as they are all bought up for Airbnb there were stickers around saying Tourists go home I was surprised

MerylStreep

Is that the same as Airbnb?

Yes.

We have the regulation here in the uk. The trouble is it’s regulated by councils who haven’t got the time or money.
It’s known that landlords are evicting tenants to let the properties as Airbnb’s where it’s a different ball game with rules.

Is that the same as Airbnb?

www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/06/airbnb-new-rental-regulation-nyc-housing

I imagine other Cities will follow suite soon.