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Potential regulatory solution in Boston: "The new law allows short-term rentals to be offered only by owners who live in the properties they rent out. Owners o

Potential regulatory solution in Boston: "The new law allows short-term rentals to be offered only by owners who live in the properties they rent out. Owners of small multifamily buildings who live on premises may also rent out one of the other units in the building along with the unit they live in." https://www.avalara.com/mylodgetax/en/blog/2018/06/boston-city-council-passes-strict-new-short-term-rental-law.html https://www.avalara.com/mylodgetax/en/blog/2018/06/boston-ci...

hackermailman 8y ago
Here the solution was to have AirBnB collect a tax on their site, and it disappears into general revenues where they claim it will help build social housing schemes. A better solution would be to permit renters to sublet out their own suites on AirBnB, give them equal access to the gig economy as landlords do. You go on strike or vacation, have the right to sublet out your suite to make extra income.
- devocracy 8y ago
  As a landlord, I don't want my tenants renting to people I haven't had a chance to vet. At least if I'm taking on the risks or ABnB I'm also reaping the rewards. Good luck collecting from my tenant if their hotel guests damage the property.
  - jdblair 8y ago
    Isn't that what the security deposit is for? I say this as a landlord, in California it's common to allow tenants to sublet for less than 30 days.
    - CountSessine 8y ago
      What are security deposits like in California? Most places I've lived (in Canada) security deposits can't be any more than a month or two of rent, and a really really bad BnB guest could easily do tens of thousands of dollars of damage to an apartment.
      - jdblair 8y ago
        A regular tenant can also do tens of thousands of dollars of damage. After the security deposit the landlord is not likely to collect more money.
    - DangerousPie 8y ago
      The deposit won't be nearly enough to cover the damages people can cause.
      - jdblair 8y ago
        See my comment on the other leaf.
  - DangerousPie 8y ago
    Case in point: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/9z9q04/update_final_tenant_is_renting_out_my_apartment/ https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/9z9q04/update_...
- purple_ducks 8y ago
  As somebody who rents in the same block, I don't want this. We built hotels for people on holidays, not residential apartment blocks. My life shouldn't be upended by constant/"badly" behaved AirBnB guests just so you can make a buck. These apartment blocks are _homes_ for most people.
pastor_elm 8y ago
This is the law in NYC and I still see entire apartments listed on my block every time I check Airbnb. It is very hard to enforce because you need someone to complain, then the police have to catch visitors 'in the act,' and then you have to go through the whole fining and prosecution process.
- CountSessine 8y ago
  That's interesting that they need someone to complain? Vancouver just enacted a similar law to Boston's - AirBnbs only allowed in a secondary suite in a primary residence. In exchange for being allowed to continue operating in the city, AirBnb requires a city business license (which is only granted for secondary suites) from all Vancouver BnBs, and forwards the list of all BnBs to the city every month. Then if an address doesn't match up with a business license, the city fines the property owner. If you don't pay, the city takes you or your house to court and you get a nice fat lien on the property. This doesn't seem to work as well with condos and apartments, though. I think the city has left enforcement up to strata orgs which is probably a mistake?
- felix_nagaand 8y ago
  Place a lien on the property for the cost of the investigation in the event of a guilty verdict and nonpayment of fines.

hackermailman 8y ago

Here the solution was to have AirBnB collect a tax on their site, and it disappears into general revenues where they claim it will help build social housing schemes. A better solution would be to permit renters to sublet out their own suites on AirBnB, give them equal access to the gig economy as landlords do. You go on strike or vacation, have the right to sublet out your suite to make extra income.

devocracy 8y ago
As a landlord, I don't want my tenants renting to people I haven't had a chance to vet. At least if I'm taking on the risks or ABnB I'm also reaping the rewards. Good luck collecting from my tenant if their hotel guests damage the property.
- jdblair 8y ago
  Isn't that what the security deposit is for? I say this as a landlord, in California it's common to allow tenants to sublet for less than 30 days.
  - CountSessine 8y ago
    What are security deposits like in California? Most places I've lived (in Canada) security deposits can't be any more than a month or two of rent, and a really really bad BnB guest could easily do tens of thousands of dollars of damage to an apartment.
    - jdblair 8y ago
      A regular tenant can also do tens of thousands of dollars of damage. After the security deposit the landlord is not likely to collect more money.
  - DangerousPie 8y ago
    The deposit won't be nearly enough to cover the damages people can cause.
    - jdblair 8y ago
      See my comment on the other leaf.
- DangerousPie 8y ago
  Case in point: https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/9z9q04/update_final_tenant_is_renting_out_my_apartment/ https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladvice/comments/9z9q04/update_...
purple_ducks 8y ago
As somebody who rents in the same block, I don't want this. We built hotels for people on holidays, not residential apartment blocks. My life shouldn't be upended by constant/"badly" behaved AirBnB guests just so you can make a buck. These apartment blocks are _homes_ for most people.

pastor_elm 8y ago

This is the law in NYC and I still see entire apartments listed on my block every time I check Airbnb. It is very hard to enforce because you need someone to complain, then the police have to catch visitors 'in the act,' and then you have to go through the whole fining and prosecution process.

CountSessine 8y ago
That's interesting that they need someone to complain? Vancouver just enacted a similar law to Boston's - AirBnbs only allowed in a secondary suite in a primary residence. In exchange for being allowed to continue operating in the city, AirBnb requires a city business license (which is only granted for secondary suites) from all Vancouver BnBs, and forwards the list of all BnBs to the city every month. Then if an address doesn't match up with a business license, the city fines the property owner. If you don't pay, the city takes you or your house to court and you get a nice fat lien on the property. This doesn't seem to work as well with condos and apartments, though. I think the city has left enforcement up to strata orgs which is probably a mistake?
felix_nagaand 8y ago
Place a lien on the property for the cost of the investigation in the event of a guilty verdict and nonpayment of fines.