3 ms·

It makes things a little easier; you can have payments managed by airbnb, bookings, and support

cylinder 13y ago
Sure, it's an improvement but it's not disruptive or a game-changer. One thing most NYers don't realize is that if you sublease to someone and there's proof (agreement, payment record etc), they can squat in your place and not pay any rent. You will have to use the courts to evict just as any other landlord must. In NYC this will take up to 8 months. You can't just get the police to throw them out.
- geebee 13y ago
  I am fascinated with your second comment. I've asked this question on HN before as well, though my focus was on San Francisco rather than NYC. What happens if the airbnb tenant does pay rent, but insists that he or she is now a long term tenant governed by SF landlord-tenant law. Tenant protection laws are very strong in SF, and typically require some kind of "cause" for eviction. If San Francisco courts do not recognize the legality of a short term rental agreement, what would they do with it? I'm not a lawyer at all, these are just questions... but would the courts allow the tenant to remain as a long term tenant? How would the calculate the rent? Would they simply disregard unenforceable provisions and default to existing law? Does anyone know if this has been litigated?
  - pavel_lishin 13y ago
    IANAL, but I think that there is a minimum period of time required before one becomes a long-term tenant - and it's something on the order of a month or three.
    - Arelius 13y ago
      I think that's true. But I think it's much shorter at least in SF. Something on the order of 15 days to a month.
- groby_b 13y ago
  As somebody who preferred staying privately for a long time now - heck yes it's a game changer. I don't have to dig through dozens of local weeklys, or tons of unsearchable craigslist ads. I pick the place where I'd like to stay, the price range, and make my choice - complete with a (far from perfect, but still) recommendation system for the hosts. Saying that's not a game changer is like saying search engines added nothing to the Internet.

Sure, it's an improvement but it's not disruptive or a game-changer. One thing most NYers don't realize is that if you sublease to someone and there's proof (agreement, payment record etc), they can squat in your place and not pay any rent. You will have to use the courts to evict just as any other landlord must. In NYC this will take up to 8 months. You can't just get the police to throw them out.

geebee 13y ago
I am fascinated with your second comment. I've asked this question on HN before as well, though my focus was on San Francisco rather than NYC. What happens if the airbnb tenant does pay rent, but insists that he or she is now a long term tenant governed by SF landlord-tenant law. Tenant protection laws are very strong in SF, and typically require some kind of "cause" for eviction. If San Francisco courts do not recognize the legality of a short term rental agreement, what would they do with it? I'm not a lawyer at all, these are just questions... but would the courts allow the tenant to remain as a long term tenant? How would the calculate the rent? Would they simply disregard unenforceable provisions and default to existing law? Does anyone know if this has been litigated?
- pavel_lishin 13y ago
  IANAL, but I think that there is a minimum period of time required before one becomes a long-term tenant - and it's something on the order of a month or three.
  - Arelius 13y ago
    I think that's true. But I think it's much shorter at least in SF. Something on the order of 15 days to a month.
groby_b 13y ago
As somebody who preferred staying privately for a long time now - heck yes it's a game changer. I don't have to dig through dozens of local weeklys, or tons of unsearchable craigslist ads. I pick the place where I'd like to stay, the price range, and make my choice - complete with a (far from perfect, but still) recommendation system for the hosts. Saying that's not a game changer is like saying search engines added nothing to the Internet.