dgruzew

has anyone heard this before. I just got a response from a apt. owner that we cannot rent the apt for 3 or 4 days. But what is srange out of the 8 or so places I have contacted. this is the only one to say this:

thank you very much for your kind inquiry.
The law forbids me to rent my apartments for less than a week.
The Hotel Association of Venice - who, with the gondoliers and taxi
drivers, are the true rulers of Venice - have had this infamous local
law
passed in order to block and possibly ruin people who, like me, rent
their
apartments to tourists. There is no parallel to this law either in the
rest
of Italy or Europe. I'm so sorry: you will have to find an apartment on
the
"black market" or...go to a hotel, precisely as they are trying to
force
you to do.
Very best regards
Contessa Anna da Schio


has anyone heard of this before?

Statia

My rental agent in Venice just told me this morning that she has three day rentals booked thru October.

Haven't heard anything about this new law myself. I would have to wonder if only one agency is telling you this and the others are okay with booking three nights.

Spygirl

Hi dgruzew-this is an interesting issue-and the Countess may be overdramatizing a bit (not unusual for Venetians, as I understand they tend to be a rather dramatic lot!) Many Venetians are quite dissatisfied with their mayor at the moment (even though most of those complaining about him are the ones who voted for him).

It does appear that there are many corporate websites offering Venice apartments for less than one week. I also have read that the Countess has a rather interesting history in Venice-her family has owned the palazzo where she rents out apartments for some 300 years, (I believe the palazzo itself is some 500 years old) and she has both British and American diplomats in her family line-she accepts no credit cards for her rentals, and I understand her apartments are quite nice. She may be lamenting for a reason.

You might want to go on another Venice apartment website and contact them to see what they say-but I'm quite sure you can rent an apartment there for less than a week.

Sheer speculation on my part now, but it may be that the commune of Venice has started to crack down on PRIVATE rentals of apartments, as opposed to CORPORATE or business rentals of same. In other words, there have been complaints about everyone in Venice trying to make a buck by opening up their palazzo to tourists for short-term stays, and this law may be aimed to discourage that. Such a law may not apply to businesses who deal in the Venice real estate market, however. Again, this is just speculaton on my part. Good luck with your search.

krix

That's so odd. I have never had a problem renting for less than a week. Generally the families I have dealt with have "preferred" a week long rental, but will go as short as a three day minimum rental.

dgruzew

thats for the responses. I have goten several responses from other organizations that offererd 3 or 4 day rentals. VeniceApartments.org has 6 or 7 apts avaialble for the times I have selected.

ssachida

I rented an apartment for 4 nights in Venice in Nov2004. Nothing about it seemed illegal - everything was very straight forward, though they only accepted cash.

I know you didn't ask for it but, the apt we stayed in is called "Venice Palazetto" and is located in campo san stefano. A gorgeous place with 4 bedrooms, costing E100/night (admittedly, this was november).

LoveItaly

Hi ssachida, I don't mean to be sarcastic because seriously I am not but, your comment " Nothing seemed to be illegal-everything seemed to be very straight forward although they only accepted cash".

Cash is usually only accepted so that the taxes to the government does not have to be paid. Not your problem of course. But I wonder if the Italian government would consider this a straight forward transaction. Probably not.

And since all of Fodor's can appear on
Google - well, enough said I think

ssachida

LoveItaly, I realize "cash only" sounds sleazy to most of us here in the US. But getting setup with a credit card company for a family renting out one condo is a big hassle (we all know what Italian beurocracy involves). What I meant by straight forward is that,
1. they gave me a reciept
2. did the necessary paperwork to register their guests with the police
3. and most importantly - I first found them through the venice tourist office - the Italian counterpart to a "chamber of commerce".

P.S: I'm not paid to publicize these people and have no connection with the property except for renting it once. My point is that "cash only" does not necessarily make an establishment illegal. I guess, being an Indian expat where credit is not nearly as common as it is in the west, makes me less distrustful of "cash only" services.

Having said that, I completely understand why many people would think so. I should have clarified in my prevoius post.

LoveItaly

Hi ssachida, your point is well taken. However, cash is often used to avoid taxes. Honest, trust me on this.
But with your situation it does sound like this was not the case.
Take care.