PalenQ

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/te...ords.html?_r=0

A good sign for many European travelers who now take advantage of this great service.

Dukey1

"this great service" depends, obviously, on whom you ask.

BigRuss

It's a subpoena fight, not a lawsuit. This is small beer.

IMDonehere

There is much opposition to the law in Manhattan.People do not want a steady stream of strangers parading through their building. They are short time renters and have no interest in a location. And Airbnb does not screen renters, nor would they or would anyone expect them to.

bvlenci

You must mean that there's a lot of *support* for the law, which forbids short-term renters unless the owner lives in the same unit. In other words, you can't buy a pied a terre in Manhattan and rent it out on AirBnB except on the weekends you want to stay there yourself. It's AirBnB that would be against such a law.

The city was trying to subpoena records to see if AirBnB owners were violating the law.

janisj

PQ: you post lots of links to 'stunning' news stories - do you ever read them first?

PalenQ

Once again one of your bogus character assassination charges - what leads you to believe I did not read this story - I just said a victory for aribnb - I said nothing else to let you know whether I read the story or not.

Lose the attitude! And quit making false accusations about me and you do over and over...PLEASE! Enough already.

nytraveler

Um, this is the first step and I'm sure the AG will come back very shorty with a more limited subpoena that will be approved.

Many (most?) people in NY are against these transients staying in residential buildings and I'm sure they will find a way to discourage this -- if not shut it down completely.

As for Air BnB saying how wonderful it is for the city - they're the ones that are making all the money - and its the local residents that are having their quality of life compromised.

flpab

I have always been a good vacation renter, never compromised anyone's quality of life. I know once in Boston our host asked that if anyone questioned us just say we were friends and staying for the week. They owned two apartments in this building. We followed all the rules. I rented in Cape Cod but that is so normal there no one questions you. In Europe it has never been a problem, to be honest we have rarely seen other occupants. Never have used AirBnB but seems that NYC wants to get records for tax purposes more than anything. I don't think AirBnB are making all the money, it is good for the property owner also.

nytraveler

Granted that most tansients are probably fine people. But - obviously not all are. Air BnB has had several incidents reported - and who knows how many not reported - when the "guests" trashed the owners apartment with tens of thousands of $ of damage. Thos charming people are now walking around with keys to the building and the apartment. Who knows when they might decide to use them again. Who knows who they might give or sell them to.

This is a very real security issue for other legitimate residents of that building. And obviusly those (and probably other tenants) were also bothered by people makin gloud noise at all hours - and kids used to living in the country or suburbs using the public areas and elevators of the building as a play ground.

We had visiting children - real visitor, grandchildren of a tenant) in the building a couple of weeks ago and they were running around the halls and monopolizing the elevators on a rainy day - riding in up and down pushing the buttons for every floor - and making it difficult and time-consuming for people trying to do laundry (you have to use the elevator to the basement laundry room) or even trying to get to apartments on the upper floors, especially carrying packages.

Since we could easily track who they were we could address this with the tenants (had to keep the kids IN the apartment or take them out to the park). How to handle if family were transients who had no interest in other tenants.

And in general the property owners are making money illegally (against all co-op and almost all co-op leases and generally against standard rental leases). Because one occupies an apartment does NOT give one the right to do whatever one wants or make money off it.

If someone has a private house - let them do what they want. But one renter has no right to make money by inconveniencing and or risking the security of legitimate tenants.

PalenQ

As for Air BnB saying how wonderful it is for the city - they're the ones that are making all the money - and its the local residents that are having their quality of life compromised.>

as the article says - yes I did read it despite janis' false accusation - not surprising - and a factor to me is also the New York hotel industry trying to preserve all its market share - yes some locals may have approbations for good reason but the 800 pound gorilla may well be the proper hotel industry IMO.

There are obviously two sides to this - I yes am rooting for airbnb as it makes travel more affordable for folks like me on a low budget.

flpab

Agree, hotel and NYC tax office. I am just afraid it will be VRBO, flip key and others next. I love renting apartments as we are on a budget now and sometimes it is the only way we can afford to stay in a city. We stay at a condo at the beach and follow all the rules. It is mostly parking they have pet peeves with. Our friend's live up north so just let us use it, no rent. What about those people, the ones that allow friends and rellies to stay?

doug_stallings

If you aren't charging money, then the law doesn't apply.

BigRuss

<<Granted that most tansients are probably fine people>>

Of course, the term "transient" is pejorative and evokes the image of a decrepit homeless person, but no doubt transient is the first word that comes to mind when considering tourists who come to the City.

</sarcasm>

IMDonehere

We are staying in out first Airbnb rental, as I write this. This is is in Amsterdam but we have rented in Barcelona and Edinburgh. I am not totally sold because I do feel like an interlopet no matter how hard I try to be a good citizen.

PalenQ

Another article that I read - yup actually read - said that airbnb now is worth more than the Marriott Hotel chain - fabulously successful worts and all!

IMDonehere

Airbandb can operate with a small fraction of a major hotel trade. They held our money months. Thus they must have great cash flow. They have no liability as to whom they rent, they are simply the conduit. It is an excellent business model

IMDonehere

It could be Out of One's Mouth.

I strongly suggest a guide book that offers practical information, so you can ask questions about your visit.

nytraveler

Honestly I am sick and tired of hearing about the "evil hotel industry". They are just a group of businesses - as is Air BnB and while one is following the law the other is trying to circumvent it.

Why is the one circumventing the law - and not paying taxes the good buy - and the hotels, which have been payign taxes for years and years, the bad guy.

As for real visitors - of course they are allowed. But the tenant presumable knows them - and how they will behave - so can provide some reasonable guarantees to other tenants. Which they can;t do with strangers.

And the definition of a transient is:

a person who is staying or working in a place for only a short time

If I had meant a tramp or a bum or a homeless person, I would have said so.

BigRuss

"A transient" is synonymous with hobo or homeless person. Try again.

You live in NYC, you know what transient refers to.