No one and certainly not me RM67 is suggesting that all Airbnb rentals are illegal or that all are absentee landlords. If you read what I have said, it is simply, 'make sure what you rent is legal'. Do you wish to disagree with that simple point?

People such as yourself take exception to some point they think they can argue such as 'how many are absentee landlords' but never attempt to argue the basic point of 'are you renting illegally?'

As for Barcelona, read for yourself.
https://www.google.ca/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=...+airbnb+issues

Here is one piece of information regarding Barcelona that I find telling. This sentence, "While a new regional rule requires companies offering tourist rentals to post their license number on online listings, Airbnb does not require its hosts to do so, arguing that it does not offer the rentals directly."

What does that tell you? Airbnb, KNOW they have illegal rentals listed on their site and rather than drop the illegal listings (losing revenue in the process obviously) they are trying to avoid complying with the rule. No ifs, ands or buts about it.

How obvious do they have to be RM67 in their willingness to aid and abet illegal activity, before you decide that you don't want to do business with them? If you buy a brand new TV in the box off the back of a truck for a very low price, do you tell yourself that you don't KNOW it is stolen and therefore your hands are clean?

All I am saying is make sure what you rent is legal. What argument can anyone make against that?