Where is AirBnB actually legal in the USA? (regulations, passports, castles)
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NYC and most other majors cities, I am sure, have had issues with illegal immigrants cramming themselves 20-30 into single family homes for decades now. So I am sure each municipality made rulings over this many years ago.
So condos and coops have bylaws to prevent airbnb. Most homes except fraternity and sorority housing are single family, or mulitple family. But that means the same families have to be there long term, and be the only ones there. If you are a renter, you have no right to sublet anyways.
What kinds of residential properties are left then? I doubt AirBnB is legal anywhere.
I rent my condo out once in a blue moon on-line, three times in last two years, one week each. I had a CFO, Hedge Fund Trader and a CEO stay. My next door neighbor is currently in jail, my neighbor downstairs is a shady looking Paki guy and my other neighbor is some chain smoking blue collar guy.
My renters should be more scared of the actual condo owners. I actually do inground background checks on who I rent to but Condo does no check on the owners. In fact the condo across from me sold cheap a few months ago and I found out the owner murdered his wife.
The President of Board and two other board members begged me to rent my unit out more as it gives them a break from the lunatics who own the condos and brings higher class people in.
Are those shady neighbors of yours renters, or owners? How did the condo association or coop board approve them if they are such. Actually they could be long term illegal sublettors which is in line with short term illegal sublettors. How else did they get in the building? The only difference is the shady long term ones are the only people you need to worry about. Short term means you have a new face each day.
I had one experience with AB&B. I'll never use them again.
I highly recommend VRBO.com Far easier, maybe not as cheap, but the reviews are great in knowing what you're getting into.
VRBO is no joy either. Twice, I have agreed on a price with an owner, just to have them return my money saying that "they have received a better offer" within two weeks of the stay. And the response that I got to my complaints was "too bad, so sad."
I dont believe your story. AirBnB does not even bother verifying the hosts, or the addresses. You can bait and switch on AirBnB. What is AirBnB suppose to do with a passport?
I don't give a rat's patoot if you believe me or not. As I stated, they said the request was part of their random security protocol. What they are going to do with a passport was not relayed to me or explained well to my relative but their demand quashed the deal.
I don't give a rat's patoot if you believe me or not. As I stated, they said the request was part of their random security protocol. What they are going to do with a passport was not relayed to me or explained well to my relative but their demand quashed the deal.
Anything else?
Then your whole post was a rat's patoot. What kind of random security protocol is it suppose to even be? If anything, it is just for them to cover their own patoot.
Do they demand to know who the hosts even are or if they even own the property or if it is legal? Do they verify the locations are what is advertised? What kind of background checks do they do on the visitors? Do they ask for SS#, copy of IDs, credit checks, background checks?
Yeh hotels dont ask for that, but that is because they are zoned differently and have different set of rules. AirBnB operates on residential zoned properties.
If you travel abroad all hotels will request copies of your passport. It's the law in most countries. Would you have problems allowing your overseas hotel keep a copy of your passport page? If not then why get upset that AirBnB asked for a copy of the passport page too?
Quote:
Originally Posted by kokonutty
I don't give a rat's patoot if you believe me or not. As I stated, they said the request was part of their random security protocol. What they are going to do with a passport was not relayed to me or explained well to my relative but their demand quashed the deal.
If you travel abroad all hotels will request copies of your passport. It's the law in most countries. Would you have problems allowing your overseas hotel keep a copy of your passport page? If not then why get upset that AirBnB asked for a copy of the passport page too?
I'm not sure how I'd feel about a hotel keeping a copy of my passport. I certainly know from personal experience that not all hotels keep copies of it. I will agree that for decades that has been protocol in many areas and I'd also note that identity theft has only become a widespread problem during the last decade.
In business, family, travel and almost every other aspect of our lives the worst reason for doing something in a particular way is "because that's the way we've always done it."
I'd also note that at no time did I make a judgement on ABB requesting the passport, just stated the fact that they did.
NYC and most other majors cities, I am sure, have had issues with illegal immigrants cramming themselves 20-30 into single family homes for decades now. So I am sure each municipality made rulings over this many years ago.
So condos and coops have bylaws to prevent airbnb. Most homes except fraternity and sorority housing are single family, or mulitple family. But that means the same families have to be there long term, and be the only ones there. If you are a renter, you have no right to sublet anyways.
What kinds of residential properties are left then? I doubt AirBnB is legal anywhere.
A couple times a year there are news stories of 12 people dying in a house fire in Elizabeth or Newark (or the surrounding areas). A lot of immigrants will buy these houses with pooled funds and then section off each floor plus the attic into apartments when it is legally a two or maybe three family. They will have four entire families living in the above ground space, and then they build out 6-12 sleeping rooms in the basement that they rent out to single men. It is not unusual to find almost 40 people living in a single house that legally has five bedrooms (ie meant for maybe 10-12 occupants. This puts a huge drain on local resources from schools to emergency services to the sewer system.
To answer your question, airbnb is probably legal in a lot of more rural areas. It would also be legal in areas zoned for short-term rental, provided the proper licenses were obtained and taxes were paid.
I'm not sure how I'd feel about a hotel keeping a copy of my passport. I certainly know from personal experience that not all hotels keep copies of it. I will agree that for decades that has been protocol in many areas and I'd also note that identity theft has only become a widespread problem during the last decade.
In business, family, travel and almost every other aspect of our lives the worst reason for doing something in a particular way is "because that's the way we've always done it."
I'd also note that at no time did I make a judgement on ABB requesting the passport, just stated the fact that they did.
Many hotels in Europe do this. If you don't want to hand over the passport you can plan on finding a room elsewhere--and if you've put a credit card on the room you are walking away from, expect it to be charged. In some cities I believe it's the law. (Rome comes to mind.)
VRBO is no joy either. Twice, I have agreed on a price with an owner, just to have them return my money saying that "they have received a better offer" within two weeks of the stay. And the response that I got to my complaints was "too bad, so sad."
This is why we only rent through established, licensed, insured agencies. It costs a bit more, but the security of knowing that you will have what you reserved and put a deposit on a year prior is well worth the additional 10%.
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