Airbnb has a zero tolerance policy for discrimination of any kind, but that hasn’t stopped some hosts from refusing to rent their homes to consumers based on race or sexual orientation. In order to address these issues, Airbnb has now begun to review its policies, enlisting the help of former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. [More]
Airbnb
Airbnb Agrees To Start Collecting Millions In Taxes From Los Angeles Hosts
By 7.18.16
Two years after Los Angeles warned Airbnb hosts of their tax-collecting obligations, the city and the short-term rental company have reached a deal in which the business will start collecting millions of dollars in lodging taxes from hosts. [More]
Senators Call For Inquiry Into Impact Of Airbnb & Other Short-Term Rentals On Affordable Housing
By 7.14.16
Short-term rental platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and HomeAway are intended as a way to give travelers varied and interesting lodging options, while letting homeowners make a bit of money when they aren’t at home. However, a group of three senators are concerned that the affordable housing market is being squeezed by the increasing number of property owners cashing in on short-term rentals.
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Texas Man Says Airbnb Host Refused To Let Him Rent A Room Because He’s Gay
By 7.7.16
When you list your home on sites like Airbnb, people of all shapes and sizes and from all walks of life may come through your door — some you might even want to hang out with. But a Houston man says he was shocked when an Austin host rejected his room reservation on Airbnb because he’s gay. [More]
Airbnb Proves To Be A Formidable Rival For Hotels Looking To Expand To Cuba
By 7.5.16
Despite Starwood Hotels & Resorts inking a deal in March that will allow it to become the first hotel company offering rooms in Cuba, traditional lodging companies are struggling to play catch up with Airbnb, which began offering rooms for rent on the island nation last year. [More]
Airbnb Claims It Can’t Be Held Responsible For Illegal Rental Listings
By 6.28.16
Airbnb is suing the city of San Francisco, claiming that a recently approved city ordinance intended to hold the home-rental site more accountable for illegal landlods runs afoul of federal laws that protect website operators from content published by third parties. [More]
Hey, Chicago: Here Come The Airbnb Regulations
By 6.23.16
Airbnb will be allowed to operate in Chicago after the city council passed two measures on Wednesday that allow short-term rentals, but there will be a few restrictions on that process. [More]
Our Government Has Somehow Managed To Suggest An Even Worse Name For The Sharing Economy
By 6.7.16
If you want to bash your head against the closest rock whenever you hear that a new service wants to be the “Uber of [fill in the industry],” you are not alone. Both the industry and the general public have struggled to come up with names for the new model of sharing cars, homes, etc.: there’s the sharing economy, the gig economy, and now, the government has its own idea for a term that might be worse than all the rest. [More]
Airbnb Debuts Complaint Center For Neighbors To Sound Off On Bad Guests
By 6.1.16
In the old days, if you wanted to complain about a noisy neighbor’s guests you’d either have to storm over there in your nightgown in person, call the police, or gossip meanly with your fellow neighbors. There’s another option now for folks disturbed by rowdy visitors to the neighborhood, with Airbnb’s new online complaint center. [More]
For $628 A Night You Can Cook In The French Cottage Where Julia Child Cooked
By 5.31.16
If you’re the kind of person who’s read and tried every recipe in Mastering the Art of French Cooking (or you’ve at least seen that movie about the woman who did) you’ve already gotten pretty close to the legendary Julia Child. But now you can get even closer: you can rent out the chef’s cottage in Provence and cook in her kitchen (or sleep in it, if you want). [More]
Would You Ever Want To Hang Out With Your Airbnb Host/Guests?
By 5.6.16
Usually, in-person interactions between Airbnb hosts and guests are limited to things like handing off keys, or running into each other in the hallway if the host is staying in the home. Because let’s face it, you normally wouldn’t hang out with the concierge at the front desk of a hotel. But for those people looking for a more personal connection, the home-sharing service is looking into the idea of pairing guests with hosts for leisure activities during their stay, like going on tours and playing sports together. [More]
Is The “Sharing Economy” Sharing Your Data With Law Enforcement?
By 5.5.16
Airbnb and VRBO are shaking up the hospitality industry by letting anyone with a spare room become an innkeeper. Uber and Lyft are disrupting the for-hire car market by letting you turn your car into a taxi. While these new platforms might be opening up the so-called “sharing” economy, some of them may also be a bit too willing to share user data with law enforcement. [More]
Should Airbnb Be Forced To Make Sure Hosts Comply With Local Laws?
By 4.26.16
Laws, taxes, and regulations governing short-term rentals and hotels vary from location to location, and home-sharing platforms like Airbnb remind their users that they are obligated to comply with all relevant restrictions in their area. But when it’s clear that many users are not following the rules, should the company be held responsible? [More]
21 Pranks, Fake Products, And Other Corporate Attempts At April Fools’ Day Relevance
By 4.1.16
Ever since April 1, 1922 when our print forerunner, The Consumerist Bugle-Gazette, ran an April Fools’ Day cover story that unwittingly — but accurately — announced the death of exiled Austrian Emperor Charles I, we’ve not tempted fate and avoided such tomfoolery. But others aren’t burdened by these ghosts of Aprils gone awry. [More]
Facebook, Reddit, Wells Fargo, Bank Of America CEOs Among Those Urging North Carolina To Repeal New Anti-LGBT Law
By 3.31.16
Earlier this month, in a hurried legislative process, North Carolina lawmakers passed HB2, a bill that overrides and prevents local governments from establishing anti-discrimination rules against gay and transgender people. This morning, advocacy groups delivered a letter to NC Gov. Pat McCrory signed by top executives from more than 100 companies, all calling for the state to repeal the law. [More]
San Francisco Tells Home-Sharing Hosts They’ll Have To Pay Taxes On Rental Furnishings
By 3.18.16
If you’ve been renting out your home in San Francisco through services like Airbnb and HomeAway, you’re about to start paying more taxes. The city is notifying hosts that they’ll have to submit an itemized list for items like dishes, bedding, and any other supplies they purchase for their rentals. [More]
Airbnb Planning To Offer Add-On Travel Services Like Bike Rentals, Tours
By 3.17.16
Going on a trip isn’t just about where you lay your head to rest at night, it’s about experiencing the location you’re visiting. And where there are tourists who want to get out and explore, there’s money to be made, which is why Airbnb is planning to offer add-on travel services to customers this year. [More]
Airbnb Launching Tool To Let Neighbors File Complaints About Bad Renters
By 3.15.16
The next time you get really steamed up over the loud party going on next door in the house your neighbor rents out on Airbnb, you’ll have a way to air your grievances directly with the company. The home-sharing business is launching a new tool next month that will allow people to file complaints and give other feedback about unruly renters. [More]
