Check Your Local Laws Before Booking Summer Airbnb
If your summer travel plans include being on Airbnb, your vacation may be more challenging (and expensive) than you expected.
Miami Beach is taking harsh action against Airbnb, according to the New York Times . Rentals for less than six months and one day are illegal in many areas of Miami Beach, and the city is increasingly knocking on doors to find Airbnb (and other short-term rentals) guests at illegally rented properties.
According to the report, guests are usually asked to contact the hosts and ask for help with the move. Some are forced to leave, some are allowed to end their stay, and some receive help from the city to find new housing. Many people simply do not have enough funds for Airbnb, and they are forced to move to a hotel at the last minute.
It can be annoying at best, and controversial (and expensive) at worst, especially if your host refuses to cooperate. And Miami Beach isn’t the only place where you might face resistance, whether from neighbors, homeowners, or city officials.
Airbnb makes it the responsibility of hosts to comply with the rules and regulations in their cities, as well as their property managers, homeowners, and HOAs. But many still list their homes or apartments in the hope that they will go unnoticed. Here’s how to do some preliminary research before you arrive to minimize the chance of unpleasant last-minute surprises:
How to Deal with Illegal Vacation Rentals
While it’s your job as a guest to make sure your Airbnb is legal, you can do a little research yourself before booking. Airbnb describes city rules for many of its U.S. offices in location rules.
For example, New York has a “tenement house” law that allows some stays if the landlord is present, but prohibits renting out properties for less than 30 days if this is not the case.
Of course, you may not know prior to your arrival that your short-term rent is illegal or prohibited by the homeowners or condominium associations. But if your host informs you ahead of time or tells you when you are registering to go unnoticed or tell you that you are a member of the family, this is a good sign that this is not entirely fair.
If you are caught in an illegal short-term rental, you can request rebooking assistance and / or refunds from Airbnb. Contact support by phone or messenger as soon as a problem arises. However, the company requires that you first try to fix the problems with your host.
Pay attention to taxes on short-term rentals
Another thing that may surprise you when you go to book Airbnb: sky-high taxes. New Jersey recently introduced an 11.6% tax on short-term rentals including Airbnbs. Massachusetts has adopted a similar measure (5.7%), while Colorado is considering it (up 29%).
Airbnb also levies various taxes on accommodation and accommodation for short-term hosts in many other states — these fees are usually passed on to guests.
Airbnb stays already include cleaning and maintenance fees, resulting in a significant jump in prices – from what you see in search results to the actual cost of the booking. However, you will increasingly see living space taxes included in the total.
There is little you can do about these additional costs other than knowing about it – and knowing that you may need to adjust your expectations to stay within your budget.