Unlicensed Airbnb Listings

[Chris--Along-With-Mark-a0]

I live in Washington, DC.

I have been a licensed Airbnb Host for over 4 years. When I first sought a short-term housing business license, the DC government, literally, had no idea how to license me or even what Airbnb was. It took considerable short-term housing research on my part, along w/ a lone, helpful supervisor, to allow this to occur. At the time, there are over 300 Airbnb Hosts, according to Airbnb's portal, in Washington, DC. I asked DC licensing authority how I could be one of the 1/3 licensed Airbnb Host in DC w/ this many listed Hosts? A DC licnese authority-supervisor admitted they were behind the power curve on enforcing regulations w/ home-sharing.

Over the course of 4 years, I have brought this to the attention of Airbnb on a number of occasions and have met w/ absolute silence. They are simply ignoring the problem, to my knowledge. As an issue example, an Airbnb absentee Host several doors down is revealing: entire home is rental w/ no onsite, or otherwise, contact person for neighbours; no business license, which ensures Guest safety; garbage not curbed for weeks on end (last summer I formally complained at least twice to officials who ticketed the Host); rats in the garbage; parking not addressed; and, yard unkempt. DC has Bill B22-0092 as introduced by Councilmember McDuffie, which is at least a starting point to discuss my issues as well as other housing-related issues as cited in the bill.

Then, Airbnb is nice enough to tell me on a daily basis that although someone looking at my legal Listing, they booked elsewhere for less. There is a 2/3 chance it was an illegal Listing. I can't compete w/ illegal Listings: mandatory corporate fees & filings; monthly sales and use reports; fire inspections; a Basic Business License and on.

[Linda108 · Accepted solution]

That hosts choose to not comply with any local regulations, i.e., registration, licensing, paying occupancy taxes, is not within the perview of Air BNB to monitor.  However, many municipalities are taking steps to locate illegal STR.  In my city, there is a company that uses data mining to locate unregistered STR and notify the City to begin prosecution of these non-compliant listings.  Perhaps there is a way to report any suspected listing.  

I believe for some cities, like San Francisco,  contact Air BNB to notify of listings that are non-compliant and then Air BNB can remove the listing.

I totally agree that it is discouraging to compliant hosts to have to compete with non-compliant hosts.  In my case, I include the 10% occupancy tax in my nightly rate which automatically increases my rate compared to non-compliant listings.

[Chris--Along-With-Mark-a0]

When health and safety concerns are involved, Airbnb should be involved. So, someone books at an illegal Airbnb and a fire occurs, killing the Guest. The Host probably didn't have insurance as only one insurance company i know, ours, Allstate, licenses short term rentals. There was no second exit; there was never a fire inspection or extinguishers, etc.