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Government proposal aims to legalise Airbnb rentals in London
Hop onto a site like Airbnb or One Fine Stay and you'll find plenty of houses, flats and rooms available in London for short-term rental. While these are perfect for visitors after a more homely (and sometimes cheaper) stay in the capital, those wanting to squeeze a few quid out of their dormant spaces aren't exactly doing things by the book. A law, which many see as outdated, essentially prevents Londoners from letting their pads out for less than three months at a time (without appropriate planning permission), and some of the city's boroughs have tried taking legal action against wannabe landlords on this basis. This is especially true in upmarket areas like Westminster, the City of London, Chelsea and Kensington, where local councils argue it could foster housing shortages and turn residential areas into nuisance-ridden, decentralized hotels. So, in an effort to curb patchy implementation of the law, and to support Londoners wanting to tap into the "sharing economy," the government has announced a proposal that would make short-term rentals through sites like Airbnb legal; though unsurprisingly, it's already drawing flak.
Airbnb to collect taxes in more big cities
Airbnb's been struggling with numerous legal issues for a while now, and one of the biggest complaints against the service is that hosts have been using it to set up illegal hotels to avoid paying taxes. These days, Airbnb's trying to get on the good side of the law, so after getting rid of sketchy listings (in NYC, at least), it's now collecting tourist taxes in more locations. The service has been doing just that in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon since last year, but now the list of locations has grown to include San Jose, California and Amsterdam in the Netherlands (starting this week, as well as Washington and Chicago starting on February 15.
Man lists his Tesla Model S as an $85-a-night Airbnb room
If someone tells you he's been sleeping in a car, you'd most likely think he's either traveling on a budget or going through a rough patch. And, you know what? Either answer's probably true -- unless he meant he's been renting a Tesla Model S to sleep in from Airbnb for $85 a night. Because, yes, that listing seriously exists. A man from Phoenix, Arizona has listed his electric car on the rent-a-place website, calling it the "world's first Tesla hotel." According to the listing, the Model S with an airbed in the back will be locked securely in his attached garage, though you'll also have access to his condo's kitchen and bathroom.
'Airbnb for Airbnb' lets you stay somewhere while you rent your place
So you've decided to make some extra money renting out your apartment on Airbnb, only to realize that you need your own place to stay in the meantime. Don't worry, there's a service for that. Welcome to CISWYWIRMPOA? (Can I Stay with You While I Rent My Place on Airbnb?), a site that lets you arrange to stay with another Airbnb host. This "Airbnb for Airbnb" (their words) is largely ad hoc. Once you pair with someone, it's up to you to decide on payments -- the service suggests splitting your rental revenues or offering to host your new friend, but there aren't any firm rules. Yes, it's a bit absurd, but it shows that Airbnb is now big enough that some hosts want their own support network.
London councils fight government plan to legalise short-term Airbnb rentals
Having already accommodated over 20 million guests in more than 34,000 cities across 190 countries, it's safe to say that Airbnb is here to stay. However, that success has come at a cost -- namely opposition from authorities that either want to stop residents from renting out their homes or want to reclaim millions of pounds in non-paid tax. In London, however, the rental site is at the centre of a battle between the government and the individual councils that govern the city's boroughs. According to CityAM, Conservative business minister Matthew Hancock is furious over Westminster council's decision to crack down on services such as Airbnb and One Fine Stay, after it began tracking down users and attempting to take action against them.
Airbnb will cover guests' accidental injury costs
Accidents happen, and for Airbnb guests, it could take place while navigating an unfamiliar home. It would come as no surprise if people ended up arguing on who should foot the bill, so Airbnb has decided to make it easier on all its customers by launching a $1 million Host Protection Program. It's a completely different entity from the $1 million Host Guarantee, which promises to reimburse home owners for any damage to their properties. This program covers not only Airbnb hosts, but also their landlords, in case a guest gets injured inside their house or building during a stay and makes a claim against them. As you'd expect, though, there are exceptions, including injuries caused by defects in the property, or (gulp) those that were intentionally inflicted by the hosts themselves.
Engadget Daily: Droid Turbo review, the deal with Airbnb and more!
Confused about about the legality of renting your spare bedroom on Airbnb? Don't worry: Jennifer Williams-Alvarez has you covered with a complete breakdown of the lodging service. Read on for the rest of our news highlights from the last 24 hours, including the Droid Turbo, Quirky's newest gadgets and a GoPro-ready drone.
What you need to know about Airbnb's legal challenges
Currently, there are over 800,000 Airbnb listings in more than 34,000 cities and 190 countries. With upwards of 20 million guests, it's safe to say that Airbnb has nestled its way into the hearts of many a traveler. It's really not surprising that the masses have been charmed by Airbnb, right? Because as exciting as it is to make travel plans for, say, a vacation, there's always that little tinge of anxiety about leaving the comforts of home (at least for some of us). But Airbnb offers something to assuage that anxiety by allowing you to stay in another person's home. No, this is not the same as being in your own space, but some might argue that it's more comforting than the sometimes methodical feel of a hotel. And the icing on the cake? While you're away on your vacation, Airbnb allows you to make some money with your empty space – also known as hosting. Airbnb's story is not just "unique travel experiences," affordable prices and monetizing your unused space. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on the audience), there are laws in place that are meant to limit when, where and how you can list your space.
New York Attorney General says most Airbnb rentals in NYC violate the law
The legality of Airbnb rentals in New York City have been under fire for awhile now, and the city just fired another volley: New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has released a report titled "Airbnb in the city," and it's not particularly favorable. The report claims that 72-percent of all private short-term rentals (read: Airbnb rentals) are illegal -- specifically because they were rentals for an "entire/home apartment" for terms of less than a month. The report explains that these kinds of rentals probably should be paying hotel occupancy taxes, and estimates that the city has lost $33 million in tax revenue as a result of the illegal Airbnb rentals. Worse, the report says, a small contingent of hosts seem to be using Airbnb to run illegal hotels.
San Francisco creates a legal framework for Airbnb-style rentals
If you're wondering how many cities will eventually grapple with the legal issues surrounding Airbnb and other internet-based home rentals, you may not have to look much further than San Francisco. Its Board of Supervisors has passed a law that lets these services run, but regulates them to both prevent abuse and give the municipality its due. Hosts not only have to limit whole-home rentals to 90 days per year, but register with the city's Planning Department (which costs $50), pay hotel tax and keep records that prove they're respecting the time restriction. There should also be companion legislation in the future that prevents landlords from evicting tenants to turn their buildings into makeshift hotels. If implemented, it'll let housing non-profits sue to stop these turnovers rather than wait for officials to respond.
Airbnb to give some of its top hosts free Nest thermostats
One of the difficulties property owners face when renting their place out via Airbnb is making sure they don't waste energy while nobody's staying there. Sure, timers can reduce some of the hassle, but many can't be configured remotely, nor are they aware of when someone is home. Devices like Nest's Learning Thermostat are, though, so that's why Airbnb has teamed up with the Google-owned home automation firm to help hosts better manage their homes. The Nest will let hosts take advantage of its auto-away feature and remotely lock the temperature, meaning guests don't have to fiddle with heating settings or automatic timers. The initiative is currently limited to "top hosts" in the US and appears to involve some sort of selection process. However, the company says it will feature many of the properties outfitted with a Nest in "curated Wish Lists" on its website. Good news if you're looking for a place to stay over the winter and want nothing less than a warm welcome when you arrive.
Airbnb launches dedicated portal for business travelers
It's not that business travelers have chosen to shun Airbnb -- in fact they make up a decent chunk of the short-term subletting business. But now the startup is making a concerted effort to lure those customers in with Business Travel on Airbnb. It's dedicated portal with tools specifically designed not just for travelers, but for companies to manage employee travel. The company has even partnered with Concur, which builds travel and expense systems like Triplink, which is used by a vast majority of Fortune 100 companies. Not every listing will be displayed through the new portal. Odd ball listings like tree houses will be filtered out, as will any shared rentals -- such as a room in a larger apartment. Courting business customers is going to be essential for Airbnb to continue to grow. And considering how much money investors have pumped into the it, growth is certainly high on its list of priorities.
Kickstarter-funded game developer at heart of Airbnb squatter scandal
Reports from multiple sources identify the culprit behind a recent high-profile Airbnb squatting case as Maksym Pashanin, a game developer who turned to Kickstarter last year to fund the courier-themed roguelike RPG Confederate Express. Airbnb is an online service that allows travelers to seek out low-cost temporary lodging provided by independent homeowners. According to CNN Travel, Pashanin is taking advantage of a California law that protects squatter's rights. After using Airbnb to negotiate a 30-day stay at a privately owned condominium in Palm Springs, Pashanin and his brother refused to move out afterward, claiming that tenants who occupy a living space for more than 30 consecutive days are automatically granted a month-to-month lease under state law.
Airbnb goes instant: book stays for tonight or tomorrow, starting today
It's been a long 24 hours. First, that assassin woke you up with attempted murder. Then, after plunging to the Paris streets, you narrowly avoided death while leading your assailant on a high-speed chase through the backstreets of the 6th arrondissement. Thankfully, you managed to make that flight to Los Angeles from Charles de Gaulle. But oh no! Zut alors! You don't have somewhere to stay in LA! What's a raconteur to do? Airbnb may be your new solution. The company known for facilitating stays in individually owned properties (rather than, say, a hotel) is expanding into the immediacy market, today adding the book it tonight/tomorrow function to Los Angeles and San Francisco. Of course, that's just the beginning, with more cities to come in the coming months. Perhaps Paris?
Airbnb pulls over 2,000 sketchy New York City rental listings
Airbnb is clearly tired of getting grief from cities that say its customers' short-term rentals are frequently illegal or otherwise a drain on the community. The company has revealed that it's in the midst of removing more than 2,000 New York City listings that aren't "providing a quality, local experience to guests." While Airbnb hasn't said exactly what that means, the move comes as the state Attorney General filed an affidavit in support of a subpoena for Airbnb customer info. The filing claims that two thirds of NYC rentals break the law by subletting an entire apartment without the official tenants being present, and it named and shamed 17 hosts that are allegedly the biggest abusers.
Snoop Dogg gives us a tour of his SXSW 'man cave'
What better way to wrap up SXSW 2014 than with a picnic with Snoop Dogg? We stepped inside Snoop's own mini-apartment, which he designed in partnership with Airbnb, to talk about his favorite gadgets. He's apparently a huge fan of the Avegant Glyph virtual-reality headset, though his temporary pad also includes essentials like a Samsung flat-screen and an Xbox One. One other must-have, which you won't see in our video tour: Snoop's special breakfast sandwich, with Texas toast, eggs, bacon, sausage, cheese and grape jelly. (It's surprisingly good!)
Android search update lets you pick video, on-demand providers in Google Now
Little software updates sometimes make a big difference. Google has rolled out an update to Android's search app that's currently listed as a simple bug fix, yet introduces a deluge of new features for Google Now. You can now choose specific TV and video on demand providers for viewing recommendations, and you'll see Airbnb reservations. There also won't be many excuses for being late after this upgrade -- Android Police readers note that the app introduces both simpler alarm controls as well as helpful tools for getting to an appointment on time. Google has even seen fit to officially rename the Nexus 5's home screen interface, calling it the Google Now Launcher. The new search hasn't been pushed to everyone just yet, but we'd expect it to reach many Android users in the near future. Update: It looks like the update is going out widely today. A Google Search post on Google+ focuses on the tweaks for arranging appointments -- cards note when you need to leave, and they can adjust for where you're leaving from and what type of transportation will be used -- while the Google Play changelog fills in the rest of the details.
AirBnB get iOS 7-inspired makeover, adds new hosting features
AirBnB, the app that has become a staple for travelers worldwide, has just hit version 3.0 and with it, receieved a whole new facelift and added much-requested hosting features. For starters, AirBnB now features an iOS 7-inspired icon and UI. Every bit of the app is now flat and Helvetica Neue with gorgeous, large images to look at as you scroll down the listing of available bedsits. But the changes to the app aren't only superficial. A number of new hosting features, which have been requested for quite some time by those that use the service regularly, have been added. Specifically, hosts can now easily manage inquiries and reply to guests from a brand-new Host Home section. Hosts can also access groups and get involved in their local or virtual AirBnB host communities. Finally, the app has added a number of hosting tips, such as hospitality standards, to help them offer their clients the best stays possible. AirBnB 3.0 is a free download.
Google's Portable Native client lets one app run on any hardware in Chrome
Since 2011, Google's Native Client has been enabling developers to write applications like photo editors, CAD modelers and 3D games in C or C++ and run them inside the Chrome browser. Initially, Native Client only functioned on x86 machines, and early this year it began working on ARM devices, too. However, coders had to recompile their apps for each kind of CPU architecture. Now, the company's long-awaited Portable Native Client has arrived, and with it comes the elimination of the need for platform-specific recompiling. That means devs can compile their app a single time and have it run seamlessly on devices with x86, ARM and MIPS chips. For now, PNC is only supported in Chrome, but should devs want their apps to run in Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari or any other browser, they can use Google's Pepper API and JavaScript to get the job done. Of course, there's lots more info about Portable Native Client and how to get started using it over at the Chromium blog, so hit the source for the full spill.
Airbnb's disaster response tool to help survivors find free housing (video)
Airbnb has launched a new disaster response tool in an effort to make things easier for willing hosts to offer free shelter to survivors of catastrophes. Activated within 30 minutes or less from the time trouble strikes, the solution will send out emails to local users and ask if they'd like to offer their rooms at no cost. Thoughtful folks will then be able to list their space on a dedicated page where guests can easily find generous souls to stay with. The P2P lodging service was inspired to cook up this plan after its New York patrons opened up their homes to Hurricane Sandy survivors, and it had to cobble together a portal to connect people. With the new system in place, the firm hopes it can quickly reach more hosts and guests and make the process of offering and finding emergency housing more efficient.
