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Airbnb is floating a liveable house down the River Thames
If you happen to be in London this week, we recommend keeping one eye locked on the Thames. Airbnb is sailing a bright blue house down the iconic river to celebrate the passing of the Deregulation Act, which gives London residents permission to "share" their property for up to 90 days each year. Best of all, you can actually live in Airbnb's unusual floating home -- it comes with two bedrooms, a bathroom and a living room, as well as a small garden complete with lawn, trees and a dog kennel. Of course, this is just a publicity stunt, but it's a creative one that could brighten up London's iconic landmark. Airbnb is also letting a lucky few spend the night in the house this Friday, with just a few important house rules; no swimming in the Thames, no floating house parties and "no floating away." I wonder if that last one includes tying hundreds of colourful balloons to the roof?
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.
