Thinking About Doing My State Licensing Agencies Job This Month Vis A Vis Air

[GoodScout]

Was piddling on this site: http://rentingyourplace.com/a/AirDnA-Airbnb-Data-and-Analytics.html and discovered I can pretty much find every Air listing in my area, and with the mapping feature, photos and a little leg work, figure out exactly where each property is. In addition, I can look at the reviews to figure out which units where rented for which months.
Seriously considering taking a day (it's our slow month) and making up a spreadsheet of street addresses and owner's first names for our state Department of Taxes and suggesting they should investigate if any of these property owners actually filed their room taxes for the months they obviously had paying guests. Guess I could send a copy to the state health department and fire department to see if they've been inspected.
Probably just wasting my time, and could be using it more wisely, but I can pretend it's my day off and it's recreation.
Thoughts?

 

[happykeeper]

It is an admirable task in my opinion. Island culture often frowns on such a direct action, but if our business was suffering in a meaningful way, we would consider the same.

 

[Bommelhoeve]

FYI
nl times Posted on May 11, 2015 by Demid Getik

A tenant in Amsterdam who placed his social housing apartment on Air b n b rental service now has to vacate the house within two weeks, reports RTL Nieuws. The investigation showed that the house was sublet for at least 130 days, the housing firm’s lawyer said based on reviews Airbnb guests left for the apartment.
The tenant also has to pay 17,500 euros of legal fees over the case. The figures consists of a fine of 7,500 and 10,000 in investigation costs that need to be compensated. Rappange Makelaardij brought the case to court against its tenant saying that the occupant was not allowed to sublet the social flat in this circumstance.
Furthermore, local residents complained about the nuisance caused by Air guests. Last month, Rappanage cautioned tenants that they might bring dozens of such cases before the court.
Rappanage’s lawyer, Froris Havelaar, said the firm is investigating other cases. People who don’t like their social housing contracts, and would prefer to rent out an apartment on Air, can “vote with their feet and leave,” he told RTL.

 

[EmptyNest]

I think it sounds like a good plan. You just never know what your efforts may accomplish.

 

[Flower]

Hey go for it. You may just be surprised at what may happen or not! I look at it as a way of educating the powers to be ,It just may work. With government you just never know if they will go after lost taxes. But most insurances and mortgage is at stake. Heck the people themselves may not be aware they are at risk, either.
I know we sent off am letter to our mayor. And to date we have not heard from them yet it has been almost 3 weeks. So once more they have decided to do nothing, This year we have not paid for our business permit as we are not sure we will open for 2 months as hubby ankle is not good after the break. His heart has fallen out of rhythm once again. Yet they are penalizing us for late fees. And saying we must apply for our permit next year.
But the way I look at it is why put us through the hoops if you are allowing many to get away with not getting fire inspection , paying taxes, House hold insurance. and food handing coarse?

 

[gillumhouse]

May the force be with you.

 

[Generic]

We taught ours how to use Google Images and Google Maps.

 

[charlie may]

Jon Sable is a fountain of knowledge on the airbnb issue. Quebec government has done wonders fining illegal short term rentals. We in Saskatchewan just need to light a fire under the powers that be via the media. It will come. Uber is before the local council now trying to get a foot hold.

 

[MtnKeeper]

I would do it. I found a B&B that was running without a food license and no sprinkler system (they bought and old place and rehabbed it and I knew they needed one because a friend did the same thing). They had FB and TA pages that raved about the stay and it showed the dates that they had taken reservations - almost 10 months. The State went after them through the Dept. of Revenue and fined them and made them pay back taxes owed. If more of this is pushed, illegal B&Bs and Air owners will have to start following the law.

 

[undersea]

You can also perhaps send their addresses to places regarding:
local government tax office (tourism taxes?)
business licenses
rental licenses
major insurance companies (likely they are using residential insurance)
local zoning offices
local fire/safety offices
local sewage offices - anyone with septic (many people in rural areas) may be in trouble from a legal capacity point of view

 

[Iris]

Seriously considering taking a day (it's our slow month) and making up a spreadsheet of street addresses and owner's first names for our state Department of Taxes and suggesting they should investigate if any of these property owners actually filed their room taxes for the months they obviously had paying guests. Guess I could send a copy to the state health department and fire department to see if they've been inspected.
Probably just wasting my time, and could be using it more wisely, but I can pretend it's my day off and it's recreation.
Thoughts?

Great idea. I thought of doing that myself here in the county. I have already spoken to the Chambers of Commerce to see if the air suppliers might join the chambers if they're not paying taxes. Then, maybe, someone from the IRS or whomever, will spot them and question their "business"

 

[Iris]

FYI
nl times Posted on May 11, 2015 by Demid Getik

A tenant in Amsterdam who placed his social housing apartment on Air b n b rental service now has to vacate the house within two weeks, reports RTL Nieuws. The investigation showed that the house was sublet for at least 130 days, the housing firm’s lawyer said based on reviews Airbnb guests left for the apartment.
The tenant also has to pay 17,500 euros of legal fees over the case. The figures consists of a fine of 7,500 and 10,000 in investigation costs that need to be compensated. Rappange Makelaardij brought the case to court against its tenant saying that the occupant was not allowed to sublet the social flat in this circumstance.
Furthermore, local residents complained about the nuisance caused by Air guests. Last month, Rappanage cautioned tenants that they might bring dozens of such cases before the court.
Rappanage’s lawyer, Froris Havelaar, said the firm is investigating other cases. People who don’t like their social housing contracts, and would prefer to rent out an apartment on Air, can “vote with their feet and leave,” he told RTL..

 

[CafeMae]

Well, my vote is no. Would think it better time spent (and happier) to figure out how to make your business great than how to make havoc for others. I would support a goal that is less vindictive. That would ask these agencies not so much to go after these other homes, but to ask for help to make a level playing field for your business with air listings.

 

[OnTheShore]

Well, my vote is no. Would think it better time spent (and happier) to figure out how to make your business great than how to make havoc for others. I would support a goal that is less vindictive. That would ask these agencies not so much to go after these other homes, but to ask for help to make a level playing field for your business with air listings..

Sort of along these lines, rather than reporting the apparent scofflaws directly to the appropriate authorities, an alternative approach (possibly more positive) might be to reach out to these people yourself, to educate them (in a friendly way) on what the requirements are (in case they don't know)? Certainly some may be listing their place while knowingly avoiding the licensing and taxing responsibilities, and these people should be be reported and suffer full consequences, but others may just be ignorant, or these issues just never occurred to them... It just seems like a gentler approach could be more successful in bringing them into the fold.

 

[gillumhouse]

Well, my vote is no. Would think it better time spent (and happier) to figure out how to make your business great than how to make havoc for others. I would support a goal that is less vindictive. That would ask these agencies not so much to go after these other homes, but to ask for help to make a level playing field for your business with air listings..

Sort of along these lines, rather than reporting the apparent scofflaws directly to the appropriate authorities, an alternative approach (possibly more positive) might be to reach out to these people yourself, to educate them (in a friendly way) on what the requirements are (in case they don't know)? Certainly some may be listing their place while knowingly avoiding the licensing and taxing responsibilities, and these people should be be reported and suffer full consequences, but others may just be ignorant, or these issues just never occurred to them... It just seems like a gentler approach could be more successful in bringing them into the fold.
.

Not something I would recommend. I think it would be a good way to get his nose rearranged if/when the authorities knock on the door. Whether he actually blew the whistle or not, he would be blamed.

 

[Generic]

You know, if the powers that be really wanted to find these places, make the fine $1000 per day and offer 25% of the fine as a finders fee for the first person who denounce those violating the law.... the illegals would remove their listings, not just because of the fine, but because they could be a potential gold mine for others who are now helping and hunting them down!