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Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

bbc.co.uk

81–90 of 214 posts

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#81
post #66
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a digital nomad I live my life in AirBnBs (with the exception of the occasional hotel and housesit). Over the last 2 years I have stayed in ~20-30 AirBnBs in Asia and Europe (we were going to do the Americas this year...alas). Without AirBnB I don't know how we would be able to live as digital nomads. Hotels are not acceptable because they lack kitchens and laundries (and laptop friendly workspaces). I understand…

I'm pretty sure there is a lot of options other than Hotels that would cover your needs, that existed long before Airbnb. Just to name a few you can stay in aparthotels , a common thing in almost every country, or you can just rent a regular apartment directly with the owner, instead of doing it through Airbnb. IMO Airbnb does more bad than good and transform centric areas of big cities in amusement park for the tour…

Yep that's true. Though I have stayed in some really bad aparthotels, that are just not livable when you stay in them for a month (tiny studios, with barely a kitchen).

As far as renting from a regular owner, I think the hard thing about that is discovery.

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#82
post #78
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a digital nomad I live my life in AirBnBs (with the exception of the occasional hotel and housesit). Over the last 2 years I have stayed in ~20-30 AirBnBs in Asia and Europe (we were going to do the Americas this year...alas). Without AirBnB I don't know how we would be able to live as digital nomads. Hotels are not acceptable because they lack kitchens and laundries (and laptop friendly workspaces). I understand…

> I would love to know why people are downvoting? I didn't downvote, but your post seems to come from a place of privilege. It puts your comfortable, posh 'digital nomad' touristy lifestyle as something that is worth sacrificing others' lives for. Oh no, you might have to stay in a hotel or long-stay vacation home instead of a short-term rental. Imagine the discomfort. To me, if you visit some place, you do as the lo…

That's some good context, and I am absolutely privileged to be able to travel, though it's not some unobtainable goal, it is very possible to keep to a budget similar to renting at home (in Australia).

The important thing is actually to be able to work remotely, which has become much more common this year.

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#83
post #72
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I own in a building that used to be rampant with AirBnb rentals. Once we had enough owners to vote on new bylaws we reduced short term rentals dramatically. From do as you want, to 30 days, and now 6 months. I used to not mind Airbnb and was a long time proponent. But the edge cases aren't even edge cases anymore. Just within the last few days one of the more popular buildings in our neighborhood had a shooting. The…

Not even a refund sometimes. If you look at the 30+ day Airbnb rentals their policy is "full refund, except for the first 30 days." I had to be really careful to pick a place that had good reviews because I wouldn't be able to get much back.

If there are problems with the place, like that it looks like shit you are going to ultimately win the chargeback dispute, but it's annoying regardless. And of course the Airbnb dispute resolution process is complete garbage designed to annoy the user enough so that they give up. Gotta get those numbers up, right?

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#84
post #15

Rents in Paris approach Bay Area level, see per m2 rent or real state prices in common rental sites: www.pap.fr https://www.seloger.com/ Government regulations protecting small group of people and vested interests at costs to most other residents have contributed to this. The government is omnipresent. It restricts the supply through various mechanisms among which are these regulations, and subsidizes the demand. The…

What does your comment have to do with companies listing illegal short stay rents? Nothing.

Rent is going up in every big city on the planet. It has nothing to do with any government policy, much more to do with ultra rich people and other funds using real-estate as a safe "investment", because they are well aware that the stock market valuations are mostly bullshit propped up by fake money.

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#85
post #20

I understand that this definitely helps some vested interests (hotel industry, for instance), but the issue transcends a discussion of hotels vs. Airbnb and the cost of housing. I've had the displeasure of living in an apartment building that was used partially for long-term tenants (of which I was one) and short-term Airbnb guests. The experience was terrible. Constant noise, incredibly inconsiderate people leaving…

People rent airbnb's to do things at where they don't want to do it at their primary residence.

Quality of guests have nothing to do with the noise/etc because that's the specific purpose that people rent airbnb's for - to host parties, do drugs, and basically trash the place.

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#86
post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not just housing prices. It’s community and neighborhood. People want to live in a neighborhood with actual people, not a decentralized hotel. I say this as someone who has done short term rentals in Paris—it was nice for me, but I can see how annoying it must be for residents.

People don't want to live in industrial areas, or fully commercial areas either. That's what "zoning" is for. Maybe the city should just designate a zone / neighborhood for short term rentals and call it a day.

Apparently the travelers don't want that because they can't role play being a local. Though in Paris the hotels are, apartments and business are all mixed together in the same areas

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#87
post #6
post #3

I don't fall strongly on either side of these debates, but I'm kind of against the debate as a whole. I just don't think that trade offs between short stay rentals, even airbnb hotels, and rental housing has much of a win in it for renters even if advocates get everything they want. It seems like a marginal, symbolic issue that sucks up a lot of attention without the potential for meaningful results. Are bans on shor…

It’s not just housing prices. It’s community and neighborhood. People want to live in a neighborhood with actual people, not a decentralized hotel. I say this as someone who has done short term rentals in Paris—it was nice for me, but I can see how annoying it must be for residents.

Indeed. There's a neighborhood in New Orleans called the Bywater. Traditionally it has been a working class neighborhood. A large percentage of people who worked in the service industry lived and congregated there. They were largely displaced by AirBnBs and AirBnB guests who "wanted to live like a local." The endless parade of guests getting in and out of Ubers with their phone in one hand and a rolling suitcase in other does little to convey any sense of community and neighborhood.

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#88

Glad to see this. The same thing (to a worse degree) has happened in Athens, where the supply of rental units has diminished to more than 1/3 (with average rents going 2-3x in a 1-2 year period), as landlords converted units to short-term rentals. This is particularly touchy for Greece, as tourism accounts for 25%+ of GDP, so tourist-friendly regulation has a big impact. OTOH, it's a country with one of the lowest av…

I came to Athens last summer and spent 4 nights in the city staying in an AirBnB style rent. I thought it would be better doing this than giving my money to a generic international hotel chain but you disagree apparently.

I find your solution unworkable personally. When I travel I like to have somewhere private I can come back to after a long day, the coach surfing model doesn't appeal to couples.

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#89
post #75
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a digital nomad I live my life in AirBnBs (with the exception of the occasional hotel and housesit). Over the last 2 years I have stayed in ~20-30 AirBnBs in Asia and Europe (we were going to do the Americas this year...alas). Without AirBnB I don't know how we would be able to live as digital nomads. Hotels are not acceptable because they lack kitchens and laundries (and laptop friendly workspaces). I understand…

You being nice and enjoying a service that is a pain in the ass for a loooot of people doesn't change the fact that it still is a pain in the ass for a lot of people. "digital nomad" issues are high on the list of first world problems too, the vast majority of people living next to these airbnbs can't afford to be digital nomad and escape their hell. Come to Berlin and our party airbnbs if you want a taste, bring an…

Being a digital nomad comes with plenty of first world problems, which I try not to complain about because I understand they are self-inflicted.

Though its nowhere near as expensive as people seem to imagine (depending on your destination).

My intent was just to share a little.

Re: Paris hails victory over short-stay rents

#90
post #61
post #2

Yeah, Prague politicians are also hailing victories and thanking the coronavirus. Meanwhile, housing prices are up 30%, but who cares about reality, it is Airbnb doing it and it's dead, yay!

You should compare city center prices before/after, where maybe 1/5 of flats is/was used for airbnb and similar short term rentals.

The thing is, way more flats, like at least 10x more, is/was used as offices. The issue is absolutely elsewhere, Airbnb has nearly no effect [here].
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