When renters sign up to be Airbnb hosts, they open liability issues for building owners.
Airbnb’s popularity has skyrocketed, offering appealing, affordable experiences to travelers and an easy way for renters to make quick cash. The overwhelming majority of Airbnb travelers use properties responsibly. There have been horror stories, however, with condos being held hostage by guests citing squatter’s rights, thefts, allegations of sexual assault and damaged property.
With no contractual relationship between a building owner and an Airbnb renter, the owner holds little leverage if an incident occurs. The building owner’s rights, limitations, and duties when dealing with an Airbnb tenant might not be fully known, increasing the risk for the building owner.
The best strategy for mitigating the risks of Airbnb usage is to explicitly prohibit tenants from subletting their units for any length of time, Greg Offner, a producer with the Graham Co., told GlobeSt.com. To ensure compliance, he recommends that building owners monitor Airbnb and routinely check for listings at properties they own, and check with an insurance broker to find out how building coverage interacts with tenants’ coverage.
Related Stories
| Nov 10, 2011
New legislation aimed at improving energy efficiency in federal buildings
Recently introduced legislation, the “High-Performance Federal Buildings Act,” would help federal agencies save energy and money by improving building performance.
| Nov 4, 2011
CSI and ICC Evaluation Service agree to reference GreenFormat in ICC-ES Environmental Reports?
ICC-ES currently references CSI's MasterFormat and other formats in all of its evaluation reports. The MOU will add GreenFormat references.
| Nov 3, 2011
House Votes to Kill 3% Withholding Requirement; Senate Yet to Vote
The U.S. House of Representatives voted last week to repeal a 3% IRS withholding tax on businesses that do work for the government.
| Nov 3, 2011
OSHA Publishes Information on Rights and Safety
OSHA recently published new and revised information that explains workers’ and employers’ rights, as well as how to protect workers from hazards in the construction industry.
| Nov 3, 2011
Sierra Club Critical of Albuquerque Mayor’s Push to Weaken Green Code
The mayor’s plan to move to a less environmentally friendly code would mean confusion for people in the construction industry and a loss of energy efficiency and money for consumers, said Shrayas Jatkar of the Sierra Club.
| Nov 3, 2011
Lax Code Enforcement Blamed for Deaths in Turkey’s Earthquake
Despite tough safety codes approved a decade ago after earthquakes killed 18,000 people, lax enforcement led to hundreds of deaths after a recent earthquake in Turkey.
| Nov 3, 2011
International Green Construction Code Will Provide Template for Local Codes
A uniform code for green construction is being readied for publication in March.
| Oct 31, 2011
NIST issues new code requirements
Buildings taller than 420 feet are now required to include an extra exit stairwell or a specially designed elevator that occupants can use for evacuations.
| Oct 28, 2011
Los Angeles County mulling building codes for improving health
An ordinance would amend county building codes to promote better walking environments, encourage more bicycling, improve access to healthy foods (farmers markets, community gardens), and enhance project review requirements to ensure that developers include healthy-lifestyle components in their building plans.
| Oct 28, 2011
Bipartisan opposition to federal 3% withholding for contractors
Both major political parties and the Obama Administration support repealing a law that would withhold 3% of all government contracts.
