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.Â
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
Codes and Standards | Oct 18, 2019
St. Louis could save $61 million per year in energy costs by improved building performance
GHG gases can be reduced by at least 11% with upgrades to public buildings and large private buildings.
Codes and Standards | Oct 17, 2019
Slow payments cost GCs and subs $64 billion annually
Study finds 51-day average payment turnaround.
Codes and Standards | Oct 16, 2019
Cool pavement can make people hotter
Reflective coatings channel sunlight raising temperatures where pedestrians walk.
Codes and Standards | Oct 15, 2019
Utah adopts 2018 International Energy Conservation Code
Provisions include increased building envelope performance and reduced air infiltration.
Codes and Standards | Oct 14, 2019
States continue to beef up energy efficiency codes
ACEEE 50-state scorecard finds latest IECC code gaining adherents.
Codes and Standards | Oct 9, 2019
DOE releases Better Buildings Healthcare Financing Primer
Outlines financial strategies to implement energy-efficiency projects in healthcare.
Codes and Standards | Oct 8, 2019
Zero Carbon Buildings for All aims for ambitious emission reduction targets
Organization makes commitment to net zero carbon for all buildings by 2050.
Codes and Standards | Oct 7, 2019
Tailgating remains a critical building security threat, say security professionals
Few buildings provide beefed up provisions to counteract threat.
Codes and Standards | Oct 7, 2019
New seismic standard to evaluate, retrofit existing structural steel buildings open for review
AISC seeks input through Nov. 4.
Codes and Standards | Sep 27, 2019
Open source tool allows comparison of embodied carbon emissions from construction materials
Enables carbon-smart choices during material specification and procurement.