Roundup: Oldies rewarded but Byron gutted by Airbnb

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Yes, they’re US dollars – because that’s where Airbnb’s profits go (although they pay tax in Ireland).

An odd coincidence this week had me back on radio again this week yacking about our old friends Airbnb.

The first, in their continuing effort to convince politicians that they are really just a local hug-fest, they have snuggled up to Minister for Mental Health, Women and Ageing  (in that order) Tanya Davies and offered a deal that no politician could refuse.

NSW seniors who let a room for the first time on Airbnb will get $100 cash back from the global internet letting monolith. Whoo-hoo! How many people with this affect?  The Minister doesn’t say in this clip on the Channel Seven News.

We don’t think it will be all that many – but we will never find out because Airbnb never releases their actual figures because of “privacy” issues.

However, we should commend Airbnb for going back to their stated business model – people letting a room in their homes while they are there – rather than their actual strategy, with 60 percent of their Sydney lets being whole apartments and houses, much of them managed on a purely commercial basis.

While we were waiting for the Minister to look up the definition of “sharing” in a dictionary, we read about the real effect of Airbnb in an article by our good friend Mark Dapin which explains how rampant profiteering from holiday rentals is destroying Byron Bay as a community.

Because of those two coincidental stories, I was invited on to ABC radio yesterday  and you’ll find a recording of my spot  here on our podcast page.

And finally, a reminder that if you are worried about Airbnb taking over your building – and you should be –  you need to get on to Sydney MP Alex Greenwich’s website, download his petition and get your neighbours (owners AND renters) to sign it.

Airbnb is a multi-billion-dollar monster whose supporters recently swamped the government with 5000 almost identical submissions in a massive Astroturf (fake grass roots) campaign.

All Alex wants is an open debate in parliament before the government rams through legislation to benefit its NBFs from San Francisco, commercial holiday landlords and almost no one else. The petition  has to be printed out and signed – it can’t be done electronically – but it’s worth the effort if you don’t want your apartment block to be turned into a holiday hotel.

And hey, renters, this affects you too.  You are being priced out of traditional renter areas of Sydney by holiday lets, so get on it.

Meanwhile, here are links to the top questions and answers from the Forum this week.

Should landlords get home and contents insurance? That’s here

Moving tenants blocking driveway. That’s here

Time to sack this bolshie secretary? That’s here

Unapproved flooring  is cheap, thin, fake timber. That’s here

Faceless committee and a do-nothing strata manager. That’s here.

What can you do about false fire alarms? That’s here.

By the time you read this, there will be even more on the Flat Chat Forum. Don’t miss it.

 

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