When Airbnb began paying the Transient Occupancy Tax, I called the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance to ask if I still needed to file a monthly Transient Occupancy Tax return. The representative I spoke with told me that I still needed to file Transient Occupancy Tax returns every month. She said to fill out the amounts as zero. Did a representative of the City of Los Angeles Office of Finance advise you that we don’t need City Business Licenses or need to file Transient Occupancy Tax returns?
Well, Ellen, fyi as an apartment owner in Los Angeles I do have a business license. At the moment there is no ordinance in place even though Air has reached an agreement with the city to collect and pay TOT on our behalf. There is no requirement to fill out a monthly anything. If you chose to reach out to the office of finance, that’s on you. I’m waiting for the regulations to be in place before I make any kind of move. As far as business licenses go, if your income from the business in the city of LA is less that 50 K, you would be granted an exemption anyway. Unless you have multiple short term rental properties, it’s not likely that you would exceed that amount.
I’ll look for you at the Leadership Summit this Saturday where we can discuss it further if you like. Otherwise I’ll look for you at the PLUM committee hearing.
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You are incorrect about this. If your income is less than $100,000.00 you don’t have to pay the City Business Tax. This is not the same as the Transient Occupancy Tax which is due on income from stays of less than 30 days.
Recenly two Airbnb host acquaintances were evicted from their apartments just blocks from me here in Long Beach, California. As Kona said, they didn’t have a leg to stand on legally. Rental and lease agreements in California are pretty much the same throughout the state: subletting is strictly forbidden and very clearly stated in no uncertain terms.
My question is, why did you ignore this?
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What I meant that you still have to claim tax with the State of CA & in SF we have to sumbit a quarterly occupancy report. 
Yup each city is different but one thing still applies: LEGAL HOST. Don’t put it off; I ended up having to pay the office of short-term housing $200 vs $50 (registration fee).
Why did’t you continue doing the Airbnb yourself then? I don’t think it’s because you are a good samaritan that wants to give humanity affordable places to live, it’s just because Airbnb is a lot of work and the earning is not a net one. Probably you figured out that it was better 2,575 a month effortless than 3,500/month after paying cleaners, buying every day breakfast items, cleaning and ironing towels and bed linens for hours every weekend, having to work your schedule to adapt to each guest, having to keep the house faultless all the time etc…
The wear and tear is covered by the deposit that the tenant gave you at the start of the tenancy.
This is completely idiotic. If you purchase a house and you have tenants, you are not an employer and they are not your employee. Also, according to you, all the shops and activities that rent a space should earn less than what they pay in rent… This is totally absurd. Tomorrow I’ll tell my hairdresser which is very immoral if he earns from his work more than what he pays to rent the local. Every economy would fail with this principle. And no-one would pay any rent anymore.
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I am getting evicted for posting apartments on air bb. It was up for less then 24 hours I put it up out of curiosity and now I am getting evicted. I have never hosted anybody or really had the internet. Is this right?
Your lease states you can’t sublet?
So you put it up for subletting?
So you intended to break your leases terms and conditions, and you expected no response?
Do you want your potential guest confronted with a query about where they are staying and no Airbnb’s allowed?
Do you want them escorted from the listing?
You have been cut off at the pass with any major damage done!
You could take the listing down and plead your case and hope for the best……
Airbnb is not privy to your lease or the eviction process locally. I wouldn’t open the can of worms that you’ve been evicted for cause since its up to hosts to follow local rules, laws, etc. I would just say that you have to move or the property can’t be used unexpectedly. I’m surprised that they didn’t issue a warning first.
@Nanahamid Yes, of course you can be evicted for posting listings for a place you rent if you did that without the landlord’s permission. It’s illegal.
You say “apartments”, like more than one. You really thought you could rent apartments as if you were going to live there and then turn around and sublet them on Airbnb?
You put them up as an experiment? What kind of experiment? Sounds like BS to me.
What were you planning to do when the guests stopped up the plumbing, requiring a $400 plumber call-out? Phone the landlord and expect him to pay for it?
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Ok. So, you willingly chose to violate the conditions of your lease (a legal binding agreement) that you signed as an adult? This is breach of contract and you acted in bad faith.
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Talk to a real estate attorney. MAYBE, you can fall on your sword and APOLOGIZE to your landlord and make it right. Probably not. We would evict you in a heartbeat then make more with a new tenant, as rents are higher now. Regardless of how this turns out, consider this a serious life lesson.
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Your story sounds like Total BS. Even here with total strangers you are telling lies. I do not believe for one second that you put up several listings out of curiosity.
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Consider - HOW would your landlord FIND OUT SO FAST, if it was “only for a day”? Someone has been keeping a close eye on you. Or, someone has been talking.
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I always find it amusing when hosts who are listing illegally think that other hosts will be supportive and help them find a way to get around whatever the illegality is.
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Wow. What nerve. Like @Jefferson I would evict you in a heartbeat if you did this to me. And, yes, I am friends with my LTR neighbors so someone is always watching.
It certainly does. Especially:
She’s never really ‘had’ the internet but yet uses it to put up several listings on the industry leader’s internet site and then uses the internet to post here. And indeed, joining an internet forum especially to post this rubbish.
Furthermore, revitalising a topic that is over four years old in doing so.
So dear readers please note - the members here have boring business stuff such as local business licences and short term rental insurance which are largely for the guests’ protection and safety.
And now it’s time to close this thread, I think.