I am literally the only sensible and legitimate Airbnb in my city, and the city council wants to impose strict restricts on all home-sharing accommodations in the city, in which there are virtually none but mine. This comes at the request of the only actual B&B owner in town who wants all B&B-types to pay the optional fees and permits he paid for his B&B. Has anyone dealt with their local gov’t. like this? This almost feels like a personal attack.
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Maybe I have been doing this too long, but I just don’t think the hue and cry of AirBnB hosts saying that don’t want to be regulated or taxed like BnB hosts (minus the Air on their name) holds much water anymore.
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Where are you? Do you have rooms in your home or separate accommodation?
I live in Fitchburg, MA. I rent 2 bedrooms in my 4-bedroom home in which I live and own. All common areas are shared, incl. the bathroom.
I am not categorically opposed to paying some taxes and agreeing to some permitting, but my community puts me on par with 200+room accommodations, which just seems unfair, or a B&B owner that chose to pay permitting fees.
I am literally the only sensible listing in a city of 41,000+ residents. I will be the one regulated.
I don’t know what this means.
I see your three listings and your price seems competitive with others. Two listings for individual bedrooms and one for the whole house.
Are you saying you are the only resident in your town that rents accommodation in their home?
Everyone has to pay tax on earned income, so I am sure you are paying taxes already. (apart from in the UK where there is a lodgers scheme with tax free incentives up to 7K)
We are trying to help, but unfortunately your posts aren’t too clear.
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You’re in MA! Get ready for more regulation from the state.
There are about 6 Airbnb listings in my city. Most have their calendars completely blocked and have fewer than 5 reviews. One is an actual B&B with scarce reviews but boasted its 1,000th guest on social media recently. I am also a Superhost. By “sensible” I just mean we are an Airbnb accommodation people actually stay with and book via the website. I doubt the other listing even know this petition is moving through CC - even one of the CCs didn’t know! So his would only affect me.
I’m wondering if other hosts have experienced this level of regulation when you’re the only Airbnb listing in your town.
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My personal beliefs, which are just mine, is that every rental should collect and submit the exact taxes that hotels and motels in the area pay.
This levels the playing field and shuts up the hotel lobby.
Tourists should contribute and support the economy.
If you are allowed to stay open and continue to rent, I would be happy with that and pay whatever the govt requests.
Just my two cents.
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Nobody in their right mind chooses to pay taxes and fees. They are paid because govt passes a law. I am having a really hard time lately determining the difference between and “airbnb” and a “b&b”.
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By rental do you mean everyone whether they offer a room in their home or a 6 bed villa with pool?
yes I do mean that all rentals should submit the same tax as hotels.
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@georgygirlofairbnb My personal beliefs are that someone renting a room in their home is not the same as a commercial outfit with multiple properties and shouldn’t be treated the same when it comes to taxation. This is already recognised in the UK with those renting rooms in their homes being given tax breaks.
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I hear you. Considering how governments are cracking down in the USA and laws are affected by hotel lobby - we will have to agree to disagree.
I have been collecting and submitting the same for 9+ years. 13% on each booking. The hotels can not come after me or influence govt based upon my actions. My beliefs and they will not change. I also sit on our council Tax and Accommodations Committee to disperse the funds and legitimize the industry we are all in.
I invite all of you to look up Airbnbs in Fitchburg, MA. I’ll see what my competition is (or isn’t). One of the listing is the B&B in question. The only other accommodation in our city is Great Wolf Lodge.
Agreed. To @Helsi’s point about it being fair and equitable across small operators and big chains, also agreed, although the tax code in the US rarely reflects that kind of fairness.
Sales Tax and Accommodations tax is just that…a tax that is collected from the tourist / visitor and goes back into the local and state economy and is structured to be spent back in very specific ways.
I support the tax fully as long as the hotel on the corner pays it then I will charge it and pay it.
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I agree. I think there should be a local tourist tax here like there is in lots of other places in Europe where they pay a daily rate whatever accommodation they are in.
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I did and I still dont see your point or position. I am not meaning to be argumentative. I just don’t understand why the rooms rented in your house should not be taxes the same as the rooms rented in the other house in the same town. The B&B does not think Airbnb’s should have an “unfair” advantage in pricing by avoiding taxation. I would feel the same if I were the owner of that B&B.
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