Attorney General Blasts Airbnb Sublets

 Research by New York’s Attorney General produced damning evidence that most of the listings within the city on popular subletting service Airbnb are illegal.

According to a news report, much of the data used for the report was obtained directly from listings on the Airbnb website.

Heavy restrictions on temporary lodging exist in New York City, as is true in many major cities around the world. For example New Yorkers cannot offer a temporary sublet of the entire apartment  while the permanent resident is away.

Other findings include the fact that a large number of listings come from the same sources, implying that tenants are using third-party services to handle the arrangements, according to the report.

Also, the report revealed that the sex trade is benefiting from the use of short-term rental advertising.

The Attorney General’s office says it will submit the findings to a court this week in order to support its request to subpoena Airbnb records.

Temporary sublets have generated a score of complaints, not just from city officials, but from local residents who don’t like finding strangers in their secure buildings.  Proponents of the service counter that subletting rooms to vacationers is simply a way for tenants to make ends meet.

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