Airbnb/HomeAway/Wimdu etc. question

I'm fairly certain airbnb doesn't. We use airbnb a lot. Some things you can search for when looking at amenities on airbnb include first aid kit, smoke detector, carbon monoxide detector, safety card and fire extinguisher (to make sure where you are staying has these things). I've never honestly included those in my amenities - they aren't a deal breaker for me and it has never crossed my mind...

I know our airbnb room in New Jersey last year had a working smoke detector in the room - because at 2am, the batteries decided to start going dead and it started doing that loud beeping thing every minute or two. (The hosts were home and heard the beeping - and it was a room with very high ceilings, so he had to finagle a chair and an ottoman to get the battery out...lol...hubby meanwhile mostly sleeping thru all this...our host apologized profusely). I would think the odds of there being a fire would be almost the same as a plane crashing - you can certainly look at photos beforehand and see if it looks like a newer place that is probably safer as opposed to an older place that could have bad wiring or be a fire trap.

I'll keep that in mind that I can look for those amenities. Thank you!

The whole idea actually makes me a bit nervous. It was strange being in a guest house (Captain Bligh House) where you almost never saw the hosts, so I'm considering a B&B for a bit more socialization next time around. As long as I can have or have access to a refrigerator I should be fine.

We've used Airbnb almost exclusively on our last few trips with a hotel or B&B sprinkled in. First time using them was 2011. But we have done (and still do) couch surfing, so we are used to staying and interacting with total strangers. We've met some awesome folks! About 80% of our airbnb stays have been a private room as opposed to a whole apartment. Mostly because private rooms are cheaper. Generally only did whole apartments when my mom was with us. Or I found a really good deal.

We just did a trip across northern US to Toronto and back home to Nova Scotia and of 7 accoms, 5 were Airbnb, one guesthouse and a motel. We had two airs in Toronto (we split three nights each) and one of them was gorgeous...with a view of the lake, gorgeous king size bed, beautiful private bathroom and a deck off the room to sit and enjoy the view (and even a little nook with a small table and chairs). We have found some real gems...but I do exhaustive researching...like...I will favourite a bunch if it's a large city, then winnow it to a top 10...then top 5...make a list on a notepad of what is best about each one and hope I get my first choice (which I almost always do)...but I enjoy doing it.

That being said...we've had Airbnb hosts who barely interacted with us (perhaps because of a language barrier or they just weren't social) and others we sat and chatted with for 2-3 hours in the evenings.

Same with B&Bs...we've been to some where you don't really see anyone else at breakfast, but have also been at some where we've had lovely chats with some Brits (in California) and Aussies (in Venice) as examples. But we will just start randomly chatting with people on trains or in restaurants when on holiday...depends on your comfort level interacting with strangers.

With regards to fire and other life-safety issues, I would not count on this. Listings should have lots of good photos so one can see every room and area, including ceilings where smoke detectors are commonly mounted. Insufficient photos may just be laziness or poor marketing, or it may be that they are trying to hide something. While it's not an unreasonable question to ask before committing to a rental, you can see where an owner may wonder if you'll be a problem renter, since most would not ask.

In two AirBnB rentals we stayed in last year here in the states, there were clear fire code violations. In one, the second floor bedroom had two windows, both inoperable due to being painted shut. In another, again an upstairs unit without a door to the exterior, the windows in the room were too small and too high up to satisfy the emergency escape code-though this unit did have smoke detectors, which the other did not.

This is all you get in the way of safety, when you rent an apartment in Paris:

By law, there must be one smoke detector installed in each residential apartment, regardless of the size.
There must be a sign posted in the entry hallway of each building, describing the floor plan and the location of the entrance doors to the building.
The number of obligatory fire extinguishers varies due to the number of floors in the building. Many 7 storey residential buildings are required to have only 3 extinguishers, one of which will be in the basement.
There are no official fire exits in residential buildings, and no lights will come on if there is a fire.
Most residential buildings do not have balconies, just iron work protecting the windows.
There are no fire escapes. If there is a fire, the firemen will evacuate the residents through the windows or nearest opening.
Et voila - c'est tout.

There are often fires in apartment buildings. They are blamed on property owners who do a quick renovation and add more "load" than the building's out-dated wiring can handle. Some individual owners or agencies might include one fire extinguisher in the rental, but most do not provide them.

Most people assume that residential apartment buildings are inspected for fire and safety codes - but this is not the case. I've seen two disastrous fires in the Marais last year - both blamed on faulty wiring.

It's a very real concern, and if you are worried about yourself or your family's safety, you should stay in hotels, which must pass fire, sanitation and safety inspections every year.

Chexbres, can one establish a legitimate, registered business and provide short term rentals? Is there a legal category other than hotel and personal home rented out less than 3 months a year (or what ever the legal time frame is)?

More Germain to the subject, if your rental has an open flame water heater or open flame space heater (and I suspect most do) you might want to ensure that there is a Carbon Monixide Detector present; even then you might want to leave the window open a bit. It would be a shame to wake up dead.

I have been involved in renovating a few apartments in classic old European apartment blocks. Apartments carefully selected in sound buildings and with legal and permitted renovations can be very safe and even safer than US homes as unlike US homes they are constructed out of non combustible materials. But I get the point about gambling if there is no regulation.

James E - there are some individuals who have been able to satisfy the Mayor's criteria for being listed as "legal rentals", but since it is an extremely costly and complicated process, most cannot comply.

To date, there are only 107 legal rentals which have been approved by the Mayor's office. There is a map of these rentals, but unfortunately it is impossible to tell which apartment in any building is the one that's legal, since it is not specifically identified by floor, number, or anything else - just the address of the building is given. Not much use, unfortunately.

The Senate Commission is discussing a lawsuit brought by the Hotel lobby association in Paris. It involves several issues: that residential property owners or their agencies are not professional hoteliers, and as such, do not have the right to accept money for deposit. The government is also planning to force anyone who lists via the internet to prove that revenue is declared and taxes paid, or the property owner will face prison time. There is a big issue with money-laundering, especially with owners or corporations which own multiple properties and are based in countries other than France.

Wow, it's amazing anyone in a Paris apartment lives to see the sun rise.

Perhaps if the City put as much energy and resources into basic life safety issues as they do illegal vacation rentals-along with all these folks subtly and not so subtly working to discourage and scare people from them-the permanent residents and those pesky tourists would be safer. Hard to imagine this issue taking precedent over all those dangerous apartments.

This may be totally peripheral on the airbnb issue since it was focused on Paris and London: When I was in Berlin on the last trip a few weeks back, I read that the Berlin Senate upheld the law prohibiting the existence of Airbnb from operating in Berlin. In Berlin no such animal exists.

After three years in an apartment furnished by the American Embassy and held to U.S. safety standards, we moved to our own place as retirees and the differences are vast. No fire extinguishers as Romans do not worry about fire as much as water damage. We were able to get the landlord to buy a new stovette (it is 50cm wide, therefore I call it a stovette) with security valves to the gas cannot be left on in error without a flame lit. Water heater above your head in the bathroom? Yup! Doors that once locked from the inside require a key to get out? Certainly!

We learned in early trips to Italy that safety is our own responsibility and do our best to pick places with exits, to know where our keys are (in the door) so we can get out in an emergency. Carbon monoxide? Sleep with a window open. Of course, them you might get Zika Virus because there are no screens. And I do miss screens.

Select a place you are comfortable with. You don't want to lose sleep over safety.

Personal liberty and personal responsibility is why there are no inspections in residential apartment buildings in Paris. Property owners must provide insurance coverage when they purchase an apartment.

Nobody wants the State to manage things - we'd be buried under paperwork, and we'd be paying a lot more in taxes than we currently do.

Hotels pay commercial taxes and inspections are included in that.

Yes, it might be better if I stay in a hotel or B&B.

Sandra, I think you made a good point. Thats one of the things you voluntarily give up when not using a hotel.

Okay, my subjective opinion. Find a nice place on AirBnb or any of the popular listing sites and go and have a good time. Just do your homework and pick a place with good review that fits your style and needs. It a pretty incredible way to spend time in another culture and it can really add to the tone of the trip.

Not my intent to tease you at all, SandraL, however there are those whose sole reason for being here seems to be discouraging apartment rentals in Paris. If you prefer an apartment, by all means, go for it-it is our preference too. Just know that there are many layers to successfully renting in Paris and other cities. Do your research and choose what's good for you, have a great trip.

Thank you, everybody. I do appreciate your input.

And the funny thing is, none of this ever crossed MY mind when I was looking at Airbnb. It was my spouse who brought it up! I think he sometimes worries more than I do.

If you ask a question you will get a lot of discussion. The quantity of the discussion tends to amplify the purpose of the question. Doesn't mean the conversation is not valid, just means that by the 4th post things just start sounding worse than they are.

Here is what I look for
1. LOCATION. I want to be in the margin between Tourist and Local.

2. Professionally managed
3. Ground or First Floor
4. Permanently installed AC. The portable units are marginal.
5. Renovated in the last 15 years.

6. Operable windows facing the street so I can soak in the noise and traffic and life of the city. I'm just odd that way.

Of course, since the possibility exists that Kaeleku may have concurred with me at least in part, I am going to reexamine my entire outlook on life .... that or take an incredibly hot shower and try and wash it off. Just kidding.

There are some of us who are not against renting apartments, if someone really needs one.
However, any attempt to present the reality of the situation versus the fantasy of a perfect experience when someone overlooks things in the listing is always met with scorn and derision.
It's common for first-time visitors to be blinded by exposed ceiling beams and cute furnishings, and they will often neglect to closely examine the kitchen and laundry facilities or the number of flights up - and condition of the stairway and/or elevator - before they book.

Things like this are important, as is fire safety.

Because the question gets asked, and because people answer, the responses give a perception that elevates the issue. Just a fact of a forum. It can be difficult to find context at times.

I neglected to list the single most important attribute that I look for in an apartment: LEGALITY. Sort of an issue of mine, not breaking the laws of my hosts. That makes renting an apartment in some cities more difficult than others.

There are fires all the time in residential buildings in Paris. Thanks to the outstanding job done by the pompiers, it's rare that anyone - even a tourist - dies, unless there has been a horrible gas explosion and the building collapses.

There are licensed, legal Bed and Breakfasts in Paris, if anyone would like to stay with a real host family:
http://www.une-chambre-en-ville.com/

How is it that "safe" got redefined as "not dead"?

chexbres, thank you very much for the link. What a great site!

Is there a similar one for London, does anyone know?