Sunday, February 19, 2017

Airbnb May Have a Real Problem: 50,000 Unit Landlord Is Suing Them

It's one thing to flout city ordinances.
It is a completely different matter to mess with the property owners.
As noted in last week's "A Lone Data Whiz Is Fighting Airbnb — and Winning":
Yeah, most buildings frown on tenants setting up mini-hotels or BnB's or whatever....
From The Verge:

US landlord AIMCO is suing Airbnb because its renters are breaking their leases
This is the first time Airbnb has been sued by a landlord 
Apartment Investment & Management Company (AIMCO), one of the largest owners and operators of apartments in the United States, has filed a pair of lawsuits in Florida and California against short-term rental site Airbnb, alleging that it helps tenants violate their leases and that it creates unsafe conditions for other renters. 

AIMCO owns or manages around 50,000 apartments in 23 states across the US. “Short-term rental arrangements, whether through Airbnb or otherwise, are expressly prohibited by Aimco's lease agreements,” according to a release by the company, and is seeking an unspecified amount of money in damages. 

While Airbnb has mounted legal challenges and faced legislation from major cities such as New York City and San Francisco, this is the first time that a landlord has sued the company, according to The Wall Street Journal.....MORE 
Airbnb's Nick Papas, speaking for the $30 billion valuation company said:

“This attack on the middle class by powerful interests is wholly without merit...”

AIMCO's market cap is $7.41billion, enterprise value 11.58 billion.
See also Feb. 14's "Airbnb Wants to Spend Some of the $3 Billion It’s Sitting On".