Airbnb, the popular home renting service, has updated their Android app. What was once a simple way to peruse homes and apartments for rent has quickly morphed into a full-fledged mobile service. Today’s update brings one of the most crucial aspects to the Android version in the ability to write reviews. The update also gives a refreshed listing page, and the host’s calendar will now show on the listing page.
For those not yet familiar with Airbnb, it’s just like a hotels.com or expedia, except it’s a bit more like Craigslist. Those with homes or apartments for rent list their property on AirBNB, replete with pictures and info about the home/area. You deal with the listing party to rent the property, making AirBNB little more than a hosting service for rentals.
Airbnb has seen its share of bad press, unfortunately. A New York lawsuit filed by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman centered on a law making it illegal for those in that state to rent out a home or room for less than 30 days. The state subpoenaed records for tenants in an attempt to levy fines. In one instance, a host was initially fined $2,400 for allowing their apartment to be rented via Airbnb, but the case has since been settled in Airbnb’s favor, leading city regulators to overturn the fine.
We like Airbnb for making it easy to find awesome places to stay, especially for those longer out-of-town trips. It’s also handy for large groups, giving you a real home away from home. With the update to the mobile app, we now find it easier and more approachable to rent. We liked perusing the app for fun, but increased mobile functionality will probably have us renting a lot more.
