Rules of Airbnb &/or Flipkey

[Maria Rigdon]

I was just wondering if anyone else might have run into a snag while using Airbnb.  Recently I saw a news article about a women who was doing the Airbnb for a room in her house.  Turned out later that the city fined her some outrageous money for doing so.  I recently acquired my very first property and had every intention to make it a rental but my husband and I put it on Airbnb to see if we got any bites and we did in just one hour.  It has been working out very well for us but after this article ran I started getting nervous.  I called the tax and state comptroller and was told I didn't need anything to operate but is there any way to find out for sure in writing if I need anything to operate an airbnb home in San Antonio, Texas?

[Rick Pozos]

Just like any business, you need a sales tax permit, you need to collect 16.75% tax from customers as if you are a hotel (because that is really what you are) and you have to be registered with the city. The San Antonio Business Development Office on Alamo and Flores has all your answers.

You are operating a business in another city. You have to know what local codes and ordinances there are specific to the municipality.

People can and will get in trouble when they dont follow the local codes.