Court Reverses Fines Imposed on Airbnb Renter

In May, a judge sided with the city, which said Warren violated the multiple dwelling law by having a paid guest for fewer than 30 days.

But on appeal, Nigel Warren's fines were reversed. The court said the rental was legal because Warren's roommate was in the apartment at the time. Short term boarders are OK, if a permanent resident is in the home.

There are still questions about the legality of sites like Airbnb. But as the number of visitors to New York City has soared over the past decade, more and more travelers are using the internet to find less expensive beds in private homes.

For WNYC, I'm Ilya Marritz.

Last year, an East Village man named Nigel Warren received thousands of dollars in fines, after renting a room in his apartment to a traveler from Russia, for just three nights. In May, a judge sided with the city, which said Warren violated the multiple dwelling law by having a paid guest for fewer than 30 days. But on appeal, Nigel Warren's fines were reversed. The court said the rental was legal because Warren's roommate was in the apartment at the time. Short term boarders are OK, if a permanent resident is in the home. There are still questions about the legality of using sites like Airbnb. But as the number of visitors to New York City has soared over the past decade, more and more New Yorkers have taken advantage of the city's popularity by renting out their homes to travelers.