Readers React: If restrictions on Airbnb rentals apply to landlords, they should apply to tenants too

To the editor: Some tenants want Los Angeles City Hall to let them list their units on short-term rental sites like Airbnb.

What about the sanctity of a contract? Lawmakers and policymakers should remember that most leases identify the tenants by name and provide for notice and landlord consent when tenants want to bring in other occupants.

Landlords who carefully vet their tenants, checking credit and with an eye to protecting their properties and their other tenants from undue disruptions and wear and tear, should not indirectly be forced into the hotel business. If the city enacts a regulation that would in essence encourage tenants to breach their leases, it will lead to legal disputes and unfairly penalize property owners.

Lisa Quateman, Los Angeles

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