Air Bnb has ruined my life

Absolute rubbish OP! Total tosh! Unless you are buying a one million properly you do not need 100k deposit.

Look for somewhere cheaper that isn’t 1,000,000!

For what purposes are hotels in Spain closed?

This is something your residents committee and local government should be dealing with - they must be aware? I am so sorry about the impact it's having on your life.

We actually tried to book an apartment in Palma a couple of years ago (not AirB&B, but Vrbro - which is basically now using the same model as far as I can see) and the owner had to write and say the resident's committee had clamped down on short term lets so we could no longer stay. I was actually quite pleased not to be disrupting someone's life and we found a purpose built apart-hotel place, which was fine. Even though you are "only" renters (you have a right to a peaceful home whatever) you could appeal to them - I am sure others are suffering too. Good luck whatever you chose to do.

Similar issue in my area. During covid times there was a huge boom in air B&Bs and serviced apartments. The sea front had loads of affordable flats and houses rented by local residents. Most of them are now holiday let's, private rents have soared, huge homelessness problem, hotels are being used for vulnerable homeless people as the temp accommodation and hostels are full with huge waiting lists, those not classed as vulnerable are left to sleep on the streets.

@itsafan

• *Have you complained to the ayuntamiento ?
  I used to own a property in Spain (NOT Airb&b), & the rules for renting it out were very strict. A denuncia was acted upon very swiftly.

OP my home town in rural Scotland has been almost completely destroyed by AirBnB, something needs to be done.

Nobody can afford to rent or buy here anymore because holiday lets drive up the price ( landlords can get in 3 months what they would get for a year of regular tenants without any of the hassle of having long term tenants). There is a job ad for a radiologist in the hospital, they can’t fill it because any interest parties cannot get accommodation nearby. A major local restaurant just closed because they couldn’t get enough waiting staff because people on minimum/living wage most certainly cannot afford to live here. It’s extra galling given that so many of these holiday lets are ex council houses sold on the right to buy scheme.

And of course people staying in Air BnBs just buy a big shop in their local Tesco before coming up, maybe top up their wine supplies from our Tesco but they certainly don’t go to bars and restaurants here and put any of that cash into local businesses.

And before any racist yobs swoop in, this is not an immigrant issue. We have few immigrants and zero asylum seekers or refugees.

It makes me dreadfully sad.

I am so sorry OP. I’ve been there. We were quite happy and settled with our kids being brought up in our last home for ten years, but we shared the building with three others who slowly became air bnbs and student housing. Having to sell up was a bit sickening at the time.

@OtherS makes good points - the people who stay don't contribute as much to the local economy as other tourists. Yet more profit for property owners, stress and inconvenience for many others.

Oh that actually makes more sense now. I didn’t realise the air bit related to an airbed. I thought it was to do with air travel, which didn’t make sense!

To the OP, I agree they can be a scourge in popular tourist places, I do feel for you and I’m glad I don’t live in a touristy part of the UK.

Just wanted to express sympathy, really

I was horrified when the whole Airbnb thing took off. It was such an obvious problem and here we are.

There are so many things about contemporary life that really annoying and problematic and I was feeling a really deep sadness about all of it today.

I live in a flat and it's like people just don't hear noise. The constant door banging etc. They're all very nice people. My previous flats I've been lucky as well - very nice neighbours.

There was actually a group of us chatting about this in the garden the other day. Most people were very okay with it - they just think every day life makes a noise and what can you do. I wish I could take that attitude.

I think probably noise grates on people like you and me much more than it does on others. And it's quite grim having to wear headphones all the time.

sorry, I'm digressing. But yeah, I really feel for you. And it must be particularly hard when you're watching a nice area be spoiled.

You need to write to your government / council leaders and tell them. We all do. It's disgusting that ordinary people's lives are made significantly worse because a random american company, and a few very wealthy property owners, want to make yet more money. The impact it's having on property rent and availability for permanent residents is awful, and in return for giving up local homes an area gets a bunch of obnoxious holidaymakers who rarely offer any positive benefit to help make up for it. The users often don't support any local businesses like restaurants, and so don't contribute anything at all to the local community. Most just buy supermarket food, and then spend all day cluttering up the beach without paying a penny to the town they've inflicted themselves upon. Rather than using a hotel, or even dedicated rental property which has to pay corporate tax, they pay some homeowner who very likely has a string of properties - and there are many resources available to teach them how to pay no tax at all on their airbnb income. So why tf is it allowed?! For some reason our elected officials seem to be under the impression that we just have to sit back and allow various yankee billionaires to make vast fortunes by coming up with new and creative ways to make us ever poorer and more miserable. It's up to us to tell them that we really, really don't. We can grow a spine and tell these vultures to get the hell out of our continent, at least until such a time as they are willing to offer adequate compensation.

Ridiculous. Hotels are “diversifying” because people stay in B&Bs now.

Airbnb stands for “Air Bed and Breakfast,” reflecting its humble origins renting out air mattresses in a shared living space. The name captures the platform's early mission to offer affordable, personal alternatives to traditional lodging

This will achieve nothing, what do you think sending an email will make the owner do?

Even people on here who say they are being considerate, are still part of the problem. However, it's completely understandable because for many it's the cheapest and most convenient way to holiday. I still feel sorry for the residents who have to put up with it, though.

Are you Spanish?

Hi OP we are having this problem in a city in the UK. Not airbnb specifically though but flat owners changing the lease to holiday lets.

We have been here years and it has started in the last few years. First the ground floor flat changed to a holiday let, now another one wants to do it too.

It's increased the insurance premiums for the building. We're on the management committee and thinking of trying to stop it but unsure how that will go down.

The lease of the buildings / flats is from years ago before holiday lets were a thing, but they do say things like people should be able to live in peace and not bothered by others, and the flats are meant to be for one family only.

We're thinking of contacting the council to ask about it. It's a real problem.

I actually would go back to my own country if the need arise where you can buy houses for few thousands euros or just ask brother for one, because dad left is 4

What kind of stupid name is Airbnb anyway? What does it even mean? It’s a rhetorical question, I’m just venting at the daft name.

Exactly this. We like having our own space, a separate living space and bedrooms for the kids, a washing machine, home comforts. A hotel doesn't work for us on family holidays, and definitely not on city breaks.

We are just as quiet and considerate as we are at home - no loud music, no slamming doors, no coming in hammered at 3am and waking up the whole neighbourhood.

As far as the rent thing is concerned there is nothing that tourists/visitors can do about that. Many cities are implementing very strict rules about short term lets and asking for licences - Edinburgh does this. As a British holidaymaker I have zero influence over the town council in Barcelona, Rome or Paris.

That would be easy for me. Go in the cheapest smallest non popular town, rent a cheap house with whole yard, drive to work, grow vegetables and eventually buy one house like that. Cities aren't for everyone

Which country are you.in please?

I hear you.
Airbnb is a parasite.
The fact that there is no zoning and now leisure and residential is now mixed is a scandal.

Go on the Airbnb website, search for the properties, message the owners, it’s not that complicated!