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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think AirBNBs ruin streets

101 replies

Greyrootszerohoots · 16/08/2021 19:35

We live in a quiet cul de sac, elderly couples and a few young families mainly.

One house that was an empty second home for 5+ years - never met owners - has become an Airbnb this year. Crazy prices and large groups of new holidayers (3/4 cars) coming and going every couple of days.

I realise it’s a first world problem and I actually have far serious things to worry about, but it’s really changed the whole dynamic of a very neighbourly and quiet street and I sort of feel like it takes a shitty person to cash in at the expense of the other households.

Has anyone else experienced this?

OP posts:
Blossomgates · 17/08/2021 19:49

I'm not sure that Airbnb is that different to any holiday let. The issue is that properties are let short term rather than being a residential home

The ones I've stayed in were advertised with Airbnb but also with a range of holiday let companies including booking.com. It isn't really about Airbnb.

whiteroseredrose · 19/08/2021 21:14

Sorry but I can't see the answer to an earlier PP's question - where do all these people that hate Airbnb's go on holiday?

One of the joys in life is travelling but we don't like hotels. Too inflexible. We prefer to self cater. Usually Booking.Com not Airbnb but same result.

muffindays · 19/08/2021 21:24

Agree totally OP! So many companies buying up multiple houses in a city and turning them into airbnbs, raking it in. One opened next door to me and is charging £1k a night!!! It's rented out a few days a month and the rest of the time sits empty. Whilst I'm next door in a shoddy run down flat that's rented because I can't afford to buy in my city or anywhere nearby.

PhoenixFreesias · 19/08/2021 21:30

I hate it when people are wilfully obtuse

FedUpAtHomeTroels · 19/08/2021 21:55

@FangsForTheMemory

They ruin communities. There's a massive housing shortage where I live and a LOT of Air B&Bs.
Agreed. Kills villages too We've noticed a few houses in our neighbourhood have been rented as holiday let this year. Houses were built here and have sold for over $500k and half are empty most of the time. Now a new lot are going up and are for sale for near 500k Weird thing is, you can buy an older townhouse a few hundred yards away for less than half with the same river view. I refuse to book with AirB&B I use hotels if we have to go anywhere to support the tourism industry.
Shamoo · 19/08/2021 22:06

We live in a mews of 6 houses. One of them is used exclusively for air BnB. It’s infuriating - they mess up the bin stores, leave cigarette butts all over the place, park in our parking spaces etc etc etc. They just don’t care about the fact they are staying with people who live here every day. Fortunately we know the owners and I make them come and sort the issues out, which generally they do (as they are owners they are part of the management company so we can hold them to account). I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t do that, would drive me insane.

I was always indifferent about air BnB until this. Now I hate them.

lannistunut · 19/08/2021 22:08

@FangsForTheMemory

They ruin communities. There's a massive housing shortage where I live and a LOT of Air B&Bs.
This. I support regulation and high taxes, they are a real issue.
lannistunut · 19/08/2021 22:09

I refuse to book with AirB&B I use hotels if we have to go anywhere to support the tourism industry. Yes, me too.

HeyDemonsItsYaGirl · 19/08/2021 22:16

Perhaps we should all bookmark this thread and post it whenever some MNer says "book an AirBnB" on here. Happens all the time.

blueberryporridge · 19/08/2021 23:28

...and what is that? Are you saying there should just be no self-catering holidays?

I think the answer is that it should not be possible to turn properties which are homes into self-catering properties without getting planning permission for change of use and a strict licensing system, and that the presumption should be that most self-catering should be purpose-built units which are parts of developments with planning permission.

We live in a Victorian semi where the attached house is now an AirBnB/short term let. It sleeps 10. We have a never-ending stream of new groups/families in party/holiday mode through the wall from us (and noise travels easily). They arrive, kids in group are naturally excited so thunder through the house and up and down the stairs shouting to each other. Luggage gets bumped up and down the two flights of stairs. Car doors are slammed, front door is slammed, gate is slammed. There is partying and/or other noise till the early hours. Dogs are left in the house howling while owners are out. Meantime we are trying to sleep to get up early for work/school in the morning, and dealing with noise from through the wall as we try to work from home. Then it's time to pack up to be out by 10am - again, luggage bumping down the stairs, car and boot doors slamming, engines running - every Saturday morning and at the moment most stays seem to be only for one or two nights so the same thing on weekday mornings and Sundays. Then the cleaners arrive to thump hoover up and down the stairs and shout at each other over the racket for a few hours. Then the whole thing starts all over again with the next lot arriving. And this is a relatively well-run property where party bookings are not allowed (although we do still get people renting it for hen party gatherings, birthdays etc).

I should add that we never had noise problems before the property was made into an AirBnB.

We now also have a party house across the street as well with an outdoor jacuzzi and bar where the renters like to congregate till 2am-3am shouting and playing loud music. A hotel wouldn't be allowed to create this noise and would risk losing its licence but there are no controls at all for the Air BnB other than resorting to calling the the police.

I've been told it would be worse if we had permanent neighbours who were noisy but I can't agree because there would be ways to deal with that at official level if necessary whereas there is virtually nothing you can do about Air BnBs. In my experience, around 2/3 of all bookings cause some problem or other, and you reach the stage where you see the cleaners leaving and wonder if you are going to get another noisy lot arriving shortly.

This is all causing so much stress to local residents and fundamentally changing the character of what was formerly a quiet residential street. And, meanwhile, the stock of housing for purchase by families or long-term rent is shrinking.

There needs to be legislation to control short term lets, and soon.

Ridiculousradish · 19/08/2021 23:39

Yep they sure do. I live in Cornwall down a little lane. One out of the three houses on the lane is now an Air Bnb. We have a major housing crisis, it is horrendous. There's nowhere for people to live, but thousands of places for people to stay on holiday.
It's got totally out of hand. I don't think I'll stay in an Air Bnb ever again, not unless it's a room in someone's house where they actually live. It needs regulating..

FedUpAtHomeTroels · 20/08/2021 10:39

Self catering doesn't have to be in a family home in a residential area. There are plenty of holiday parks with lodges, caravans, and isn't there such a thing as thos Aparthotels in the cities here?

pollypokcet · 20/08/2021 10:46

...and what is that? Are you saying there should just be no self-catering holidays?*

Self catering holidays being reduced in number really isn't the end of the world. I'd much rather people like me are able to rent and buy than have an overpriced short term rental

tootingbeclido · 20/08/2021 10:54

I heard an no taking about the problems of air bnb on the radio recently....I would urge anyone experiencing this to do contact their mp. Thankfully I love in an area no one wants to visit (yet!)

HollyGrail · 20/08/2021 10:55

A flat in a block near us was not allowed to be airbnb as the properties were built for private residency so that means owner or a renter. Also planning permission means you can't run a business from the flats - I don't know how Airbnb gets away with so much.

tootingbeclido · 20/08/2021 10:55

Mp not no

HollyGrail · 20/08/2021 10:59

I think I would become the noisy neigbour ........... to the airbnb occupants - blaring music at 2am, doors slamming, engine running, car horns peeping. Once the airbnb gets a few bad reports about unpleasant neighbours fewer will book it.

KittenKong · 20/08/2021 11:40

@HollyGrail

A flat in a block near us was not allowed to be airbnb as the properties were built for private residency so that means owner or a renter. Also planning permission means you can't run a business from the flats - I don't know how Airbnb gets away with so much.
Our management company is utterly hopeless. I asked them about this and they said they couldn’t stop owners from doing this! I have even sent them links to such sites that offer flats by the day and they have done nothing.

They won’t even stop owners using absolute cowboy builders (one in particular who has had up all evacuated and without electricity for 5 days, took down an internal wall without permission, replaces windows without permission, caused leaks into our flat FIVE times... and it’s the same builder. He’s not even cheap so god alone knows why people are using him! I often joke that he will kill us all one day (but I’m not kidding - I doubt he is qualified to touch electrics or gas...) but then the company the MX got in to replace the water tank managed to cause a leak that went past our floor (3 below the rank).

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 20/08/2021 11:42

Do you ever stay in self catering cottages/apartments etc?

KittenKong · 20/08/2021 11:45

Nope. We have stayed in a barn in the middle of nowhere (owners lived above). Even if I did, I wouldn’t be causing a nuisance to the neighbours (the economic argument aside).

tootingbeclido · 20/08/2021 11:48

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz. I have done on the past ( not air bnb) but I have decided that going forward we will stay in actual holiday accommodation ..caravans glamping etc

KittenKong · 20/08/2021 11:51

We have had some horrors stay in our block (police called). Druggy parties (flat rented by someone local - I recognised his very distinctive car) so people wandering in and out all hours for a long weekend, bumping into lads off their faces wandering up the stairs (looking for the front door apparently), lads bringing back prostitutes (who then kicked the tv and some furniture from reception)... this isn’t exactly Jackie and Bill coming for a city break to visit the museums!

HollyGrail · 20/08/2021 15:50

@KittenKong - I am in Scotland and went to the ?Land Agent - If that is still their title, at the council. And if they are breaking planning laws then go to planning at the council. The block had an intercom entrance. Don't know if that made a difference. It was built about 2008 as private residential.

HollyGrail · 20/08/2021 15:51

BTW we have a management company too who were useless.

DroopyClematis · 20/08/2021 17:21

For many years we'd book a cottage on a farm , a cottage where the i op enters lived next door but often a cottage from a cottage holiday business.

It's what we liked.

We hadn't fully understood the impact on the local population but having seen so many threads and posts on this issue recently, we feel deflated and guilty.

We would take our , then , young children to an idyllic setting and visit various lovely local places whilst enjoying, for two short weeks, a country dream. Like many others.

In recent years , Airbnb has come along and seems to be causing such misery to local populations.

It never occurred to us .
We've never used Airbnb as we thought it was a scheme whereby people let a spare room or annexe etc...
I had no idea that they have all but taken over in touristy places, causing so many local problems.

I feel bad but still want a quiet getaway in a lovely spot.
No, we will not camp . We don't like the constraints of a hotel.

Hmmm...