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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Airbnb neighbours who don't seem to matter

104 replies

Mudday · 23/12/2021 01:26

I live in the centre of a triple divided cottage with two toddlers who are randomly noisy, and surprisingly 🧐sometimes (not regularly) noisy very late at night. I've lived in this part of the cottage for years with no problems from neighbours, before a single (rich bachelor) bought the other side of the house and knew that there was a young family (us) next door. He's set up an Airbnb business in his new home nextdoor and is giving us hell for being a young family, as the random, impossible to control family living noise is 'affecting his business'. I respect any noise issues and understand that we all need to respect our neighbours; however, our other neighbour has never had a problem, but this new one treats us like errant staff. AIBU for being furious that I have to tiptoe around my own home so my neighbour gets a good effing Airbnb review????

OP posts:
blueberryporridge · 23/12/2021 04:07

It's a family home. If he didn't want family noise, he shouldn't have bought it as an Air BnB next door to a family. From my experience living next door to an Air BnB, you will be in for a lot more disturbance from his customers than they will get from you (sorry!). Ignore, ignore, ignore or tell him to stop harassing you. You have a right to enjoy your home.

shreddies · 23/12/2021 04:12

@Mudday

I live in the centre of a triple divided cottage with two toddlers who are randomly noisy, and surprisingly 🧐sometimes (not regularly) noisy very late at night. I've lived in this part of the cottage for years with no problems from neighbours, before a single (rich bachelor) bought the other side of the house and knew that there was a young family (us) next door. He's set up an Airbnb business in his new home nextdoor and is giving us hell for being a young family, as the random, impossible to control family living noise is 'affecting his business'. I respect any noise issues and understand that we all need to respect our neighbours; however, our other neighbour has never had a problem, but this new one treats us like errant staff. AIBU for being furious that I have to tiptoe around my own home so my neighbour gets a good effing Airbnb review????
You don't.

You really don't need to be any more consider than you would otherwise be to your neighbour. He sounds like a git.

GiveOverIrene · 23/12/2021 04:15

How is he contacting you? By phone, in person? He could be hoping you'll sell up and he can buy your cottage, then he'll move on to harassing number 3. Tell him to go away and leave you alone or you'll report him to Airbnb.

BlackberrySky · 23/12/2021 04:46

Tell him to shove it. As AirBnB continues to encroach on communities, it is not up to long term residents and community contributors to change normal family behaviour. He is the one preventing another family from living there, and instead forcing you to endure a stream of visitors who may or may not be nice people, and who contribute nothing to your local community. Not everything is about business and making money, and it is not your responsibility to help him make money out of your community. As long as you are not being anti social, crack on with normal family life.

ivykaty44 · 23/12/2021 04:53

Counter attack

Complain about every single thing that his guests do

BourbonScreams · 23/12/2021 04:55

I would just ignore. You could say to him what you've said here - if he can't accept normal family noise he shouldn't have bought somewhere next door to a family - but he might get unpleasant. You can't be walking on eggshells in your own home!

MirthlessChuckle · 23/12/2021 04:56

I'd be teaching the toddlers how to treat that dividing wall as a drum kit Grin

Don't tiptoe. How dare he?!

mrssunshinexxx · 23/12/2021 04:57

I live in a semi and when we bought it was an Elderly man who was lovely but sadly became poorly and ended up in a care home and passed away he son then gutted the house and turned it into an air B and B it's safe to say had the adjoining house been an air B and B when ours was for sale we never would of bought. I can't wait to move

tcjotm · 23/12/2021 05:27

He’s got a nerve. AirBnB properties are notorious for causing problems and disturbances for the regular neighbours. So long as you’re behaving with the same consideration you’d show for any other neighbours, he can get stuffed. If guests choose to stay in a terraced cottage in a residential area then that’s on them.

CareBear50 · 23/12/2021 05:28

He's being a knob.

I'd just smile, empathise, nod, be very nice......... but absolutely continue with your current lifestyle w no guilt or remorse whatsoever.

Original poster
Mudday · 23/12/2021 07:35

Ah, Thank you so much for your savvy responses, means more than you know to me having support from worldly wise strangers! Bless you all x

OP posts:
pictish · 23/12/2021 07:41

Oh god tell him to piss off. Make his next complaint his last by inviting him to contact the police or environmental health and waste their time instead of wasting yours.

That’s what I said to a neighbour of ours who frequently complained about family noise like the baby crying and chatter out in the garden. He never came back to me again after that. I wasn’t interested in his moaning and didn’t want to hear it.

JacquelineCarlyle · 23/12/2021 07:50

@MirthlessChuckle

I'd be teaching the toddlers how to treat that dividing wall as a drum kit Grin

Don't tiptoe. How dare he?!

I'd do this too. Plus complain very loudly every time he has guests - directly to them & him, showing just what a nuisance I can actually be.
silentpool · 23/12/2021 07:50

Anyone living in a shared space, should not expect perfect peace. You are well within your rights OP, as long as you aren't creating an unreasonable amount of noise.

Cheeky git, putting an Air B&B next to you and then shouting the odds about noise!

PaulaTrilloe · 23/12/2021 07:54

Get some AirBNB posters in your window with arrow pointing towards his part. Just hope you don't get guests ringing your doorbell as it will set your kids off!

gogohm · 23/12/2021 08:10

Depends on how noisy they are, would a non Airbnb permanent resident complain?

Personally I would be rather peeved if I went to a cottage and was disturbed by very noisy toddlers late at night but that's because the owner shouldn't have set up there!

CaptSkippy · 23/12/2021 08:12

OP, in many places it's not legal to run an Air BnB as a business. It's intended for people to temporarily let their homes when they are out of town, but not as a permanent hotel. In many places the max number of days owners can use it as a Air BnB is 60.

I would check if what he is doing is entirely legal. If not, I'd report him. I can't imagine the hell of living next to an Air BnB with drunk tourists, noise, mess and random people coming and going all year around.

Redburnett · 23/12/2021 08:15

Check the covenants, often they do not allow businesses.

Whammyyammy · 23/12/2021 08:16

Buy your kids a drum kit and guitar, band practice every time new airbnb guests arrive, accompanied by a bonfire in the garden.... he'll soon get the message

Namechangeforthis88 · 23/12/2021 08:17

My friend lives in a flat above an Airbnb. The people who use it often make noise late at night (big problem with party Airbnb flats where we are). My friend encourages her three children to dance around the kitchen as soon as they're up, knowing the kitchen is directly above the Airbnb bedroom. She hopes this leads to Terrible reviews and falling occupancy.

Foolsrule · 23/12/2021 08:26

Are the three cottages beholden to one another in any way, eg all share a freehold? If so, there could be something legal you could do to prevent him renting out his cottage.

Whammyyammy · 23/12/2021 08:27

@Namechangeforthis88

My friend lives in a flat above an Airbnb. The people who use it often make noise late at night (big problem with party Airbnb flats where we are). My friend encourages her three children to dance around the kitchen as soon as they're up, knowing the kitchen is directly above the Airbnb bedroom. She hopes this leads to Terrible reviews and falling occupancy.
Your friend sounds like my kind of person. If she was my friend I'd buy her kids a pair of wooden clogs each for such occasions. And they woukd be up at 6am after each party below....
ChaToilLeam · 23/12/2021 08:33

Tell him to do one. Toddler noise is annoying but it’s part of normal life, he doesn’t have a leg to stand on. Air BnB guests have great potential to be much more irritating. I’d block his number.

FateHasRedesignedMost · 23/12/2021 08:35

Depends how noisy and how often they’re loud at night. If guests are complaining it may be louder than you think on his side?

Do you have carpets/rugs to muffle sound? Does the toddlers’ room back onto the air b&b? Just wondering if they could be banging on his wall unnoticed or running or bashing toys on radiators. When I lived in a flat my neighbour’s toddler did all these things on the adjoining wall day and night, it was awful and I ended up sleeping in the lounge. They had hardwood floors and paper thin walls which didn’t help. Toddlers tantruming and shouting a bit is one thing, bashing walls and radiators is another.

Wombat69 · 23/12/2021 08:36

Probably trying to get you to move as then he can offer extra accommodation. Adjacent but separate cottages appeal to extended families.