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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

I don’t want our neighbour to keep running her airbnb

206 replies

airbnbby · 21/08/2022 10:43

We live in a 6 house cul de sac, have been living here for years and get along great with our neighbours. None of the houses even have fences separating the back gardens.

A few months ago we started seeing different cars and people showing up to this one house for 3-4 days at a time. Another neighbour asked what was up and owner said they were just friends visiting. Well that’s a lot of very organised friends as they always show up hours after the other one has left!

Anyway I just don’t like it, this is the house next to ours and every time someone new comes in and parks they can see right inside our kitchen and it’s just uncomfortable as it’s multiple different people every week.

I also definitely do not like sharing our outside area with total strangers. They literally could be anyone! I have tried finding the listing on all websites but can’t seem to find it and even if I did there’s no way I could bring it down but it still annoys me

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 21/08/2022 11:08

OP does not know this is an Airbnb, in fact she says she can’t find it on any website so it probably isnt
It sounds like something is going on and it is a bit annoying but all the comments and advice around it being an Airbnb are not really useful unless it really is one

Allthegoodnamesarechosen · 21/08/2022 11:08

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Are you the neighbour?

CherryGenoa · 21/08/2022 11:12

They might be on a home swapper type website if the owners are away.

SpikyHatePotato · 21/08/2022 11:14

It could be digs. If there is a theatre in the town where you live, they could be hosting actors or technical staff. Digs are very much still a thing for touring theatre people, it's preferable to staying in a hotel as generally it's cheaper, and theatre pay is rubbish, and you can't cook your own meals in a hotel, which can get unhealthy and expensive.

Digs hosts provide a valuable service, enabling touring theatre to continue.

CherryGenoa · 21/08/2022 11:16

Home Exchange

Love Home Swap

Home Link

Guardian Home Exchange

I’m not sure if there is much you can do if they are listing on these sites, they probably aren’t doing anything wrong, but at least you might find out what’s going on. Or you could just ask them.

fruitbrewhaha · 21/08/2022 11:18

So you don't know that it is an AirBnb. Have you asked?

Your main gripe is that when they park they can see into your kitchen. Can they really? Even when the lights are off? Do you think they will want to look into your kitchen? What would they see? A room of cupboards and some associated stuff on the sides, a person standing at a counter, appliances, and a tap. Is it that interesting that people will try to look in? Or just a kitchen that someone wouldn't really take in because they are actually concentrating on parking a car.

redskyatnight · 21/08/2022 11:18

As your annoyances seem to be they can see into your kitchen and share your outside space, then I'd focus on fixing those - get some blinds or net curtains and put a fence or similar.

Maybe they really are just friends visiting? I schedule my friends so they don't overlap as well.

OhGoodnessItsSoExhausting · 21/08/2022 11:20

I am planning on converting part of my house to an Airbnb. There are lots of regulations, including necessary planning permission and building regs in my case. You could always check with the council what permissions are needed and ask if your neighbour has these. As they lied about it being an Airbnb initially, I doubt they have the proper permissions.

Hadjab · 21/08/2022 11:21

Does it not bother you that your neighbours can see into your kitchen?

Dygger · 21/08/2022 11:21

I know how annoying it is when the house next door is filled by different strangers each week, even several times a week. In my case my neighbours let their house up to parties of 8-10 people and the noise is dreadful. I've got the council involved and I've complained to AurB'nB and they are under pressure to limit the numbers and ensure those people keep the noise down.

Put up a fence and get blinds, as suggested by previous posters. Go round there if they're making a nuisance of themselves — noise, lights, music, using your garden , blocking parking — and tell them off. Don't be nice. What you're aiming for is to annoy them so that they complain to your neighbour and mention 'difficult neighbours' in their reviews. Contact HMRC and let them know that she's letting the house out. Who's coming in to do the cleaning and linen changes? Talk to them and find out where the property is listed.

GlueyMooey · 21/08/2022 11:23

Check for covenants ?

I'd get cctv just in case.

I wouldn't like it but it might not be that bad if they are careful who they let to.

houseonthehill · 21/08/2022 11:24

If OP can't find the listing on Airbnb then it isn't Airbnb. If OP can't find it anywhere online, then it's presumably not even a holiday let. Odd.

Toottooot · 21/08/2022 11:25

I want doesn’t get. 💁🏻‍♀️

Mooda · 21/08/2022 11:25

This would annoy me too. Your neighbour has every right to put her property on Airbnb but if so should be honest about it and also contribute to fencing to separate your gardens.

BeggarsMeddle · 21/08/2022 11:34

If your neighbour is listing her property but hasn't let you know, when you've all got on well for many years then that neighbour has been discourteous and/or cowardly.

What do other neighbours think about it? Have they also been affected by it?

I don't think the listing neighbour could be required to contribute to fencing.

Were the houses built with this communal garden arrangement in mind?

PritiPatelsMaker · 21/08/2022 11:37

Perhaps it's not AirBnB and they're swingers. Have you checked the Swinging sites?

WhileMyGuitarGentlyWeeps · 21/08/2022 11:38

Why on earth does nobody in the cul de sac have a back fence? Confused I get on with my immediate neighbours. Wouldn't dream of having no back fence ... how weird.

misses point of thread

Quveas · 21/08/2022 11:42

So basically, anyone parking / living there can see into your kitchen and that bothers you. It's got nothing to do with whether they are residents, visitors or whatever. It's got to do with the fact that you need to put up blinds or curtains if you don't want to be seen from places that are not your property by whoerver may be looking.

WhenISnappedAndFarted · 21/08/2022 11:51

If you can't find it on AirBnb then maybe it isn't that

WomanStanleyWoman2 · 21/08/2022 11:52

This sounds an awful lot like “We all get along very well in our little cul-de-sac and everyone knows how to behave. Now someone is stepping out of line and has the audacity to do things differently. Well, we don’t want that sort of behaviour around here, thank you!”

Well tough luck. You have zero say in what goes on in your neighbour’s house. If some Head Girl type came around to my house with her notebook wanting to know “what was up” because I had a lot of visitors, she’d get a very short answer.

Christmasiscominghohoho · 21/08/2022 11:55

It’s literally nothing to do with you.

LAMPS1 · 21/08/2022 12:01

I suspect this will become a more common type of complaint as house owners seek ways to ensure they can pay their bills this winter.
OP, let’s hope it’s short-lived once they have made what they think will see them through. In any case I doubt they will be letting out rooms as it gets colder as heating extra rooms would make it counter productive.
In the meantime, put something cheap and cheerful up at the window to make you feel less on show to the neighbours.
if you are friendly enough to manage without fences, surely you are friendly enough to voice your concerns ?

StatisticallyChallenged · 21/08/2022 12:01

My old street gradually got taken over entirely by short term lets/airBnB. It was shit - they're noisier than regular residents, tend to keep more anti-social hours (cos they're on holiday, so pub every night and stumble back half pissed making a racket), clatter in and out with wheely suitcases, use up loads of bin space...and it generally just changes the feel of the street.

By the time we left there was only us and two other long term residents left.

So based on my experience I don't blame you for not liking it. I'd definitely be putting up a fence.

Kennykenkencat · 21/08/2022 12:02

If your neighbour is listing her property but hasn't let you know, when you've all got on well for many years then that neighbour has been discourteous and/or cowardly

Or the close relationship isn’t as close as airbnbby thinks it is.

No idea why banning Airbnb is going to stop people letting their houses or rooms out. There are many many websites that act as letting agencies.

notsosoftanymore · 21/08/2022 12:02

I would be totally freaked out by this situation. My first thought was that it had become a drug den or even a brothel. The latter is hardly unknown in suburban situations. It might be an airbnb. I would try going through channels like the local council and even the police. Are these new neighbours?

Definitely put up a fence and get blinds and talk to the other neighbours. It sounds very weird to me.

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