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

[airbnbby]

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

I am sympathetic because I think I would be mildly irritated. But you seem overly bothered about ordinary people just being around you and your house. They aren't remotely interested in you or your kitchen. Just live your life the way you want to live it. If you want total privacy then find a detached property surrounded by land!

You could always act dull when a new lot of people turn up by asking if they are going to be renting it out and are they your new neighbours. One might then say that it's a holiday let and you can ask who with as you have a friend who is looking to visit and your house is too small for their family to stay in.

I will add, you could always consult a solicitor but be prepared for the cost and make an enemy of your neighbour. Maybe it is a solution, but then again, if your reasons are because you do not like it, and she can prove it does not cause you or other neighbours any prejudice, you will waste your money.
Learn to let go. All the best.

Wow you are very self entitled ! If you want privacy you get a fence !! Who doesn’t have a fence and blinds anyway !
sorry but you are in the wrong here

one of the houses with a garden that back onto mine did air bnb (I think) a couple of summers ago and it was hideous so I do get it. Everybody has the occasional party weekend, visit from loads of relatives, kids have sleepovers...stuff that makes extra outdoor noise....but this was multiple times every single blooming week. Happily it stopped again no idea why or how. i think it very much IS neighbours business if it affects the neighbours lives.

I totally understand this. I was reading a post where someone complained about noise coming from an event at a venue. All they got was don't move near said venue if you want peace and quiet, which is to be expected.
In reality the same applies with schools, pubs and parks.
So when you do move somewhere that involves none of these for reasons of wanting peace and quiet it's a bit of a piss take that you're expected to put up with it.
It's a shame that you'll have to put a fence up as having lived happily for years sharing space with your neighbours and getting on well, hopefully you won't be cut off from other neighbours. It would be a dream come true for many to be able to live like that.
Shame your neighbours actions have made you feel you need to call time on it.

Why would anyone be interested in the inside of your kitchen?

YABU!

If she's letting out a room in the house while still living there herself that's one thing as presumably she'll be keeping an eye on things

If she's letting out the whole house while she lives elsewhere that's different.

I think I understand the kind of neighbourhood you're living in; of course there will be strangers in and out but the idea of successive groups of people who are strangers even to the neighbours "hosting" when the neighbours themselves are away the whole time is unnerving in a different way. I'd think that not knowing what's going on and what to expect, and possibly the fact that your neighbours apparently lied about whatever it is, is part of your unease. Perhaps you don't have a "right" to know, but your neighbours also don't have a "right" to avoid public scrutiny.
Online listings may not have your neighbour's actual address or other recognisable information like telephone number; those may only be given after booking or to someone making a serious inquiry. Best bet is to search as if you were looking for a place to rent in your area and keep it as open-ended as possible. Search without dates if you can, as a place may not show up if it's booked. This site aggregates listings from multiple sites, and their "analytics" section shows prospective renters the "competition" in their local area (I think you can do a trial search for free):
https://www.alltherooms.com/vacation-rentals

I also really recommend the window film previous posters have suggested, which lets you see out but obscures others from seeing in, kind of like one-way glass, and doesn’t block the light. Lots of them are frosted or patterned so look for something as minimal as possible. You can get it in various widths and lengths and cut it yourself, and it won’t impair the windows or sliding doors opening or closing, plus you can remove it any point without damaging the glass and some kinds are reusable.

What would a solicitor do?

I get you, OP. You had what felt like a quiet little community with a big space consisting of combined back gardens. To the sceptics, this does happen.

Now, it seems that one of the neighbours wasn't as community minded as you'd have thought, and has used a legal loophole to push through a change of usage. As a PP said, if they'd set up an ordinary BnB they would have had to have got planning approval.

Is the possible holiday rent at the end of the row, or are there houses and gardens either side? However it's set up, there must be others who are upset. Not just you. Airbnb do seem to get away with it though.

It's this one, isn't it?

www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/244617

Where I am, you need to apply for change of use to run short-terms lets so maybe have a look in to that.

I'd hate this too, but doubt there is anything you can do. This is a growing concern all over the country as sites like air bnb become more popular.

@Itloggedmeoutagain Camping, stay at home or in a hotel. Air BnB suck the life out of rural communities. There is a huge amount of economic damage and only a sight gain for the few tourist businesses here - although as bar / waiting staff are harder to some by the prices have had to be put up to cover higher wages. The non tourist businesses are having to relocate because their work forces can no longer afford to live in the area. So yep I refuse to stay in Air BnB because I don't want to damage the community I am staying in.

I totally get that short term lets are ruining some areas of the country. Edinburgh is clamping down as there are more short term lets than anything else.

But OP hasn;t really said what her objections are. It's not noise, antisocial behaviour, mess, litter, crime. It's just that she doesn't like it.

We rent self-catering properties at least twice a year in the UK, we've just booked a week in a property in north wales for October. We're a normal family with teenagers, we're not loud, messy or having wild parties. And we'll also be spending loads of money in local shops/restaurants while we're there.

YWBU to get a fence. I totally get where you're coming from and would feel exactly the same. You'll be told you're U on here though 🙄

*NOT bu I meant

Someone above said knock on the door. I’d just try to catch someone in the street snd be friendly, chatty and get as much info as possible.

I wouldn’t be above paying a friend to rent the place then leaving a review explaining that the neighbors really dislike the situation.

if I read that in a review it would dissuade me from renting a place.

This!

Put blinds in if you're so bothered.

I would not bother with a solicitor. I'd just contact HMRC. No harm done if they are paying taxes on all their income, but I doubt it very much.

Someone above said knock on the door. I’d just try to catch someone in the street snd be friendly, chatty and get as much info as possible

We stayed in a flat in London in the spring. The next door neighbour approached my friend when she was putting our the garbage and asked her about the flat. She said her adult DC were coming for a visit and was interested in renting it for them. My friend gave her number of the agency.

This is bollocks. Where do you get this from?

This is bollocks. Where do you get this from?