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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Strange AirBnB situation...

85 replies

Takeittoheart · 31/08/2024 22:25

Posting for the first time here as I genuinely want opinions on the very odd AirBnB situation I experienced yesterday.

My partner and I booked an AirBnB in London so we could see a show. Just a room in someone's house, not ideal but it was all we could afford. We arrived at the AirBnB, were given keys and shown to our room (the front room with a sofa bed, all fine) and met the hosts two children. I thought it was a bit odd the listing didn't mention children, but no biggie. There was a boy who I would say was 12/13 and a girl probably around 7/8 although I'm guessing here. As we had a pre theatre meal booked, we headed out pretty soon after, had a great evening and came back home to bed.

In the morning, I woke up to the front door closing (we were in the front room). Didn't think much of it until I heard the daughter coming downstairs saying "where were you!?". The mum was shushing her but the girl kept asking and also said "we didn't know where you were" and "those people were here". She took them away from our door and into the kitchen so I didn't hear anymore. So from what I can work out, this woman left her children in a house with two complete strangers (she doesn't know us from Adam), they were frightened and we were absolutely none the wiser. I really dread to think what might have happened if anything had happened to one of them. It really shook us up and we left pretty much immediately without seeing them.

Would you report this in the circumstances, or am I being dramatic? Partner thinks we should leave it as there was an older kid there but I really feel for those kids and the fact that they were scared overnight.

Any advice appreciated.

OP posts:

HeddaGarbeld · 01/09/2024 19:52

Takeittoheart · 01/09/2024 19:11

Thanks for the responses so far, it's helpful. Unclear as to whether there was a partner in the house - we headed out quite soon after arriving having just met the mum and two kids, arrived back late to a dark, quiet house. In the morning we left without seeing the hosts as we were right by the front door and the mum had gone into the kitchen and shut the door.

I think it’s strange you didn’t knock on the kitchen door and/or call out a goodbye given the host (the mum) was just in the next room!

Endlessstoryoffinancialnumpties · 01/09/2024 19:57

@Takeittoheart i highly suspect you were over reacting and it’s a case of 2 plus 2 makes 5, as it’s highly unlikely the mum left her kids alone overnight…you do have an option to communicate with the host, how about you message her about what happened to clarify? We also have kids who would say where were you when I’ve been in the garden hanging out washing!!!

Endlessstoryoffinancialnumpties · 01/09/2024 20:00

It’s also extremely weird to leave a hosted air bnb without saying goodbye…it is someone’s home you know. The original concept of air bnb was personal contact and hosted rooms in someone’s home so there’s a lot of give and take needed…though I personally wouldn’t want my kids to feel uncomfortable in their own home but again I’m reading too much into a very unclear situation.

NewName24 · 01/09/2024 20:04

A lot of vivid imaginations on here.

a) there might have been another adult in the house - you have no idea about that
b) she might have popped out to get something from the car / shed / post a letter / speak to a neighbour / get something from the corner shop.

You have no evidence whatsoever that she was out all night. What a very odd leap to make.

I also think it odd, when staying in the living room in someone's house (as per the original concept of Air B'n'B) that you didn't go and say goodbye / you were leaving now.

godmum56 · 01/09/2024 20:28

people who are saying oh she only popped to the shop....do you think that would be ok?

Middlenamespot · 01/09/2024 20:34

MotherOfCrocodiles · 31/08/2024 22:32

Sounds really awkward but I'm assuming they didn't go out all night or anything.

My DD (7) would say exactly that kind of thing if I went out to the car or shed for 2min and there was someone she didn't know in the house. Eg if a friend from work dropped round to borrow a tool and I had to get it from the shed, so left her alone with someone that she hadn't met before, in our house, for a couple of minutes whilst I was in the shed- she would definitely say that kind of thing.

It's not great that the hosts are doing air bnb with kids at home, especially if the kids don't feel safe. I guess they need the money.

Mine would do exactly the same 😂😂 if I popped into the back garden even, “where were you? I was all alone and worried?” I usually always say where I’m going but sometimes you’re just going to pop a bag in the bin while they are watching tv!

Endlessstoryoffinancialnumpties · 01/09/2024 21:17

godmum56 · 01/09/2024 20:28

people who are saying oh she only popped to the shop....do you think that would be ok?

I’m surprised people would think that was ok but again ,it’s all speculatIon about what the situation was and there’s no evidence that the air bnb owner went anywhere at all or that there was no other adult present in the house…we have stayed in numerous places where only 1 of the home owners is involved with guests..hence why I think it’s on over reaction to want to call S.S. on the evidence presented!

readysteadynono · 02/09/2024 13:50

CongratsOnYourLilBump · 01/09/2024 18:19

Where did I say left alone all night?

The daughter was distressed. The mother had been away long enough for the daughter to become distressed.

I don't think it's safe or appropriate for children to be left in their home with complete strangers for any length of time. Even just to "pop to the shops for milk". There were children killed in a house fire just before Christmas a couple of years ago while their mother left them unattended to "pop to the shops".

The only grey area which on a second read popped up in the OP is whether or not the children had a father and whether he was in the house. The daughter's panic suggests not.

It's you that's misread my post.

Show quote history

The children killed in a fire were all under 5, not secondary aged.

Mrsgreen100 · 11/01/2025 18:40

Maybe she was putting the bins out
kids freaking probably told to be silent etc

FigTreeInEurope · 13/04/2025 09:28

Could she not have been just putting the bins out? Having a coffee/fag in the garden? Chatting to a neighbour? My kid would ask where i'd been if i wasn't literally in bed/the kitchen when they woke up. I bet she broke her normal routine of being in the living room, because you were there.

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