Airbnb guest let her dogs loose in my garden

[willowwonder]

I live on the same row of houses as an Airbnb. The Airbnb is in the middle of the row. My house and garden is at the end of the row, where there is a dropped kerb, and an open driveway/parking area leading into the garden. So there is no gate, just the driveway opening. Garden has usual garden things, like kids toys, sheds, raised planters, etc.

This morning, the Airbnb guest walked right past us putting kids in the car, she turned into my driveway, and walked into my garden - with 2 dogs. I was strapping the toddler in and honestly took me a few seconds to register what was going on. Once she reached the grass in the garden, she let the 2 dogs off the lead! And then they were running around my garden!! She was sort of wandering about, looking at my raised beds, totally casual.

So DH followed her and called after her "what are you doing??" I couldn't hear her reply but after a few seconds they both appeared back. The dogs were running about. One jumped into my car. I pushed it out and DH got in the car, sort of rolling his eyes. I heard the woman say "I was told it was dog friendly here...". Haha - what, in my garden!??

This is an absolutely wild thing for her to do, right?? The Airbnb isn't even next door. Like, there is no world in which she would have thought my garden was part of her Airbnb property. She just walked down the street, past a few houses, past ME and into my garden, to let her dogs run around it. Presumably to poo.

What on earth could have been going through her head??

AIBU to think this is INSANE behaviour?

I’d be reporting it to the owner - or possibly publicly via the Air BnB website. At the very least it should ensure this renter is blacklisted on Air BnB/down rated as a guest client.

After you complain to Airbnb, maybe put up a sign that says your garden is not part of the rental and not a free-4-all.

I would firstly mention it to the airbnb owner, who can then block this guest from staying at the property again, and also give her a bad review to let other airbnb owners know what she's like.
If the airbnb owner isn't interested I would complain to Airbnb itself about the property owner and the guest.

Complain to Air BnB and let HMRC know in case the income from denying a person a year round home is not being declared.

I find many dog owners including my brother just shoulder shrug when they have let their dogs do whatever the dog wants.
Just 🤷🏼‍♀️🤷🏻and her use of “dog friendly”
is exactly that…dog friendly does not mean your dog can climb into someone’s car or free
roam always lifting a leg on someone’s
property. No accountability.

I'd get a little 'private garden' sign, just in case there are any other CFs/nutters.

The one & only thing I would say OP is if you can, find the listing for the Air BNB incase it states there is somewhere to get the dogs off & isn’t clear about where that is, just incase that is what she thought it was!

We stayed in an Air BNB last year that was dog friendly and the wording in the listing was literally “private, secure enclosed garden to the side of the property for your exclusive use, ideal for letting your animal friends roam free” so obviously when we arrived we let the dogs into that space and immediately had neighbours at the door telling us that the dogs could not be off lead, could not do their business in there etc as it was a shared garden space for 4 houses on the row, so not at all what was advertised. Totally fair enough and we never used it again but despite us reporting this back to the host & I’m sure the neighbours have also the listing still hadn’t been changed when we looked back a few months later.

I never rent my properties to dog owners. They're the most entitled.

I made a diagram!

So I checked the whole garden for dog poo. Couldn't see any, so at least I don't think dogs have been allowed to poo there before.

I tried to contact the owner through Airbnb. I eventually spoke to someone on the phone from the letting people (it is Airbnb but is actually a cottage renting company who seem to also list on Airbnb, so I don't know the actual owner). When I told them, the guy on the phone said I should have called the police for her trespassing. It was obviously pretty crazy, but she left the garden when challenged, so police would have been overkill!

I also asked them to check the wording to make sure there is nothing that could be misunderstood about the garden situation.

And I said to make it clear to the owner that this person isn't just standing or sitting in my garden (though that would still be bad!) but is using it for her dogs to run around off lead, and that I have 3 children here.

We both said maybe we should get a gate put up now. And a sign that says 'PRIVATE'. Its just never been something that even entered my head before to be honest. And yeah, I wouldn't leave an expensive mountain bike out or anything, but we leave the sandpit and trikes etc.

We do live in a fairly rural area that attracts tourists, but no one has ever decided to use my garden as a dog exercise park before!

Just attaching diagram again, not sure it worked first time.

I agree.

The people across the road got permission for a "garden office", which had a shower and toilet included. They needed it so that one of them could work from home. The thing got built and within weeks it was being used by people coming down for work or weekend breaks. It's a fucking pain in the arse, as parking here is a bit of a nightmare and it often adds two more cars into the mix.

I also live in an area popular for holidays. A friend had someone walk into his house ! And have a look round, as though it was an exhibit . It’s an interesting house, his door was open as he was gardening.
Another friend (a farmer) has people letting their dogs off in her fields, while following the footpaths. Her fields are full of livestock.
So yes, these cheeky fuckers are surprisingly common.

Did you report it to AirBnB as well? This situation doesn’t sound fair on anyone as guests booking would expect to use the garden and the neighbours shouldn’t have to put up with different people every time, some of whom will no doubt not be as reasonable as you!

Surely AirBnB would have some responsibility to sort it out if the hosts won’t?

You absolutely need to complain to the Airbnb owner.

Then I would make sure to register your displeasure with the local council. Laws need to change and the more noise that happens, the more likely action will finally occur.

People should not have to put up with the a commercial business in a residential area.

No dog owner I know complies with dog-restrictions.

Lovely people and reasonable in RL, but I have been with friends of mine who have allowed dogs on velvet sofas and beds against a request not to let dogs on furniture. Let dogs in bedrooms against similar request. Off lead in the garden / shared areas, off lead on campsites where the rule is 'on lead'.

The 'no dogs' fenced off bit of our otherwise huge park which has the ponds and nesting birds is always full of dogs - with owners who had to open the gate with the clear 'no dogs' sign in order to get in. And these dogs ('wouldn't hurt a fly') are often off lead too, Every year ducklings and goslings get killed. I have now refused to go fell walking with a friend who lets her dog off lead in the Lake District - despite knowing he chases sheep.

If you allow dogs in your AirBnB just know this.

I just want to praise OP for a super clear diagram. And super cute cars.

Obviously the dog owner was unreasonable.

TBH I would get a gate to keep your garden enclosed though, given the layout in your diagram.

Get a gate and the whole problem goes away.

She's a 'See You Next Tues' as my neighbour likes to call it.

Most dog people are absolute shit-heads.

It has its own garden, which makes her use of yours even more incredible!

OMG. I need to stop reading MN today. This story has given me the rage. I would be furious if somebody did that in my garden. I literally cannot understand the thought process of entitled twats like that, it's like they come from another planet.

I would report them to the council @LakieLady - there is a different permission required to use the building for accommodation rather than as an office. It does happen a lot and council will be able to enforce.

How weird, when I first read your post I thought the dog owner clearly thought it was a communal garden and there isn't a garden for her use outside ' her ' back door.
But your diagram clearly shows ' she ' does have a garden.

I can only guess there isn't grass in her garden ? and her dogs are grass trained and she really did think your larger end of terrace garden was communal at the side ?
otherwise she is a cheeky madam and needs to make the effort to walk further to find an appropriate area for her dogs to wee / walk off lead etc.

When I book an airb+b ( with my 3 dogs ) I check out what the garden looks like and the street and the area so I can find somewhere to walk them - only off lead in a park or beach ! ( or in ' my ' garden )

Yes and I particularly like the house labelled "this other house"