Guest threw a party during Corona Virus, Police Called, Airbnb unreachable by phone

[Sean433]

Yesterday at 2:00am, I had to rush over at one of my listings due to noise complaints received by neighbours. I knocked the door which was opened by guests who were extremely trashy. A strong smell of weed exited the home as they opened the door. At that point, I realized I needed to end their reservation. One thing I never tolerate is people smoking inside. The poor neighbour has two young kids who were kept awake because of the trashy guests.

Police had to be called when they refused to leave. The REASON they refused to leave was because airbnb was unreachable by phone to cancel the reservation. They have a pre recorded message that due to shortage of staff, they are not taking any calls. Ultimately, the police refused to kick them out because the reservation could not be cancelled. Our joke of a police department still had the ability to kick them out for breaching our contract by breaking noise ordinance bylaws and hosting an unauthorized party. Yet they seemed to think the guest had the same rights as a long term tenant (untrue). This joke of police also told me that even if the guest had 40 people over, they cannot go inside and kick them out. When I mentioned that there were several incidents of shootings at airbnb's in Toronto, they just brushed it off and said "so what? Who are you to say this would turn into a shooting"?

Having hosted well over 500 reservation thus far, this was the first time I had to ever involved the police who were completely useless and not even aware of my rights as a landlord. Police were even more useless because airbnb was not available for us. Currently the guests are still there and set to check-out tomorrow as they refused to leave. Police have sent them the message that they can do whatever they want with people's property up to and including having 20, 30 , 40 g-d knows how many people without recourse.

On top of that, they didn't even care that this is the worst time to host a party due to the Corona Virus. There is never a good time to host an unauthorized party however this would be the absolute worse time. to the TORONTO POLICE, you are a JOKE and that is why nobody takes you seriously. You had some 10 officers there and none of them were fully aware of my rights at that moment. Additionally, you took my ID and recorded it however you did not take the ID of the guest when you spoke to her.As such, you failed to document the events and those who were involved. That was your first mistake. Your second mistake was telling me that the guest has a right to stay despite breaking bylaws and thus breaching our contract.

[Helen3]

Ridiculous comparison - unbelievable you would have the gaul to compare your situation dealing with the police over a civil matter where your life was not under threat with the brutal killing of a man in handcuffs unable to defend himself or escape.

You should be ashamed of yourself @Sean433 

[Sean433]

@Helen3 

Nope not ashamed at all because I did not say what happened to me is equal to what happened to him. Where did you see that? Did you read it or just selectively read what you wanted to read to suit your dramatic disposition? You did not get the point of the message. The whole point was that police are unbelievably arrogant on every level from the lowest all the way up to thinking they can choke people

Yet you defended them when I criticized them. Maybe you should be ashamed for respecting a corrupt system.

[Helen3]

I didn't defend your police force in Canada for the work they do more widely,  or even mention the police force in the US in my initial comments to you weeks ago when you posted your initial complaints here.  @Sean433 

What I actually said was;

"I am shocked that you felt it appropriate to use the resources of your local police force, at this busy time when they are having to deal with the corona virus,  to break the party up when it was a civil matter which you as the business owner should have been dealing with".

How in your head does this become me 'defending a corrupt police force' ????

You on the other hand quite clearly stated:-

"Do you see what a group of police officers in Minneapolis, USA did? Have you seen the video? This is the same sort of arrogance I have seen from almost every police encounter I have had from the incident with my guest to traffic stops".

What I said you is that you are comparing your experience, relating to police and your STR business in Canada, with the tragic unlawful killing that took place in the US earlier this week.

Shameful.

[Sean433]

protection of private property is a serious responsibility. It not just a business. Someone can vandalize your car or home (your property) and police have to know the law around enforcement. Their ignorance and arrogance spills over to every area of policing up to and including excessive force. You don't get the idea of this post or comment. Comparing would be, for example,  saying what happened to me was just as bad as what happened to him. Saying this is another example of arrogance is just that, another example. Not a comparison. If you do not have the capacity to understand the difference, there is no point to keep trying to explain it. Good that you like police. Wait until they screw up when you need them. I am sure it will happen.

[Sarah977]

@Sean433  Categorizing the use of excesive force, ignoring an arrestee saying they can't breathe, to the point that they die, attacking them when they are already handcuffed, and blatant racism as "arrogance" is completely trivializing that horrendous act. 

I could point out all sorts of arrogant behavior on the part of people in all sorts of positions of power, from the police, to elected officials, to school administrators, to doctors, etc. 

But what happened in Minneapolis was not due to "arrogance". It's far, far more serious than a bad attitude.

[Sean433]

@Sarah977 

It starts with a bad attitude and evolves to them self corrupting due to the power society gives them. They are supposed to serve the public but look down at those they serve. I am privileged and yet almost every experience  i have had with them, I sensed a horrible attitude. If you live in a poor neighbourhood, it is much worse. From my experience, 1 out of 10 is great. Imagine in any service sector where 1 out of 10 employees are in it for the right reasons and are good at their jobs and the other 90% are not? And this is Canada, I am sure its way worse in Mexico.

It was never a comparison and its not a competition as to who they treat the worst. It is obvious who they treat worse. What some of the below ladies are indirectly saying is that if you are privileged or in other words white, you cannot complain about police. That only a certain demographic can complain. If these "privileged" ladies ever become a victim of a crime and the police shrug it off, I am super sure they would be pissed off too. But remember, they are "privileged" and thus cannot complain and push for police reform.

[Sarah977]

@Sean433  I don't see that any of the "below ladies" indirectly said anything to indicate they think that complaining about police behavior isn't okay because someone is white or privileged. That's simply your interpretation. What was offensive about your post bringing up the event in Minneapolis and what is meant by privileged, is that it was unconscionable to most of us to even put that event in some context of being the same in any way whatsoever as police acting like what you considered to be jerks and not being willing to evict your party guests. 

It would be like talking about your neighbor's behavior in yelling at kids not to walk on his lawn as coming from the same attitude towards children that a pedophile has.

[Sean433]

@Sarah977 

**[Inappropriate content removed - Community Center Guidelines]

[Danielle476]

WOW.  Stay classy!  Someone who disagrees with you must be on their periods, right?  I’m embarrassed for you. 

[Alexandra316]

@Sean433How are you even hosting? Short term rentals are banned in Ontario right now. 

Feels like there's a certain amount of irony that you're calling the police on others while breaking the law yourself. 

[Sean433]

@Alexandra316

**You are allowed to host front line workers for STR and any person for 28 days or longer. We do not host people who just want a getaway.

**[Inappropriate content removed - Community Center Guidelines]

[Alexandra316]

@Sean433The regulation says, quoting directly:

1. Short term rentals in rental accommodations booked after April 4, 2020 must only be provided to individuals who are in need of housing during the emergency period.
2. This does not apply to hotels, motels and student residence
3. It doesn't say anything about front line workers or 28 days. it does state you need to be providing housing, not short term accommodations. 
4. I've done my research: I'm in compliance.

[Sean433]

@Alexandra316 

This happened before April 4th, check the date of the post. Any booking 28 days or longer is considered long term rental and you can rent to anyone. Anyone in need of housing which includes front line workers are allowed to be hosted. So where am I breaking the law? Please explain....

[Danielle476]

An innocent man is killed by racist American police, and your first thought is to revive a months-old thread about a party that was thrown in one of your multiple listings to whine some more about how you feel you were personally wronged?  All while insulting the police and making baseless accusations that they're, for the most part, all corrupt?  

YIKES.  Your post reeks of privilege.  Get out of the hosting business if you can't handle the ups and downs that come with it - Toronto police have more pressing issues to deal with than house parties that break AirBNB rules.  Get. Over. It.

[Sean433]

@Danielle476 

Yes, privileged. You nailed it. You could not have been more predictable making that statement.

10 cops show up when only 2 were needed and joke around like nothing is happening.. Shouting in a quiet neighbourhood in the middle of the night lecturing me that they can stay and do whatever they want. To you, that demonstrates that they have pressing issues? i hope it happens to you one day but since you are also privileged, it won't bother you.