Complain about someone hosting in my building?

[Hamish20]

Hello! 

It is against the lease agreements/purchase agreements for anyone who owns a flat in our buildings to use the flat for Airbnb type purposes (so the building remains formal, nice, etc - no rowdy tourists holding parties etc).

There's a tenant who owns two flats who is renting them out via the Airbnb service - which I know will also violate one of Airbnb's own T&C's about ensuring you have full right to actually use this service.

What is the appropriate course of action to take here?

[Emiel1]

@Hamish20 

I think you (or the management of the building) should contact this person and address the issue. 

It is also possible to report the account or listing(s) to Airbnb by using the "flag" textlink on the profile or listing involved.

[Gordon0]

@Hamish20, Airbnb don't 'vet' properties so I'd suggest getting your landlord involved to fix this. But like @Emiel1 says, there's no harm in flagging it (although I doubt any speedy action will take place).  

[Hamish20]

The issue with what you and @Emiel1  suggest is we don't know the specific flat - we just see/here the constant flow of people with suitcases coming to and fro, and the lockbox that's been installed outside. But we've found the Airbnb listings, so an admin from airbnb would obviously be able to see the specific address, and we could provide written documents etc about what the building does and doesn't allow. 

[Helen3]

Just contact the management company and tell them what is going on and ask them to investigate and/or just ask one the constant flow of people which flat number they are staying in @Hamish20 

You could also do a google search for Airbnb + your area of London + the name of the block and see what comes up.

Then you can report it to Airbnb with a link to the listing.

[Kenneth12]

Do you understand privity of contract?

ABB simply cannot get involved in a contractual terms dispute between a building owner and a tenant,  nor provide an opinion on lease terms.    That conflict is privy to the parties involved,  and ABB is not one of those parties.

Your building management and the lessee must work it out,  ABB has nothing to do with it.

[Helen3]

Hi  @Hamish20 

Sorry this advice is not correct, you can make a complaint to Airbnb and they do have the power to act.

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/help/article/1293/how-do-i-file-a-complaint-if-my-neighbor-is-an-airbnb-hos...

[Susan17]

@Helen3 

That neighbour complaint line is just another PR stunt, obviously connected to the same imaginary department/trash bin as the Airbnb "feedback" link. Ineffectual, worthless and a complete waste of time. 

[Helen3]

It may well be @Susan17 but I am just answering the OP's question as to what Airbnb says is it's position.

[Susan17]

Ooops! Sorry @Helen3 - my intention certainly wasn't to negate the validity of your answer, but merely to warn the OP that if he does choose to report to that particular Airbnb link, that it's highly unlikely to resolve his issue in any way, so he'll most likely be wasting his time and effort. My apologies if it came across otherwise! 🤗

You are correct of course - Airbnb do have the power to act, but chances are they won't, so yes, the OP should speak to the management company. 

However, the fact that @Hamish20 can't identify the offending apartments would suggest that - apart from people coming in and out with suitcases - the level of noise/disruption must be fairly minimal, because if there was anti-social behaviour or rowdy parties taking place there, everyone in the entire building would know exactly which apartments they were. Just to let you know @Hamish20, there's very little chance that Airbnb will actually inform you of the exact address, even if you do have the listings. 

[Helen3]

Hi @Susan17 

That's absolutely fine. I appreciate where you are coming from.

We did actually have one case where I live where Airbnb did actually close down a listing  which had multiple reports from local neighbours of late night parties and anti-social behaviour, which were reported to Airbnb as well as the local council and police.

In that case it was easier for them to act because the listing was a house and thus easily identifiable.

I think Airbnb are increasingly acting in situations like this, when they get reports from irate neighbours, not out of the goodness of their heart, but because they are aware of increasing concerns by communities about the rise of STRs and are trying to keep onside with local governments who implement legislation and policies around STRs in their area.