Neighbor rents her house through Air bnb and there's a problem with parking

[Duke1]

I am not familiar with Air BnB because I have never used it nor rented to anyone through the organization. However, I have a neighbor who does and there's a problem with her guest. 
Well, the neighbor (I will call Jan) has gone to Europe for six months and rented her house to six women all of which have a car. First of all, where I live, it is illegal to rent a house to more than three people if they are not related. Yes, I think it is a dumb law, but it is a law all the same. The way I know about this law is because I own rental property and have to keep up with all the laws that apply to landlords. These women are not related because a company rented the house for them to live in for a six-month training seminar.
Jan as I typed earlier has gone to Europe for six months, and her tenants/guests park in front of my house regularly, and I never have anywhere to park except across the street. I own a vacant lot between Jan's house and my house, so I have a good size lot due to combining the two lots into one. Therefore, I own more land than anyone in the neighborhood and their's a park across the street so some of her tenants/guests could park across the street. However, they park their cars for days and take uber to most places.
Realizing I do not own the street, and I ordinarily wouldn't be concerned but my partner is over 70 years old, and I do not like him crossing the street due to having problems with his eyes. He has almost stepped out in front of traffic twice, and it scares me, but the tenants/guests do not seem to be at all concerned.
I am in a quandary at what to do because I do not want to seem like a petty person, but sometimes I have groceries, etc. to unload, and I am never able to park in front of my house. I either have to cross the very busy street we live on or park in another block and walk. IT get's quite hectic when you are trying to carry a trunk load of groceries over a block.
Can anyone give me any ideas about what you might do if Jan lived next door to you?
OBTW, Jan stays gone ten months out of the year for her job, and it is the reason she rents her entire house.

[Melanie58]

This sounds very inconsiderate, and I would consider parking the main issue with rentals in general.  First of all, I don't know what state you reside in, but some states do have laws concerning short term rentals, and some states make no distinction between short term rentals and more traditional leases.  So, since Jan may be breaking the law that would be the first consideration.  Find out what protections you are provided in your area.

If you live in a HOA, there may also be laws that govern what activities can take place in a neighborhood.  Some neighborhoods, for example, expressly ban all rentals.  Some have rules about street parking.  Some have rules about commerical activities in the home.  All of these regulations are areas that could give you a little something to stand on.  

I would also let Jan know you have a problem, and ask her to consider your concerns regardless of the laws that may or may not be on your side.  It would not be hard for example, for her to stipulate where people should park.  As a host, I do this.  There is no law preventing street parking in the neighborhood, but I ask guests to follow the posted speed limit, to park on my driveway, and to park any trailers and RV's in a designated area as part of my house rules.  I consider this a common courtesy.  Many professional landlords get vehicle plates as part of their screening and stipulate a maximum # of vehicles as part of the rental process.  Again, this is not because there is a law against having 10 vehicles, it is a courtesy. 

Being a good host is just as much about being considerate to your neighbors as it is about being considerate to guests in my opinion.  I am sorry you have this problem, but I would encourage you to seek resolution with your absent neighbor or her agent.  You may also approach the guests, but knowing nothing about them or the interactions they have with your neighbor/her agent, it is probably best to start with Jan.  

[Roger17]

Hi Duke - maybe you could call Airbnb regarding the number of guests issue.  I would also ask the guests to park their cars across the street and if they refuse you could report them to the police if they are parking illegally on your property.  Toll free for Airbnb is 855 424 7262   best regards, Roger

[Lisa40]

Duke, wow! Six months is a long time to endure that. My one big fear for my rental is that my tenants will bother my neighbors. Six cars is completely inconsiderate. In my listing, I only allow two cars. Both should fit in the driveway so that they don't affect the neighborhood. Perhaps Jan is unaware that they have six cars. Do you have a way to contact her? She needs to find a solution. I am sure she knows the law. A complaint to the city would be bad for her. She needs to fix it before it escalates to that.
Good luck for a prompt resolution!

[Duke1]

 Lisa, my neighbor, didn't leave town without knowing she was renting to six adult women. However, she might not have known they would each have their own cars being they were all training at the same company for their time here.
Never the less, I have emailed my neighbor, and she said she'd ask them to park in front of her house only and park the remainder of their cars across the street. And they did this for about two weeks (touch and go) but now there's one in particular who leaves her SUV in front of my house a lot. She has started parking her SUV in front of my house now every evening again, and I 'HATE' confrontation, but I suppose I am going to have to ask them to move their car or call Air BnB. There are no restrictions where I live on parking on the street, but there are as I typed in my earlier post restrictions on how many unrelated people can rent a house.
Since these women are not related, I can call the police and report them, and the police will forward my complaint to the housing code violation department, and they will come out and do an investigation. If they discover more than three people are living in the house short/long term unrelated they'll be asked to decide, who's going to leave within 48 hours.
So they are sort of evicted even if they have paid their rent because it's the law where I live no more than three unrelated people are supposed to live in one dwelling. It's a weird law; personally, I don't agree with the law due to being in real estate and owning rental property.
It's odd how the city can get someone out of your property for this type of violation, but when I need to evict an ordinary tenant for not paying rent, it takes me three months minimum.
We have three major Universities in the city I reside, and parking has always been an issue, so the city made this law in an attempt to help people in residential areas have more available parking, and more peace from parties.
I really see no point in trying to get in touch with my neighbor anymore because she is aware she rented to six adults, and she knew they were all unrelated adults + claims she's spoken to them once already.
However, I do have one question to some of you is there a number at Air BnB I can call and have something done about their parking in front of my house so much.
Again, I realize the street is for the public to park, but it is one of the reasons I bought a house on a corner, and the vacant lot between my neighbor's house and mine + across from a park so there would be a goodly amount of parking. And it's never been a problem until this friend bought her house and four months after she bought it she informed me she was taking another job working for a company in Europe but it would only be for twenty-four months. She and I were becoming friends (I thought) but she after buying her house left a company she'd been an employee for almost eighteen years for a position that would only last for twenty-four months and after the twenty-four months, she knows she'll be unemployed.
I do realize her employment situation has nothing to do with this problem, but I guess I am venting, and I am sorry. It's just strange to me how she'd pay over $500k for it when she's only 50 years and leave for Europe to work for a company that doesn't guarantee her more certainty in employment. The company she used to work for is a fortune 100 corporation, and it's just odd.
It's almost like she knew she had this job before buying this house and her only reason for buying the house was to have somewhere to store her things but make money through Air BnB while away. See we live literally seven minutes from downtown and almost all of the major corporations in our city are downtown.
Therefore, she probably knew she'd have no problem getting air BnB to work for her or perhaps she'd used their services before moving here. However, I would find it hard to believe she's used their services because her previous house was in the suburbs. And her suburban home is twenty-one miles from downtown.
I have other neighbors who rent rooms from time to time through Air BnB, and they never have any problems finding people to rent from them.
Thanks for any help you or someone might can give me. 🙂

[Andrea9]

@Duke1

It could well be that your neighbor rented the apartment during her absence in good will and belief to only one or two persons who booked, and that these guests unbeknownst to your neighbor then let more people in to live. 

You would probably even be doing her a service in contacting her about the problem.

[Duke1]

Andrea my neighbor, didn't leave town without knowing she was renting to six adult women. However, she might not have known they would each have their own cars being they were all training at the same company for their time here.
Never the less, I have emailed my neighbor, and she said she'd ask them to park in front of her house only and park the remainder of their cars across the street. And they did this for about two weeks (touch and go) but now there's one in particular who leaves her SUV in front of my house a lot. She has started parking her SUV in front of my house now every evening again, and I 'HATE' confrontation, but I suppose I am going to have to ask them to move their car or call Air BnB. There are no restrictions where I live on parking on the street, but there are as I typed in my earlier post restrictions on how many unrelated people can rent a house.
Since these women are not related, I can call the police and report them, and the police will forward my complaint to the housing code violation department, and they will come out and do an investigation. If they discover more than three people are living in the house short/long term unrelated they'll be asked to decide, who's going to leave within 48 hours.
So they are sort of evicted even if they have paid their rent because it's the law where I live no more than three unrelated people are supposed to live in one dwelling. It's a weird law; personally, I don't agree with the law due to being in real estate and owning rental property.
It's odd how the city can get someone out of your property for this type of violation, but when I need to evict an ordinary tenant for not paying rent, it takes me three months minimum.
We have three major Universities in the city I reside, and parking has always been an issue, so the city made this law in an attempt to help people in residential areas have more available parking, and more peace from parties.
I really see no point in trying to get in touch with my neighbor anymore because she is aware she rented to six adults, and she knew they were all unrelated adults + claims she's spoken to them once already.
However, I do have one question to some of you is there a number at Air BnB I can call and have something done about their parking in front of my house so much.
Again, I realize the street is for the public to park, but it is one of the reasons I bought a house on a corner, and the vacant lot between my neighbor's house and mine + across from a park so there would be a goodly amount of parking. And it's never been a problem until this friend bought her house and four months after she bought it she informed me she was taking another job working for a company in Europe but it would only be for twenty-four months. She and I were becoming friends (I thought) but she after buying her house left a company she'd been an employee for almost eighteen years for a position that would only last for twenty-four months and after the twenty-four months, she knows she'll be unemployed.
I do realize her employment situation has nothing to do with this problem, but I guess I am venting, and I am sorry. It's just strange to me how she'd pay over $500k for it when she's only 50 years and leave for Europe to work for a company that doesn't guarantee her more certainty in employment. The company she used to work for is a fortune 100 corporation, and it's just odd.
It's almost like she knew she had this job before buying this house and her only reason for buying the house was to have somewhere to store her things but make money through Air BnB while away. See we live literally seven minutes from downtown and almost all of the major corporations in our city are downtown.
Therefore, she probably knew she'd have no problem getting air BnB to work for her or perhaps she'd used their services before moving here. However, I would find it hard to believe she's used their services because her previous house was in the suburbs. And her suburban home is twenty-one miles from downtown.
I have other neighbors who rent rooms from time to time through Air BnB, and they never have any problems finding people to rent from them.
Thanks for any help you or someone might can give me. 🙂

[Susan7]

Hi Duke
It's frustrating when people aren't considerate, but often they simply haven't thought about what they are doing and the effect on others. I would simply go and speak with them, exposing the concerns you have about safety and convenience, and ask if they will help you out by making sure there is space outside your house for you to park. Person to person, no angst. Don't stew over it and make yourself anxious. Most people are lovely when you treat them as though they will be.
And no, to anyone who is getting their hackles up, I don't live in a fools paradise, and I don't think everyone is a saint. But I know the world is a happier place when we just treat people the way would like.
Good luck with it, Duke, they might turn out to be delightful short term neighbours.

[Duke1]

Susan, my neighbor, didn't leave town without knowing she was renting to six adult women. However, she might not have known they would each have their own cars being they were all training at the same company for their time here.
Never the less, I have emailed my neighbor, and she said she'd ask them to park in front of her house only and park the remainder of their cars across the street. And they did this for about two weeks (touch and go) but now there's one in particular who leaves her SUV in front of my house a lot. She has started parking her SUV in front of my house now every evening again, and I 'HATE' confrontation, but I suppose I am going to have to ask them to move their car or call Air BnB. There are no restrictions where I live on parking on the street, but there are as I typed in my earlier post restrictions on how many unrelated people can rent a house.
Since these women are not related, I can call the police and report them, and the police will forward my complaint to the housing code violation department, and they will come out and do an investigation. If they discover more than three people are living in the house short/long term unrelated they'll be asked to decide, who's going to leave within 48 hours.
So they are sort of evicted even if they have paid their rent because it's the law where I live no more than three unrelated people are supposed to live in one dwelling. It's a weird law; personally, I don't agree with the law due to being in real estate and owning rental property.
It's odd how the city can get someone out of your property for this type of violation, but when I need to evict an ordinary tenant for not paying rent, it takes me three months minimum.
We have three major Universities in the city I reside, and parking has always been an issue, so the city made this law in an attempt to help people in residential areas have more available parking, and more peace from parties.
I really see no point in trying to get in touch with my neighbor anymore because she is aware she rented to six adults, and she knew they were all unrelated adults + claims she's spoken to them once already.
However, I do have one question to some of you is there a number at Air BnB I can call and have something done about their parking in front of my house so much.
Again, I realize the street is for the public to park, but it is one of the reasons I bought a house on a corner, and the vacant lot between my neighbor's house and mine + across from a park so there would be a goodly amount of parking. And it's never been a problem until this friend bought her house and four months after she bought it she informed me she was taking another job working for a company in Europe but it would only be for twenty-four months. She and I were becoming friends (I thought) but she after buying her house left a company she'd been an employee for almost eighteen years for a position that would only last for twenty-four months and after the twenty-four months, she knows she'll be unemployed.
I do realize her employment situation has nothing to do with this problem, but I guess I am venting, and I am sorry. It's just strange to me how she'd pay over $500k for it when she's only 50 years and leave for Europe to work for a company that doesn't guarantee her more certainty in employment. The company she used to work for is a fortune 100 corporation, and it's just odd.
It's almost like she knew she had this job before buying this house and her only reason for buying the house was to have somewhere to store her things but make money through Air BnB while away. See we live literally seven minutes from downtown and almost all of the major corporations in our city are downtown.
Therefore, she probably knew she'd have no problem getting air BnB to work for her or perhaps she'd used their services before moving here. However, I would find it hard to believe she's used their services because her previous house was in the suburbs. And her suburban home is twenty-one miles from downtown.
I have other neighbors who rent rooms from time to time through Air BnB, and they never have any problems finding people to rent from them.
Thanks for any help you or someone might can give me. 🙂

[Marta83]

Hi,

did you try and talk to the ladies and offer them the suggestion of the parking lot across the street? I think your first step is to talk to them and explain the situation. Maybe they are not aware of the trouble they are causing you. 
Also, you could contact your neighbour Jan, and let her tell her guests that only 1 car can be parked in the street and the rest somewhere else. 

I always tell my guests to park at the next street where the extra spots are so my neighbours can park in our street and by their houses. 

[Duke1]

Marta, my neighbor, didn't leave town without knowing she was renting to six adult women. However, she might not have known they would each have their own cars being they were all training at the same company for their time here.
Never the less, I have emailed my neighbor, and she said she'd ask them to park in front of her house only and park the remainder of their cars across the street. And they did this for about two weeks (touch and go) but now there's one in particular who leaves her SUV in front of my house a lot. She has started parking her SUV in front of my house now every evening again, and I 'HATE' confrontation, but I suppose I am going to have to ask them to move their car or call Air BnB. There are no restrictions where I live on parking on the street, but there are as I typed in my earlier post restrictions on how many unrelated people can rent a house.
Since these women are not related, I can call the police and report them, and the police will forward my complaint to the housing code violation department, and they will come out and do an investigation. If they discover more than three people are living in the house short/long term unrelated they'll be asked to decide, who's going to leave within 48 hours.
So they are sort of evicted even if they have paid their rent because it's the law where I live no more than three unrelated people are supposed to live in one dwelling. It's a weird law; personally, I don't agree with the law due to being in real estate and owning rental property.
It's odd how the city can get someone out of your property for this type of violation, but when I need to evict an ordinary tenant for not paying rent, it takes me three months minimum.
We have three major Universities in the city I reside, and parking has always been an issue, so the city made this law in an attempt to help people in residential areas have more available parking, and more peace from parties.
I really see no point in trying to get in touch with my neighbor anymore because she is aware she rented to six adults, and she knew they were all unrelated adults + claims she's spoken to them once already.
However, I do have one question to some of you is there a number at Air BnB I can call and have something done about their parking in front of my house so much.
Again, I realize the street is for the public to park, but it is one of the reasons I bought a house on a corner, and the vacant lot between my neighbor's house and mine + across from a park so there would be a goodly amount of parking. And it's never been a problem until this friend bought her house and four months after she bought it she informed me she was taking another job working for a company in Europe but it would only be for twenty-four months. She and I were becoming friends (I thought) but she after buying her house left a company she'd been an employee for almost eighteen years for a position that would only last for twenty-four months and after the twenty-four months, she knows she'll be unemployed.
I do realize her employment situation has nothing to do with this problem, but I guess I am venting, and I am sorry. It's just strange to me how she'd pay over $500k for it when she's only 50 years and leave for Europe to work for a company that doesn't guarantee her more certainty in employment. The company she used to work for is a fortune 100 corporation, and it's just odd.
It's almost like she knew she had this job before buying this house and her only reason for buying the house was to have somewhere to store her things but make money through Air BnB while away. See we live literally seven minutes from downtown and almost all of the major corporations in our city are downtown.
Therefore, she probably knew she'd have no problem getting air BnB to work for her or perhaps she'd used their services before moving here. However, I would find it hard to believe she's used their services because her previous house was in the suburbs. And her suburban home is twenty-one miles from downtown.
I have other neighbors who rent rooms from time to time through Air BnB, and they never have any problems finding people to rent from them.
Thanks for any help you or someone might can give me. 🙂

[David262]

Duke, a two step long term solution that may help (dependent on where you live/local regulations) -

1. You or your partner may be able to apply for a disabled parking permit/placard if his infirmary is considered significant (which, as his carer, seems to be your major concern here).

2. Your county/municipality (or what ever authority manages the roads in your area) may then permit you to apply for disabled parking signs to be placed on the roadside directly outside your home, ensuring that only those with a permit are able to park in the spot out front.

So, as you acknowledge, while you can't own exclusive parking rights on a public road - sometimes you are able to restrict who else has the option to park there. Then in the future, if someone without a permit parks in the space, you can easily make a phone call to the relevant authority and have them deal with it.

[LAuren2711]

I hope that issue was resolved! Our neighbor, is out of state and I don’t know for how long. He’s renting his house out on Airbnb, and from the start it’s been an issue. Ten vehicles, parked all up and down the street, three in front of our house. Yelling, random vehicles dropping people off or picking them up, or they just sit in the vehicles for hours, no clue why. I’ve heard loud music bumping from the vehicles, so loud that I can feel the vibration inside of my house! The police were called last weekend because a guy was in the street, screaming, pacing, throwing his jacket into the road, thankfully it was finally quiet after the police left. My other neighbors say that someone tried to enter their sliding door, but says it was an accident after the homeowner followed the guy next door. They have a newborn baby. I’ve been sleeping in my sons room ever since this began, because I don’t know who is going to show up, or how loud they are going to be. I’m fearing for our safety. I’ve witnessed three fights already, people hollering outside on the lawn. It’s ridiculous. I let the owner, host and Airbnb know, and every time I get the same generic response- we are aware of this, please call your non emergency number for your city etc next time this happens. Seriously our street is ready to pool our money to rent it out so no one else can stay there! Joking aside, how many emails do I need to send for this to get shut down?! Or- the address isn’t matching the listing so they just don’t do anything. Come summertime, I cannot imagine how loud it will be, and how rowdy it can become. The listing says 5-6 guests and NO parties. I don’t care if they have a party, but I do care if you’re being so loud that we can notice it. I’m begging Airbnb to DO something. All I get are the same responses over and over. I’ve already talked to the city about it so hopefully they will get it shut down. 

[Helen3]

Have you reported this to Airbnb?

have you reported noises issues to the host and your local council (or whoever deals with noise nuisance)

@LAuren2711