Airbnb Home Trashed - who should be made to account?

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Airbnb Home Trashed - who should be made to account?

A quick online serch after reading this article suggests there's more to this than meets the eye and that the host may not be altogeher honest in various ways.

 

On the one hand he says "No Parties are allowed" however on his Agoda Profile he states they are "House Rules - The house has a residential neighborhood so parties are allowed with no noise heard outside  parties are not allowed".


As a New Zealand resident it's of concern that some people think it's lawful to let out homes to so many people when there is legislation inplace that xyz metres is the required law per person.

It's unfortunate that some people travel to a diffrent country and make life difficult for others who try to adhere to the Law.

 

In this case may it be an example of where education is needed and that the Laws of NZ may have been broken by the owner of this Airbnb.

 

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12113882

Airbnb Auckland home trashed by Aussies on Bledisloe game night
26 Aug, 2018 5:20pm
3 minutes to read
Ravi Punjwani starts to clean the Onehunga home. Photo / Dean PurcellRavi Punjwani starts to clean the Onehunga home. Photo / Dean Purcell
10 Replies 10
Inna22
Level 10
Chicago, IL

@Helen427

allowing a party does not mean allowing to trash your home. For example, I host a lot of bachelorette parties as therefore I put that parties are allowed with quite hours claws as well as the party being restricted to my registered guests. In a way, saying that the hosts somehow allow the trashing or are at fault for it is like saying that a girl is "asking for it" by wearing a short skirt and is at fault herself if something bad happens. Yes, one should know not to wear a short skirt at night in a bad neighborhood walking around alone and one should learn how to screen guests, but not doing so does not put one at fault for someone else’s choices. Bad guests happen to really good hosts.

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Hello Inna, unfortunately it appears you have taken my post out of context.

There's no way that I endorse thrashing of anyone's home, indeed I'm diametrically opposed to such behaviours, including the awful assumption about women wearing short skirts comparision and asking for it.

 

The Host in the case in Onehunga, Auckland however appears to be in breach of various NZ Legislation including overcrowding in  the said residence.

The Herald article states he permitted 16 people to stay there when in reality that may be deemed to be overcrowding in a residential home in NZ.

@Inna22  "Quiet hours claws". Is that when you go over and scratch the guest's eyes out because the neighbors called you complaining of the rager party going on at your house? 🙂   

@Sarah977 you nailed it:)

Histerical - Thanks 4 the bellylaugh.

Fred13
Level 10
Placencia, Belize

    'No Parties Allowed' + allowing say 10-15 people + absentee landlord + renting to young people = Party Time, just about every time. Usually,  young people do not get together in such numbers to hold a Bible recital, nor for intellectual pursuit to discuss Newton's Theory of Gravity, but to 'party'. And there lies the first problem with this issue  - what constitude a 'party'? Noise level? Impact on the neighborhood? Level of stupidity?

   I have read 50 perfect examples over the last 2.5 years I been in this forum where the hosting reality defies logic; where a large group of young people, especially unsupervised and in a 'sensitive' neighboirhood turms into > Royal Fiasco. A host is asking for trouble with one's neighbor and asking one's place to get thrashed, 90%+ of the time with those demographics.

   Oftentimes what follows is the real killer - a claim for damages via (drumroll please) Airbnb's foolish 'Host Guarantee' policy, which indirectly all hosts ultimately pay for. The more Airbnb pays such claims the higher those fees will become. A matter of economics 101. 

   It all boils down to a matter of 'risk' - those making 'high risk' decisions should not be protected at the same 'rate' as those that do not; for a good example see the individual policies of every insurance company, which in many ways Airbnb's 'Host Guarantee' policy is pretending to be. The day Airbnb drops that insane policy, the less problems they will have and the more responsible hosts will become because it is now all up to them to choose wisely.

 

P.S. Bird Island was just featured in a few well-knowned 'popular' publications and one of the big websites, the most common question - how many people can the island 'fit'? Oh boy. My stock answer: "Bummer, all booked"

 

/off podium

   

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

So @Helen427, you are proud of New Zealand’s low-density housing laws?

Instead ofaccomodating population growth through higher density, New Zealand chooses to degridate the environment by developing out. Fortunately only wealthy people will be able to afford that life-style.

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Paul the world has become overpopulated.

Education is a key part of helping to reduce the ever increasing population of human beings and the decrease of nature.

 

From 1891

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WOODEX18911008.2.31

Article image

 1919

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC19190818.2.13

Article image

 1934

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19350718.2.186

 

Article image

 

Enjoy!!

 

Helen427
Level 10
Auckland, New Zealand

Meanwhile back to the opening topic, if you looked at the link to the listing you may have noticed a row of 3 beds in what is legally a "dining room area" and not a bedroom.

That in itself is unlawful in NZ.

On one of the pages it's refered to as a "Hotel" when it's quite clear it's not a "hotel" but a residential home in a residential location.

 

At a guess, and Airbnb should be asking him this question, "Was there complaints made to noise control?".

 

Maybe he was already off side with his neighbours which is not good for the image of those who list there homes responsibly and who are adhering  to NZ Regulations and Legislation.

 

Airbnb and Auckland Council may like to also find out if he is insured for a "residential" or "hotel" property, ditto most importantly his own insurance company to establish or eliminate the possibility of fraudulent behaviours.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

 To me, it's a misnomer to call houses which used solely for STR rental purposes a "home". A home is where people live, so to me, an Airbnb is a home if the host is sharing with their guests,  lives in another dwelling on the same property, or rents out their entire home when they go on holiday, or perhaps it's a vacation property that they and their families use some of the time. These places which sleep 16 people, are just one of many that are run by property managers aren't "homes", they're just houses.