Warning to all NZ Hosts : British Tourists on a house-trashing tour

[Ben551]

Greetings ~

After today's headlines I feel the need to extend a warning to all AirBnb hosts in New Zealand, Australia and the UK.

A group of ten British tourists have been in the New Zealand news headlines all through January 2018.  They have been not paying for meals, trashing hotel rooms and litering during their stay in Auckland and Hamilton.  Last night, they turned up in my city of Wellington,  and were sighted making trouble a mere 2 minutes drive away from my house. 

The damage toll from the group is estimated to run into the hundreds of thousand as they continue a path of destruction through the country, but the Police and politicians can't move fast enough.  They are likely to remain at large for several days before action is taken to arrest and deport them all (it seems to react to a situation like this is more than our criminal justice system is designed to cope with).  If they leave on their own, they will likely pop up in Australia or the UK.

Here is the series of events as they have unfolded over the past few weeks:

15 January: First they trashed an Auckland beach.

15 January: Then the NZ Police investigated.

15 January: They said they were just here to see the hobbits.

16 January: Then they stole a Christmas tree.

16 January: And pled guilty to two counts of theft.

16 January: So the NZ government issued a deportation notice with 28 days to leave.

17 January: Then the media reported what they are like back in the UK.

17 January: So the NZ Police Minister called for the group to be sent home immediately.

18 January: Then they turned up in MY HOME TOWN!!

Warning: Some of the video footage contained in these news articles could offend.

Here is a map covering the first few days of their damage path:

What AirBnb Hosts Need to know:

The family are known to use information on private accomodation websites (like AirBnb) to make bookings waaay into the future that they never intend to pay for.  They do this to immediately gain access to property addresses and use it to locate vacant rental accomodation (i.e. they choose ones with space in their calendar 'now' then make a booking for the 'future').  They then break in and trash it without the owners knowledge.  this link describes what they do - I do not have the stomach to re-write it.

If they turn up at your property, do not engage with them.  Call the Police immediately (if you are in New Zealand the number is '111').

If they leave New Zealand before the authorities can act, they are likely to turn up in Australia or the UK.

Meanwhile, I'm going to sleep with a crow bar under my pillow until these jerks are out of my country...

~ Ben

[Helen3]

HI @Fran2

Here you go

Irish Travellers (an lucht siúil, meaning 'the walking people') are a traditionally  itinerant ethnic group who maintain a set of traditions. Although predominantly English-speaking, some also use  Shelta (Cant) they live mostly in Ireland but also have large communities in the UK and US.

So the difference in the terms is that they are travellers (plural) rather than a traveller and word 'Irish' is normal put before the world 'travellers' to distinguish them as a separate ethnic group, as opposed to new age travellers who are groups of people who come established homes and choose to live a nomadic lifestyles and Gypsies and Romanies who are separate ethinic groups.

By the way Fran you do have Gypsies  in New Zealand and Australia https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/life/culture/article/2017/06/21/welcome-world-australian-gypsies

[Susan17]

@Helen3

A very long time since I've heard anyone respectfully refer to the travelling community as "An lucht siúil". Thank you. 

When I was a kid in primary school, there was a travelling family used to attend for the part of the year that they were passing through the area (usually, until they were forced to move on again) Sadly, the local kids routinely  subjected the traveller children to the usual barrage of prejudice, abuse and insults, that were a daily reality of  their young lives. Then our headmaster Fred, a very wise and decent man, made every child in the school learn this poem off by heart... 

"Old Woman of the Roads" by Padraic Colum. 

https://youtu.be/dgvTBFqlOHM

Only a poem, but made a huge difference to the way those children were treated after that. Apart from poems, Fred knew a thing or two about teaching his pupils how to see the world from the perspective of those less fortunate and privileged than themselves. 

[Helen3]

Hey @Susan17

Thank you.

I have sent you a PM 🙂

[Nikolai12]

That just alarmed me as I just recently learned that Airbnb doesn’t show people’s photos until they are confirmed. So that does not protect us hosts when something like what you’re describing is happening. Those guys could book with Airbnb w/o problem because the hosts can’t see there photos!

[Helen3]

Hi @Nikolai12

This wouldn't make any difference in this situation.

If you IB you would see their photos on booking. If not you would see them on booking. On either case you could ask Airbnb to cancel the booking as you don't feel comfortable.

[Robin4]

Now I know you are going to say I am gutless and a fence-sitter.....maybe I am but, I have deliberately not made a comment on this thread until now because, the quality of the exchanges here has made me not want to say anything that could be seen as 'taking sides'! I respect all of you far to much to risk putting any of you offside by something I might say.

It is so refreshing to see such a lengthy emotive thread where everyone respects the others opinion and is prepared to make a statement without criticizing each other.

This is so rare and says a lot about the quality of you all as individuals!

I am lovin' it.....and sitting on the fence!

Cheers.....Rob

[Helen3]

Why would anyone do that Rob  @Robin4 ?

We can all choose which posts we contribute to.

And I see you as far too wise  in terms of your counsel to ever think of saying anything as mean as calling you gutless 🙂

best Helen