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“He Is Bleeding Money Of About $6,000 Per Month”: Woman Is Fed Up With Neighbors Making Noise, Accidentally Uncovers And Shuts Down An Illegal Airbnb “Ring”
“He Is Bleeding Money Of About $6,000 Per Month”: Woman Is Fed Up With Neighbors Making Noise, Accidentally Uncovers And Shuts Down An Illegal Airbnb “Ring”
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“He Is Bleeding Money Of About $6,000 Per Month”: Woman Is Fed Up With Neighbors Making Noise, Accidentally Uncovers And Shuts Down An Illegal Airbnb “Ring”

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Never ever anger someone who works the night shift and is trying to get some well-deserved sleep. Otherwise, you’ll paint a target on your back as they transform into Sherlock Holmes (or Batman, or both).

Redditor u/Tunasaladboatcaptain shared a riveting story with the r/pettyrevenge online community about how he and his girlfriend busted an illegal Airbnb ring in their apartment complex. His partner works the night shift, so she sleeps during the day. However, she kept being woken up by the door slamming next door.

That’s when she began noticing that new people kept coming over to stay for very short periods of time. She did some digging online and uncovered someone’s illegal “short-term business empire.” Check out the full story below, as told by the woman’s boyfriend.

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    A night shift worker kept having her sleep interrupted by the neighbors slamming the door

    Image source: cottonbro studio (not the actual photo)

    She soon realized that new people kept showing up at the apartment complex, and this led her down the illegal Airbnb listing rabbit hole

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    Image source: ConvertKit (not the actual photo)

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    Image source: Tunasaladboatcaptain

    What the redditor’s girlfriend uncovered was shocking. As it turns out, one of their neighbors and his business partner were renting out 4 apartments next door. One of the apartments was a handicap-accessible unit.

    “That’s right. This man and his business partner leased an apartment meant for accommodating people with disabilities with the intention of using it for his little short-term business empire he was trying to build. Our city and region (like in other places) has been feeling the squeeze on apartment availability and these dickheads are contributing to the problem,” u/Tunasaladboatcaptain shared his frustration.

    That’s when the couple decided that they couldn’t just ignore this. His girlfriend got in touch with the leasing office and they took the situation very seriously. They started an investigation into the matter. The result? The ‘entrepreneur’ was left paying rent on four units without the income from short-term Airbnb stayers to offset his losses. He was forced to vacate the building. And that’s why you don’t mess with someone who works the night shift!

    There’s a constant struggle between various cities and illegal Airbnb listings. For instance, New York City, Boston, and Santa Monica, among others in the US, are fighting against short-term leases. There is a shortage of homes, as landlords (and even tenants!) rush to capitalize on short-term Airbnb stays. These are far more lucrative than long-term leases. And guests are often unaware that a listing doesn’t comply with the local laws.

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    Local laws might differ, but the exhaustion from short-term renters is felt far and wide. Illegal house parties are just the tip of the iceberg. CNBC found that some hosts even instruct their guests to lie and tell anyone who asks that they’re friends of the landlord. There’s a lot of money to be made here, and it’s making life extremely difficult for the locals.

    “We’re seeing commercialized, predatory companies that are trying to commercialize our residential communities in ways that are damaging to our citizens and our residents and our quality of life. It is predatory,” Miami Beach Mayor Dan Gelber told CNBC back in 2018.

    The author of the post shared a few more thoughts in the comments

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    Some people shared their honest opinions about Airbnb and the housing crisis, and opened up about their own rental experiences

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    Jonas Grinevičius

    Jonas Grinevičius

    Writer, Senior Writer

    Read more »

    Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real.At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design.In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle.I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

    Read less »
    Jonas Grinevičius

    Jonas Grinevičius

    Writer, Senior Writer

    Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real.At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design.In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle.I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

    Kotryna Br

    Kotryna Br

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    Kotryna is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Bored Panda, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and illiustrator. When not editing, she enjoys working with clay, drawing, playing board games and drinking good tea.

    Read less »

    Kotryna Br

    Kotryna Br

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Kotryna is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Bored Panda, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and illiustrator. When not editing, she enjoys working with clay, drawing, playing board games and drinking good tea.

    What do you think ?
    Marina Rocha
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Air bnb, sucks for the community

    Shroooomy
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The disability apartment is especially crappy.

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    CL Rowan
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Anyone slamming the door like that while 'cleaning', is trying to notify the neighbors that skeezy things are happening in that space.

    JeannevB
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am staying at an Airbnb right this minute. It is nothing like the add says. The list of things that are missing or broken is just too long. I am glad I get to go home tomorrow and leave this place. I never leave negative reviews but this time I have no choice. Last time, in another city, things were not as I expected them and I sent a personal message to the owner to give him the chance to fix things. in my review I was quite friendly and mild. But he never answered my pm and went on renting it the way it was. The reviews are still negative. Not this time. My friendly patience is over.

    CL Rowan
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why pay through the nose for a vacation space, only to have to do ALL the cleaning and laundry before you get back your deposit? ALWAYS USE A HOTEL/MOTEL. Who wants to CLEAN during a vacation???😳

    Load More Replies...
    Mason Kronol
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just before the Pandemic I looked into an ABnB for a weekend getaway. The apartment looked nice but it seemed too good to be true. It was comparable to nearby 4 star hotels but didn't have the same guarantee on cancellation policy. We didn't book and looking back we are very lucky because we were able to cancel our hotel reservation in March 2019. I do know someone who has an AB&B but it's run as a bed and breakfast. Homeowner is on site, makes meals but also is zoned properly.

    Kathryn Smith
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Airbnb for bead and breakfast places sounds like an excellent use of the site. If only it were LIMITED to that sort of thing....

    Load More Replies...
    Bear Family
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I expected a story about a drug dealer next door or maybe a prostitution business. Glad the real situation was "safe" even if annoying. We realized many years ago that we lived next to a drug dealer. Nice guy but concerning. What if there was a problem on his side of the wall? Sheetrock wasn't going to stop any bullets. It was like living next to a drive-thru with all the traffic. Not subtle at all. Eventually he got his, caught while dealing too close to a school. Lousy apartments. I was working third shift. Neighbor on the other side would wake up in the morning and have a 120 db stereo show while getting ready. And then he'd depart. He and his missus also had a weekly shout and screaming match. Otherwise chill neighbors. I don't miss apartment life AT ALL. We bought a tiny little house across town after the first year back when those mortgages could be had for something close to the price of rent.

    Alban Bizet
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Airbnb is Ok if you stick with the original idea, renting your place or a room when you don't use, not buying flats or houses for this purpose, if you do that you should have to pay hotel taxes and have the same safety rules

    Michelle C
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Never used it and never will!

    Lunar
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I never understand why people would want to stay at AirBnB. You are on a holiday, why would you want to feel at home?

    David Taylor
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Whenever we visit the states we always hire a house for the stay, we have children so it means were able to put them to bed and stay up rather than us all have to go to bed at the same time if we were in a hotel, it allows us to cook so we dont have to eat out all the time, gives us our own pool rather than share etc, we'd never stay in a hotel now, not with our whole family. If im away with the lads, or my wife is on a girls break thats one thing but for a family? A house or villa works perfectly

    Load More Replies...
    Stacy Jones
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Marry that girl, sir! She's an MVP!

    Laura
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Genuine question yall- I'm honestly trying to understand this . Like can someone kindly explain to me why this is illegal/wrong?? Cause this sounds like their just renting out apartments they shouldnt?? What am I missing here? Please tell me, I'm so confused!!😭

    Vira
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I want to add: the contracts are set up this way for a reason. The apartments, and renters are taxed based on primary residences, so the apartment itself could get into legal trouble. Also, the likelihood of crime goes up when you have lots of people coming and going. If you're expecting to have a family friendly environment, but renters are using AB&B you can't know who you're living around. It also adds traffic to locations which aren't expecting it, and noise. Those things are costly for locals. More traffic, more road maintenance, more police needed, etc. It's just a domino effect.

    Load More Replies...
    Rob Eman
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    AirBnB isn't causing your housing cost woes. Boomers are/did. Along with NIMBY's (likely also boomers) and slow/lame local governments / permitting offices (controlled by mostly boomers). Oh and inflation, where boomers stopped the economy and paid everyone to do nothing, this was to extend the lives of mostly elderly people, by allowing them to avoid the pandemic and lessen it (they get to live longer on literally your dime - which you pay thru inflation), which caused all assets (like houses and stocks to shoot up in price - which are mostly owned by boomers). At least know who your enemy is... The way to fix it? Ageism, tax those who benefited from all these decisions. (A messed up solution would be to pass a federal law that allows 1st time home buyers to get Fannie/Freddie loans at the avg historical interest rate - as opposed to the open market rate after all you as a new buyer are unlikely to have been the voter/boomer that caused this problem. But then the boomers still win...

    Marina Rocha
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Air bnb, sucks for the community

    Shroooomy
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The disability apartment is especially crappy.

    ADVERTISEMENT
    CL Rowan
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Anyone slamming the door like that while 'cleaning', is trying to notify the neighbors that skeezy things are happening in that space.

    JeannevB
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am staying at an Airbnb right this minute. It is nothing like the add says. The list of things that are missing or broken is just too long. I am glad I get to go home tomorrow and leave this place. I never leave negative reviews but this time I have no choice. Last time, in another city, things were not as I expected them and I sent a personal message to the owner to give him the chance to fix things. in my review I was quite friendly and mild. But he never answered my pm and went on renting it the way it was. The reviews are still negative. Not this time. My friendly patience is over.

    CL Rowan
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why pay through the nose for a vacation space, only to have to do ALL the cleaning and laundry before you get back your deposit? ALWAYS USE A HOTEL/MOTEL. Who wants to CLEAN during a vacation???😳

    Load More Replies...
    Mason Kronol
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Just before the Pandemic I looked into an ABnB for a weekend getaway. The apartment looked nice but it seemed too good to be true. It was comparable to nearby 4 star hotels but didn't have the same guarantee on cancellation policy. We didn't book and looking back we are very lucky because we were able to cancel our hotel reservation in March 2019. I do know someone who has an AB&B but it's run as a bed and breakfast. Homeowner is on site, makes meals but also is zoned properly.

    Kathryn Smith
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Airbnb for bead and breakfast places sounds like an excellent use of the site. If only it were LIMITED to that sort of thing....

    Load More Replies...
    Bear Family
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I expected a story about a drug dealer next door or maybe a prostitution business. Glad the real situation was "safe" even if annoying. We realized many years ago that we lived next to a drug dealer. Nice guy but concerning. What if there was a problem on his side of the wall? Sheetrock wasn't going to stop any bullets. It was like living next to a drive-thru with all the traffic. Not subtle at all. Eventually he got his, caught while dealing too close to a school. Lousy apartments. I was working third shift. Neighbor on the other side would wake up in the morning and have a 120 db stereo show while getting ready. And then he'd depart. He and his missus also had a weekly shout and screaming match. Otherwise chill neighbors. I don't miss apartment life AT ALL. We bought a tiny little house across town after the first year back when those mortgages could be had for something close to the price of rent.

    Alban Bizet
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Airbnb is Ok if you stick with the original idea, renting your place or a room when you don't use, not buying flats or houses for this purpose, if you do that you should have to pay hotel taxes and have the same safety rules

    Michelle C
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Never used it and never will!

    Lunar
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I never understand why people would want to stay at AirBnB. You are on a holiday, why would you want to feel at home?

    David Taylor
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Whenever we visit the states we always hire a house for the stay, we have children so it means were able to put them to bed and stay up rather than us all have to go to bed at the same time if we were in a hotel, it allows us to cook so we dont have to eat out all the time, gives us our own pool rather than share etc, we'd never stay in a hotel now, not with our whole family. If im away with the lads, or my wife is on a girls break thats one thing but for a family? A house or villa works perfectly

    Load More Replies...
    Stacy Jones
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Marry that girl, sir! She's an MVP!

    Laura
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Genuine question yall- I'm honestly trying to understand this . Like can someone kindly explain to me why this is illegal/wrong?? Cause this sounds like their just renting out apartments they shouldnt?? What am I missing here? Please tell me, I'm so confused!!😭

    Vira
    Community Member
    3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I want to add: the contracts are set up this way for a reason. The apartments, and renters are taxed based on primary residences, so the apartment itself could get into legal trouble. Also, the likelihood of crime goes up when you have lots of people coming and going. If you're expecting to have a family friendly environment, but renters are using AB&B you can't know who you're living around. It also adds traffic to locations which aren't expecting it, and noise. Those things are costly for locals. More traffic, more road maintenance, more police needed, etc. It's just a domino effect.

    Load More Replies...
    Rob Eman
    Community Member
    3 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    AirBnB isn't causing your housing cost woes. Boomers are/did. Along with NIMBY's (likely also boomers) and slow/lame local governments / permitting offices (controlled by mostly boomers). Oh and inflation, where boomers stopped the economy and paid everyone to do nothing, this was to extend the lives of mostly elderly people, by allowing them to avoid the pandemic and lessen it (they get to live longer on literally your dime - which you pay thru inflation), which caused all assets (like houses and stocks to shoot up in price - which are mostly owned by boomers). At least know who your enemy is... The way to fix it? Ageism, tax those who benefited from all these decisions. (A messed up solution would be to pass a federal law that allows 1st time home buyers to get Fannie/Freddie loans at the avg historical interest rate - as opposed to the open market rate after all you as a new buyer are unlikely to have been the voter/boomer that caused this problem. But then the boomers still win...

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