Worst Airbnb disputes laid naked as one tenant makes use of pad to arrange a drug farm
Cops are being called to sort out hundreds of disputes between Airbnb landlords and tenants – including one who set up a cannabis farm.
Most involve the theft of electrical equipment, furniture and trinkets by renters, as well as damage from parties, which are banned on the site.
But others have included instances such as Kent police discovering an Airbnb property had been turned into a cannabis growing base.
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Another incident in Bedfordshire involved officers who suspected a home was being used as the centre of a drug dealing operation.
In another case a gang of men broke into an empty Airbnb, had some food and drink there then showered and left with the property’s two TVs.
(Image: Evening Gazette)
The FOI survey of police forces in England and Wales found at least 655 alleged offences where officers were linked to Airbnb rentals.
However, the true total of offences is likely to be much higher as some of the nation’s biggest forces such as Hampshire, Thames Valley and the Met refused to disclose how many cases they dealt with.
But Airbnb said it believes the real number of incidents linked to it may be lower as many cases may be wrongly connected to them because Airbnb has become a generic term for all holiday rental properties.
Retired Chief Supt Kevin Moore who headed up Sussex CID, said: “Inevitably, the development of Airbnb has increased the pressures on the police to deal with matters such as those reported here.
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
“However, landlords have a duty to ensure that their clientele are suitable. After all, they are quick enough to take people’s money and therefore they should assure themselves that those renting their premises are decent law abiding people by visiting the premises at the time that occupancy is taken up".
A spokesman for Airbnb said: “We have not seen any evidence that confirms this data relates specifically to bookings on Airbnb, which is often used as a catch-all term to describe all short-term letting activity.
“Parties are banned on Airbnb, and we have zero tolerance for criminal activity and anti- social behaviour.
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