AirBnb is considered to be the greatest development in the travel industry since the electronic passport, but it is a bit risky when you think about it.
Staying in an stranger’s apartment, which they have a key for, without anyone overseeing a transaction – it’s not surprising some sketchy things go down once keys are exchanged.
Here are some worrying horror stories from the last six years of AirBnb…
The Drunk Host
Airbnb started as a way to make money while you’re not using your primary living space. It’s since evolved into a renting microcosm. However, most times, you won’t even meet your hosts. You might pick the keys up from them and then move into their space that you’ve paid for.
What you don’t expect is the host to turn up to your rented apartment steaming drunk and let themselves in. This is actually what happened to Joseph Velardo and Robyn Finker who had to kick an inebriated host out the house he had keys for…
Image credit: Business Insider
The Renters That Never Left
This is a classic case of two guys who think they’re funny and clever but are actually just being knobs. Two brothers from Palm Springs rented a property for six weeks. At the end of the tenancy, they cited California tenant’s rights laws which made it nearly impossible to kick them out of the property they did not own without paying them off… what ****s.
24 Beds, One Apartment
Considered ‘the worst listing of all-time’, a New York apartment listed for $35 a night turned out to be one club promoters ploy for stuffing 12 people into each room in a two bedroom apartment. David Jaffee was netting about $250,000 a year from this villainous ploy. He’s been kicked off Airbnb and is now facing several lawsuits – he had it coming.
Image credit: Gawker
The Hounds of Argentina
Some Airbnb listings have pets but usually they’re low maintenance animals like fish or cats. Very few have dogs and if they do, you’d think you’d know before turning up at the property.
Mike Silverman was shocked when he arrived at his Argentina apartment face to face with a growling Rottweiler. The hound proceeded to make a 6-inch gash in Silverman’s hand who was then rushed to a hospital and had to pay for his care with cash…
The post You Won’t Believe These *Awful* AirBnB Horror Stories appeared first on Look Magazine.