A Court has ruled against an Airbnb host whose visitors caused a noise disturbance by throwing a loud party in the host’s rented London flat.
The case, which is thought to be one of the first of its kind, was brought before a Judge after residents in the Brixton apartment complained of chaotic parties causing disturbances on several occasions.
One resident claimed that they did not feel safe having strangers coming in and out of their neighbour’s flat.
In one instance, around 150 people turned up to a party at the Brixton flat and riot police were called in to quash the disruption.
A tribunal Judge ruled that the host – who was a tenant renting the apartment from a London landlord – had breached several terms of his lease agreement.
The tenant had been effectively sub-letting the property to nuisance guests via the budding short term rental website.
The website, which profits from taking a cut of booking fees from both hosts and guests, is now urging neighbours of users to report guests for bad behaviour via an online feedback form.
“We also remind hosts to check and follow local rules before they list their space,” said an Airbnb spokesperson commenting on the case.