In a recent incident in Durham, North Carolina, a homeowner found themselves in a sticky situation when uninvited guests refused to vacate their property and challenged the owner to take legal action.
Airbnb has been a popular platform for both renters and homeowners for short and long-term rentals. Farzana was taken aback when she received a booking request spanning from May to October 2023.
Rahman, a single mother, shared with ABC that she has been struggling to reclaim her home ever since the tenants declined to move out last month.
Rahman’s situation is just one example of a broader squatter’s crisis in the US, where homeowners often struggle to evict non-paying tenants, exacerbated by pandemic-related protections in some states, which also impacted short-term rentals.
After Rahman’s cleaning lady was asked to leave by the squatters, it became clear they had no intention of vacating the premises. Despite police involvement and failed assurances of departure, the squatters insisted they were legal residents and demanded a formal eviction process.
When Rahman sought assistance from Airbnb, the company’s response was limited to advising her to seek legal aid to resolve the situation.
Experts caution that allowing guests to stay beyond a month can complicate eviction proceedings, as renters can gain legal protections as ‘holdover’ tenants after 90 days without the homeowner’s consent.
Rahman’s plight reflects the frustrations shared by many homeowners dealing with similar situations, where court orders may become necessary to compel squatters to leave, especially if law enforcement declines to intervene.
Lando Thoms, a professional in removing illegal squatters in Southern California, highlights the commonality of such issues, especially with Airbnb rentals.
Thoms emphasizes that in California and other states, Airbnb guests are legally considered tenants and must be evicted through proper legal channels, depending on the owner’s cooperation.