Has anyone ever had the problem of a longer term guest who ceases to pay and refuses to move out?
Laws are different in every state. What state are you in?
How long is month 3 past due?
Hi! I live in Pennsylvania.
Hate to say again but no long term guests for me.
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However, Airbnb should respond to this, get you your money, but eviction is another story.
I’m so sorry that happened to you. How awful. If I were you I would start the eviction process immediately so the clock will start ticking. If I were you I would also ask Airbnb to reimburse any cost to you, the unpaid rent and your time especially since this is partly the result of their error. If they don’t make you whole you can try to get a local newspaper to write an article about it. I’ve noticed that a lot of hosts say that Airbnb stonewalls them until there is press, then they are cooperative.
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I am wondering what if you packed her stuff when she is not home , justlike in a movies. A tenant comes home and cant enter, and see his things packed and outside the door
Apparently that is illegal to lock out a tenant on a monthly basis or to remove her belongings… Wish it worked like in the movies!
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It depends on where but in most places you can not remove their things and lock them out. Most people inclined to do this know exactly how the law will protect them. I am sorry for you and for your squatter. I’m sure she’s got lots of problems but she still is manipulating you.
If the poster were to follow this advice, she could be successfully sued. Eviction is a legal process. If the landlord, which is legally what you become over a certain amount of days which is different in different areas, evicts illegally the landlord will face penalties. Here are links to websites:
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/illegal-eviction-procedures-pennsylvania.html
Thanks, EllenN. Good advice for all hosting on AirBnb. I had no idea that I was not somewhat protected through them. Until now, I’ve only had wonderful experiences and met delightful, responsible people!
Once you finish getting her out with the eviction I bet you can take her to small claims court to recoup the money it takes you to get her out as well as the lost income, and possibly attorney fees.
I am surprised there aren’t a lot more squatters on Airbnb. They get into a place with no deposit (most of the time) for a month at a time, it is so eas
y!
This is one of the worst fears of mine and I am so sorry you are going through this!
Thanks, Rebecca. With this forum, hopefully others will avoid similar situations. It’s all a long process to evict and already I feel that I’m dealing with this on a practically full time basis…
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I’m in Pennsylvania.
I’m so sorry you are going through this, I’m glad others on the forum are able to help.
What about start vacuuming at 3 am right near her door, like… every single night. Or blast music at 4 am in a morning. Or disconnect stove, and say its broken. We had a tenant in NY, who stopped paying, she lived in upstair appartment, and we lived downstairs. After we understood that it will take us months to get her out and that literally would make us broke as we would not be able to pay the mortgage, we started thinking what we can do.
Before we came up with something, our heater broke and it was in a middle of winter. SO , no heat, no hot water. SHe called police saying that we turned off heater. SO, police came and we were packing to go to my parents for a few days, because we were not going to fix it with her in there.
She kept on demanding and making a scene that she has nowhere to go. Police told her to go to shelter if she wants or she can stay in a house without heat or hot water. SHe could have brought heaters in there, but hot water would still be missing.
Anyway, she left that night, because it was getting colder by the second, and cleared down appartment immediately. Then she broke few windows and threw flower pot in a toilet.
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Doesn’t Air also charge them double for overstaying? I would call Airbnb EVERY DAY until this is resolved.
If the payments are made for each block of time, doesn’t that equate to a new stay, and thus keep you from beciming a landlord? But Ellen is right, better start the eviction correctly just in case.
Oh what a nightmare. We have seen some bad bad things on the forum today!
Also Lissi, I will add you to our Bad Guest Lounge and there you can share the Guest name and profile for us. Awful…
Another thing, if the reservation is cancelled, she is basically tresspassing. Doesn;t count as tresspassing.? There is no reservation, so there is no contract.
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Once she has residency established she has all kinds of rights. 
I was doing my ironing here after reading about this…stewing up such anger! I wonder…would it be a way to get her out if you and Air split one month at a cheap hotel for her. The cost of keeping her in your cozy air room is a lot higher than half a month at a hotel. If you try to get her out by making her stay miserable she can start saying you are harassing her. Be careful not to get yourself sued! I’m not sure if you have to make sure she has her own room or just a place to stay… like on the couch. Just give her 30 days notice and I think (but check first by looking up lodger rights) you can change her cozy accommodations to those that are not so cozy. I am going to do some research.