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Hi there! New to this forum and I am just looking for some insight and you’re opinions on my situation.
I started renting my 2 bedroom townhouse on Air BNB last summer. I’ve had great success but I have a (small I hope) issue which I have received a couple reviews about as well.
My neighbour hood is a great neighbourhood. Close to downtown, bike paths, attractions, airport etc. However, my street is a little run down with some “lower income housing.” My place is nice, clean and cozy with a private well kept fenced yard and everyone in my building (7 units) is great.
The people directly across from me in the next building however are very messy, do not keep their yard or property maintained, there’s constantly garbage and junk all over their yard. Glass on front door is smashed. I’m sure you can imagine the scene.
I’ve asked many times for it to be cleaned up but to no avail. So my question is, should I be stating any of this on my Air BNB ad? I don’t want to scare people, my place is very nice and there are no safety concerns, however I think it might be fair to give some type of “warning” but I’m not sure if anyone would book with that disclosure.
If the surrounding home exteriors greatly need a clean-up, contact your city or county Community Abatement and Nuisances Department.
The government officials will order those residents to make their front yards and house exteriors more presentable. If those abatement officials drag their feet, then contact the elected county/city district representatives to get it done.
You can discreetly ask a local real estate agent which city/county office is to best contact. The offending residents will never know who filed the complaint.
I worked for 21 years, as the community relations spokesperson for a large city. I have seen these neighborhood nuisance problems fixed by applying pressure through locally-elected officials, with the help of area news media.
Does your townhome have some kind of homeowners association with rules on how owners/tenants keep the property? It’s really common with townhomes in the US, but I don’t know where you are located.
If the messy yard of your neighbors is mentioned in your reviews, then I think anyone who is really bothered by this kind of thing hopefully won’t book.
Does it make the view from your window ugly? If so, i’m wondering if you could put something in your yard to block it: a tree, a hedge, a huge bird feeder, hanging planters…something?
If you want to mention it, keep it light.
“My cross street neighbors have some quirky landscaping but are harmless.”
Are they harmless? I think that’s what would bother me if I were a guest more than the eyesore. As long as they aren’t criminals or having raging parties… I wouldn’t care as a short term guest.
It really depends on your city. In many cities the code enforcement has very little ability to help.
I live in a very modest neighborhood which is also very safe, much less crime than nicer nearby neighborhoods. I make mention of living in a modest, working class and retirees type neighborhood in my listing.
I too have a neighbor across the street and two door down with a junky yard, broken windows, junk cars and ATVs, barefoot children, toothless dad with a cigarette in his mouth half the time. For awhile they had a couple of macaws and would put them out front in nice weather. Ever heard a couple of screaming macaws? Over time things have improved. The macaws are gone, the loose dog no longer craps in my front yard, the cursing at the kids at the top of their lungs has largely ended, some of the junk has been cleaned up. They have been visited by code enforcement and the city police countless times. It’s taken years but it has gotten better.
So my answer is, yes, keep the guest expectations in line but don’t overdo it. If the rental is nice inside at the right price and you have good reviews the bookings will come.
LOL. No. But he’s actually a nice guy the time I spoke with him. I think the female head of household got a better job and maybe they are getting things together.
"I live in a multi-cultural inner city area. Like many areas undergoing regeneration, it can be a little scruffy around the edges in parts.
“It more than makes up for this by great public transport links, an easy walk to the city centre and a great array of shops, cafes and restaurants”.
And I include some photos of the neighbourhood.
Interestingly I checked all the properties in my area and I am the one who mentions this. However because I was getting lots of four and some three star ratings for location I felt it was important to manage expectations.
Helsi: I read your suggested Airbnb listing statement: "“I live in a multi-cultural inner city area. Like many areas undergoing regeneration, it can be a little scruffy around the edges in parts.”
Shame on you for implying multi-cultural (non-white) residents make their neighborhoods look scruffy.
You should visit the USA, where there are plenty of white-trash neighborhoods.
I am very disappointed in you, as this Airbnb Forum is not a place to foster racism.
I read “multi-cultured”
and didn’t think it was referring to non whites. I thought it meant it’s a diversed community. A community made of many different cultures. I don’t see how that term would be ofensive.
Let’s not get personal, you could have pointed out that maybe the language could be more neutral in your opinion which could be construed as helpful but instead you pull the race card.
You really, really, really need to read more and post less on this forum. Once again you are assuming you know things about long established members of this forum.
Disappointed in you would be a gross understatement.
@Helsi, I have to say that I find myself somewhat agreeing with what Don_Burns says. I dislike intensely the equation between the terms ‘multi-cultural’ and ‘re-generation’ or ‘gentrification’. Honestly, you might as well say ‘there are a lot of brown people in this neighbourhood but hey, it’s ok because we’re sorting it out and they’ll be priced out soon’.
Mate, you’re are now seriously coming over like a boorish prick. I’d suggest you give it up while you’re still behind.
I didn’t mind you stalking me, dragging up posts from months previously and using them out of context, I did however get slightly pissed at your cruel and unnecessary comments that were directed at @KKC, but I’ll tell you now the abuse you just directed towards @Helsi is enough.
Take your verbal shite somewhere else. Maybe your “near fatal” accident has scambled your brains a touch, but do you know what, we’re not your carers.
I seem to be in a minority here, trying to address the comment and not the poster.
But yeah @Don_Burns, you’re not making a lot of friends on here. It’s always a good idea to peruse and get the general mood of a forum before you wade in with your size 10s.
I think you and Burns have a point, the language could be cleaned up, The issue is the condition of the properties, what would be a better way to express it that does not come off as about the neighbors, rather the neighborhood?
Personally, I wouldn’t say anything. It’s Airbnb, not a special gated community. Any comments on the neighbourhood can stand, afaic. If future guests are scared of brown people and inner city, then they’re best to go elsewhere.
Why mollycoddle and reassure people?
You might personally dislike it, but having lived in what I can only describe as “multi cultural” areas in more than one part of this wee world I think the term is succinct and correctly descriptive. It’s only you that has mentioned “brown people”, my last poor barrio was full of “white people”, with blue eyes and attitude.
You wont like this either, but what I’ve found over the years is that the folks who object to terms like that are the folks who’ve never lived in a poor barrio or a fakir bölge, etc. So, get off your high horse lady, and take the comment within the context it was made. Introducing skin colour when it wasn’t either mentioned or inferred lands you squarely in the professional victim camp as far as I’m concerned.
So how do we thread the needle? @Jenny_Hart and @helsi do not want to suffer more poor reviews for something that is out of their control. I do not see Helsi’s wording as racist, but clearly some here do and by extension other humans may as well.
Thanks!