Taylor Scott International News
The Airbnb phenomenon that is soaring in popularity is a growing issue for private sector landlords as tenants embrace the trend without checking if their tenancy allows them to do so. According to the UK’s tenant eviction firm Landlord Action the number of cases where tenants have sub-let properties without their landlord’s permission has trebled. It point out that aside from breach of tenancy agreement and additional wear and tear to the property, landlords are left exposed to being in breach of their mortgage terms and buildings insurance. The share economy is a growing phenomenon, with models such as Airbnb giving people a platform to view themselves as a business. But according to Landlord Action founder Paul Shamplina it is also enabling those who do not have the right to do so, from profiting from someone else’s asset. An example is Joy Philips, a landlord who decided to let out her West London home so she could afford to take time out to volunteer at an orphanage in Africa. She thought she had found the perfect tenant in a young doctor who wanted her home for a three year lease. It all seemed very promising until she started receiving emails and calls from her neighbours complaining about the volume of people coming and going at her house. Joy was shocked to discover that her house was not being used as a home for the young doctor, but being rented out room by room as a boutique hotel on the Airbnb website. Making thousands over the rent being paid to Joy, her tenant was breaking the no sub-letting clause in her contract. By having so many people in the house, Joy’s home insurance was also at risk of being void. She was forced to give up her volunteer work in Africa to return to the UK and got in touch with Landlord Action in the hope of getting her property back. ‘We have had concerns for some time now regarding the protection of properties which are being uploaded and offered as holiday lets via Airbnb. We continue to receive a growing number of instructions from landlords who want us to start possession proceedings against tenants who have sublet their property via Airbnb without consent,’ said Shamplina. ‘Whilst Airbnb do provide a level of protection for hosts, naturally certain conditions and limitations do apply. My concern is that there is not enough safeguarding with regards to obtaining proof from the individual who is advertising the property that they are the legitimate owner. Or, if they are a tenant, that they have consent from their landlord to rent out the property in this way,’ he pointed out. ‘We have seen cases where, quite clearly, tenants are making thousands of pounds from exploiting the service to a high volume of holiday makers on a weekly basis. In a recent case, it… Taylor Scott International
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