Squatters taunt homeowner with ‘no trespassing' sign after refusing to leave her house
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: ABC7
A home owner has spoken out after Airbnb renters refused to leave her property and placed a taunting sign in the window.
On October 25, 2023, Airbnb guests moved into a property in North Carolina belonging to single parent Farzana Rahman.
They booked the property for around a whopping seven months' stay, however, when it came to their check-out date last month, they refused to vacate the home.
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On May 24 this year, a cleaner hired by Rahman went to her property in a bid to get it ready for the next guests which were set to stay.
However, upon arriving at the home, they found the renters were still there.
Rahman told ABC7: "They answered the door and they said, 'No, we haven't moved out'.
"She said, 'Should I come tomorrow?' And they said, 'No, don't come back'."
Rahman then visited her property herself having called the police to accompany her.
Upon seeing and speaking with the police officer, the renters reportedly agreed to vacate the property the next morning.
However, that sadly didn't turn out to be the case and not only that, but they decided to add a gobsmacking sign to the property too.
The handwritten sign read: "No trespassing."
It added: "We will vacate the property when you filed the proper paperwork with the civil magistrate for an eviction, for we are legal residents of this home."
Rahman believes the reason the renters are 'refusing to leave until there's an eviction order' is because 'they're just trying to gain time to stay there for free because they haven't paid'.
Rahman was meant to have another monthly-renter move in after the previous renter's end date in May, however, she's now been forced to cancel the booking.
She said: "This is my place, and I mean, I'm counting on this income; my son is in college. I'm a single parent."
As one YouTube commenter wrote, the whole situation is 'totally outrageous'.
But what does Airbnb say about all this?
Well, Rahman claims an employee she spoke to from Airbnb encouraged her to 'take any action that [she feels] is necessary to ensure [her] own safety and that of [her] home' and advised her to 'contact local authorities', but she was hoping for more support.
On its website, Airbnb has a page dedicated to 'things to consider before hosting monthly stays'.
It warns: "In most states and localities in the United States, guests who stay in a home or apartment for one month or longer - the exact number of days depends on jurisdiction - may establish rights as a tenant. Generally, this means that local tenancy laws could protect them, and you may not be able to remove them from your property without proceeding through required eviction processes in court.
"[...] Local laws may differ from state laws regarding residential tenancies. We encourage you to review your local rules and regulations before accepting a long-term reservation."
When it comes to having to evict guests who overstay, it notes 'summary proceedings' allow landlords to 'regain possession of leased property in expedited fashion' and landlords can contact an attorney or local county courts for advice.
Rahman has since filed eviction paperwork, but added: "It's wasted my time; it is wasting my energy; it is stressing me out."
The court date is reportedly scheduled for sometime during the week beginning June 13.
UNILAD has contacted Airbnb for comment.