If you share an apartment building with Airbnb Rentals...

[Paige55]

I have loathed having to live in an apartment next to (and underneath) Airbnb units. What started out as a wonderful apartment has now felt increasingly unsafe thanks to their proliferation in our building. Tonight, we got word that one of the four lockboxes, used to store keys for these vacation rentals, was breached and the thief took the key to our entry door. I looked it up and seems they are incredibly easy to breach. So now, the owners who don't even live here and can't be bothered to even meet the strangers they rent units to, that we have to live with...have put us all at risk of robbery tonight until the locksmith can come tomorrow.

This is one part cautionary tale one part rant. This sort of crime is on the rise, for obvious reasons. Airbnbs don't belong in long-term apartments, especially if the owners are not vetting their guests by checking them in/out. Perhaps making them pay for 24 security, at the very least, if they're putting us all at risk, might be a decent compromise? I've seen a lot of apartments in Palermo, Recoleta, etc...using these lockboxes, hung proudly on rails of the building near entryways. Is there anything we can do as long-term tenants to get rid of these obvious security breaches? Or deal with strangers vacationing that can't be bothered to close the entry doors properly, who invite even more strangers in to party? I can't wait until Airbnb is a relic. It's awful. Apartment buildings shouldn't be converted into hostels. I'd move, but they're all like this now. I shouldn't have to feel so unsafe in my the apartment where I take refuge.

At least when the platform started, the owner of the unit had to be on-site and check these guests in, in-person, which allows them to asses the guests and also, be on hand if they start causing trouble and they'd be personally in charge of handling our entry key and not leave it dangling for any street though to ply open in a matter of minutes. Many cities in Europe have banned these and I wish (at the very least) building admin would start doing this too, if not rethink allowing vacation rentals all together. Airbnb and their ilk should just buy up some of these vacant apartment blocks and reserve them solely for their services. Like aparthotels they already have but under their own moniker. Cause, what it has devolved into now, absolutely nobody taking responsibility but raking in loads of money for these ghost properties, this isn't the way.

 

[carride]

A start might be not allowing the lockboxes to be attached to the building. Next, have the main entrance changed to modern electronic technology that does not use physical keys which can be reprogrammed for each resident whenever required.

 

[Paige55]

A start might be not allowing the lockboxes to be attached to the building. Next, have the main entrance changed to modern electronic technology that does not use physical keys which can be reprogrammed for each resident whenever required.

I appreciate the suggestions, unfortunately there are no other options of where they can attach these keys at our building, the way it's structured.

The expenses have already increased so much. I don't want to be on the hook for (nor am I in charge of deciding on) the building upgrading to modern electric technology on account of a few folks who want to do the very least running their makeshift rental empire. They want to do it, they should all get together and buy-in on a new build and give it all the modern luxuries any vacationer would want. Let us normies and our keys enjoy our humble little part of the city in peace, not having strangers circling through every other day. It's just a shit thing to do to a community. It's a space where it's nice to know neighbors, it helps you feel secure. With strangers you can't even really report them, they're gone before anything could be done.

With more units turning into vacation rentals, it becomes inherently less safe. Strangers don't care about how they treat the place, who they bring in. It's been a mess. But, hey...Hank in 5d sure is rich now and he doesn't even have to leave his plush Nordelta sofa to manage the property. So, happy for him, I guess?

Not trying to throw anger you way, you were trying to help but I've had a hell of a few years with these folks and I'm over it. Since all apartments I could move to also seem to be heading toward vacation-heavy rentals, it just seems an insufferable sign of the times. I feel there should be some rules against these and I know people hate regulation. But, if you don't regulate, they'll run all over everyone else to ensure their profits are in order. I wish people thought about others, they just don't. It's unnerving how much some of them don't. And my safety, anyone's physical safety, counts more than some dude needing it to be convenient for him to run his business from afar and not have to deal with any consequences.

We'll see, maybe the building will force a change or surprisingly feel like updating to modern systems but I'm feeling it won't be the case.

 

[elhombresinnombre]

@jantango has written extensively about her battles over her building: if you haven't done so already, you might find browsing her messages useful.


What do your building regulations say? Anything about temporary rentals may be in the section about drug dealing and prostitution and if it is silent on that, or indeed, silent on drug dealing and prostitution, that is something the owners can fix. Is the building residential use only?


Our building has gone over to electronic locking for the main door. Each authorised person has a uniquely coded entry fob and if one is lost or stolen it can be immediately cancelled. The same thing can be done with keypad entry but if you think a about it, it may be more convenient but is a little harder to keep track of than physical fobs.

 

[carride]

My guess is many building regulations have wording which does not allow residents to leave personal items in common areas. A small lockbox attached to a place in or on the building is already a violation. Management threatening with a plan to remove those boxes will move the conversation forward.

 

[devilclam]

I'm not sure if this is helpful, but could you and the members of your building approach the owner and request they switch it to a long term rental? There are several real estate companies that do this - perhaps offering a solution that keeps you safe and doesn't necessarily make them lose income would be a good compromise.

Then again, I also have issues here where I'm too nice here and people give me the run around until I have to lay down the hammer on how things are gonna be.

 

[Paige55]

@jantango has written extensively about her battles over her building: if you haven't done so already, you might find browsing her messages useful.


What do your building regulations say? Anything about temporary rentals may be in the section about drug dealing and prostitution and if it is silent on that, or indeed, silent on drug dealing and prostitution, that is something the owners can fix. Is the building residential use only?


Our building has gone over to electronic locking for the main door. Each authorised person has a uniquely coded entry fob and if one is lost or stolen it can be immediately cancelled. The same thing can be done with keypad entry but if you think a about it, it may be more convenient but is a little harder to keep track of than physical fobs.

I've read Jan's thread. I am not the owner of my unit but have spoken to my landlord and he's livid. He had no clue this was a possibility, that people would leave the keys outside in flimsy lockboxes. Luckily, the administration is also livid and says that while the law doesn't prohibit them, their use is not acceptable to them. They're calling an emergency meeting today while the locks are being changed to try to take action immediately.

We're not a large building and I don't think they'll want to spend the money to convert over to a new system, or get 24/7 security because five units can't be bothered to check-in their guests in person. They stated that the owners did this without consulting the building, of their own volition and they have been trying to resolve the issue. My wonderful landlord has already added his thoughts on the matter-in favor of security for long term tenants over ease of operation for a few Airbnb owners.

I know they used to have to come in person but obviously they're lazy and want to max profits with little to no effort. As if they'd leave the entry key to their own apartments and homes outside. I looked online and these lockboxes are extremely easy to bust into (with videos actually demonstrating you to do it). They'll change the locks today, but if these idiots still keep them out there, we'll be changing that front door lock every day. Our building only has cameras and no physical or podium security guard, which I feel puts us more at risk of a break in.

Thank you for all of your kind responses. It seems the administration is thankfully on our side here.Though, as laws aren't in place to explicitly ban them (or their key safes being outside), perhaps they're running into an issue actually instilling these rules? Rental companies don't seem to care who they put at risk. I'm all for a law that requires anyone renting out a unit, to live in the building also. It's absurd they can put us all at risk and sleep tight in their digs and not even think that's an issue. Not only the keys that are an issue, but we've had some very unruly guests, who also don't seem to understand courtesy's of living in a shared space. Can't report them, because they're gone in a flash, after the damage is done.

I hope this draws attention to the matter, these are being used in so many apartments now. So, if you live in a shared space you might want to bring this up before a breach occurs. Seems the thieves know how to bust them in not time flat and are actively using this as a method to gain entry. What I can only assume will become more common as the economy remains so shaky and more people are falling into precarious situations.

Best case scenario, the person who stole the keys just need a place to stay for the night, made himself some breakfast, took a shower then left for greener pastures, a new building, a change of scene.

Again, thanks everyone.

 

[RichardAlem]

I have loathed having to live in an apartment next to (and underneath) Airbnb units. What started out as a wonderful apartment has now felt increasingly unsafe thanks to their proliferation in our building. Tonight, we got word that one of the four lockboxes, used to store keys for these vacation rentals, was breached and the thief took the key to our entry door. I looked it up and seems they are incredibly easy to breach. So now, the owners who don't even live here and can't be bothered to even meet the strangers they rent units to, that we have to live with...have put us all at risk of robbery tonight until the locksmith can come tomorrow.

This is one part cautionary tale one part rant. This sort of crime is on the rise, for obvious reasons. Airbnbs don't belong in long-term apartments, especially if the owners are not vetting their guests by checking them in/out. Perhaps making them pay for 24 security, at the very least, if they're putting us all at risk, might be a decent compromise? I've seen a lot of apartments in Palermo, Recoleta, etc...using these lockboxes, hung proudly on rails of the building near entryways. Is there anything we can do as long-term tenants to get rid of these obvious security breaches? Or deal with strangers vacationing that can't be bothered to close the entry doors properly, who invite even more strangers in to party? I can't wait until Airbnb is a relic. It's awful. Apartment buildings shouldn't be converted into hostels. I'd move, but they're all like this now. I shouldn't have to feel so unsafe in my the apartment where I take refuge.

At least when the platform started, the owner of the unit had to be on-site and check these guests in, in-person, which allows them to asses the guests and also, be on hand if they start causing trouble and they'd be personally in charge of handling our entry key and not leave it dangling for any street though to ply open in a matter of minutes. Many cities in Europe have banned these and I wish (at the very least) building admin would start doing this too, if not rethink allowing vacation rentals all together. Airbnb and their ilk should just buy up some of these vacant apartment blocks and reserve them solely for their services. Like aparthotels they already have but under their own moniker. Cause, what it has devolved into now, absolutely nobody taking responsibility but raking in loads of money for these ghost properties, this isn't the way.

Hi Paige, we had the same problem with Airbnb tenants in our building. The situation culminated on Sept. 6th at 0130 after an obese Brazilian AirBnB tenant, covered with $10 tattoos was so drunk that he fell asleep in the shower with the water running. His foot blocked the drain causing the water to flood his apartment, and then the hallway, and then another apartment. From there, the situation worsened.

The sanctimonious, remote owner was indifferent to the building's ambience or to the comfort of other residents. She rented to any nightmare tenant with the money to pay. So, I mentioned to her rental manager that, out of curiosity, I was headed to AFIP for clarification regarding rental income reporting and I also asked, out of curiosity, if the unit's owner had been paying taxes to AFIP on years worth of rental income. They got the message and a two-year rental has replaced the weekend party rentals. Just saying.

 

[Paige55]

Hi Paige, we had the same problem with Airbnb tenants in our building. The situation culminated on Sept. 6th at 0130 after an obese Brazilian AirBnB tenant, covered with $10 tattoos was so drunk that he fell asleep in the shower with the water running. His foot blocked the drain causing the water to flood his apartment, and then the hallway, and then another apartment. From there, the situation worsened.

The sanctimonious, remote owner was indifferent to the building's ambience or to the comfort of other residents. She rented to any nightmare tenant with the money to pay. So, I mentioned to her rental manager that, out of curiosity, I was headed to AFIP for clarification regarding rental income reporting and I also asked, out of curiosity, if the unit's owner had been paying taxes to AFIP on years worth of rental income. They got the message and a two-year rental has replaced the weekend party rentals. Just saying.

That is horrific. But SO satisfying that you finally got them to care. The owners here have rental companies deal with their properties also, and they are impossible to get hold of if there is a problem.

I have an Airbnb unit directly beside and above me. On three separate occasions, the unit above has overflowed the bath/shower and it's leaked through to my bathroom. Three separate times. Assuming they never clean the drain between guests or have a catch that traps hair from getting there in the first place. Finally, they sealed around the toilets in the building, so when they flood it from now on it's not as likely to drip through to my unit. But, the poor encargado that has to spend his time fixing it, I feel bad for. One time it happened just after the paint had dried from his last fix.

Another time a couple from the US came and it was a domestic violence situation for weeks. Police were called and the tennant wouldn't let the owner or encargado into the unit. When they finally forced themselves in the place was trashed. He'd been shouting each night at her, her screaming bloody murder. A plethora of other sound disturbances have plagued us. Again, as the owners can so easily wash their hands of the guests they allow to use the units, it's on us. And I'm certainly not large enough to confront some drunk/drugged up guests at 3AM when they blast their shit music on our (basically) shared patio. Vacationers come here to vacation, they stay up late all nights of the week, party. They belong in hostels or hotels that accommodate that behavior, it's not conducive to otherwise civil apartment blocks and the community long term tenants are able to build. Sure, long term neighbors can be hell, but it's easier to take action. When it's a guest that leaves in a matter of days and you're dealing with a rental company and a flippant owner that has enough money to allow his property to be ruined, impossible.

I feel so lucky. I hadn't updated, but yesterday I noticed the owner of the unit beside me actually showing up to greet his tenant and hand him the keys. So, looks like they acted fast to ensure our safety after they changed locks. I'm hoping it sticks, but with these kinds of assholes, they find a way so that they're the least inconvenienced. I'll keep in mind about asking after the AFIP clarifications, just in case. But, the owners/property managers had never even come to the property since they installed those safe locks outside. Only the woman who cleans the apartment between guests (who also slams the very loud doors a million times while she's here cleaning, a story for another day).

Self awareness isn't taught like it should be. A lost art.

 

[RogerTotal]

I admit I have been that guest who got drunk at a bar, invited a bunch of randoms back to my airbnb and ended up with about 8 police called to the apartment. I would hate to live next to an airbnb. Especially with Brazilian guests, in my opinion the most self absorbed and inconsiderate people in the world.

The padlocks are terrible. With the electronic fobs a motivated thief could cover 10 blocks in 20 minutes just brushing them up against every door until they get a green light. And the padlocks are never more than 2 blocks from the building. I would feel safer with a regular key at least its more time consuming to find which building it belongs to after the criminal has busted it out of the padlock