A North Carolina single mother has said that her Airbnb was taken over by squatters – who have posted a ‘no trespassing’ sign and demanded an eviction order.
Farzana Rahman, who owns a condo in Durham, claimed that she’s lost months of income and is struggling to put her son through college after guests refuse to leave.
The unidentified squatters checked in on October 25, 2023 and were meant to leave by May 24.
But when Rahman’s cleaners reached the property after the agreement ended, they discovered that the ‘renters’ had never left.
The home is available to rent for a minimum of 28 days at the price of $2,684.
Farzana Rahman, who owns a condo in Durham, has lost months of income and is struggling to put her son through college after guests refused to leave the flat
The squatters have posted a ‘no trespassing’ sign and demanded an eviction order
‘They answered the door and they said, “No, we haven’t moved out”.
She [cleaner] said “Should I come tomorrow?” And they said, “No, don’t come back”.
‘Now they’re refusing to leave until there’s an eviction order. I think they’re just trying to gain time to stay there for free because they haven’t paid.
‘This is my place, and I mean, I’m counting on this income; my son is in college. I’m a single parent,’ the distressed owner told ABC.
Rahman has also contacted Airbnb for support but to no avail. She claims that the company has only sent her messages to get help for her safety and legal help to evict the squatters
According to the Airbnb website , ‘guests who stay in a home or apartment for one month or longer—the exact number of days depends on the state—may establish rights as a tenant’ and therefore are protected under local tenancy laws
When Rahman came to the property with officers, the squatters assured them that they would leave the next day.
But the next morning, they were still occupying the condo and had instead posted a ‘no trespassing’ sign.
The sign read: ‘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 has also contacted Airbnb for support but to no avail. She claims that the company has only sent her messages to get help for her safety and legal help to evict the squatters.
According to the Airbnb website, ‘guests who stay in a home or apartment for one month or longer—the exact number of days depends on the state—may establish rights as a tenant’ and therefore are protected under local tenancy laws.
It also advises landlords to seek a summary proceeding to evict illegal guests.
‘Statutes exist in nearly all jurisdictions that permit landlords to use summary proceedings to evict tenants. A summary proceeding is a judicial proceeding that lets a landlord regain possession of leased property in an expedited fashion.
‘You should contact a landlord-tenant attorney or your local county courts to learn more about eviction laws where you live, as they may affect your ability to evict a guest who overstays a monthly stay,’ the page reads.