An unhappy homeowner turned to Mumsnet after claiming a neighbour had made a major change to their property
Living next door to familiar faces is something many homeowners take for granted. But one resident says that sense of community has disappeared almost overnight after a neighbour allegedly turned their home into an Airbnb.
The disgruntled homeowner shared their frustrations on the Am I Being Unreasonable? forum on Mumsnet, where they asked whether they would be wrong to report the flat. It quickly attracted plenty of attention, with dozens of users weighing in on whether short-term holiday lets belong in residential buildings.
Explaining the situation, the poster wrote: “The flat opposite ours has recently started being used as an Airbnb. We live in a block of flats with a secure entrance, but now there’s a constant stream of strangers coming and going.”
They explained how the guests had not been disruptive. Instead, they accused the owners of “turfing out” the “lovely woman” that had lived their previously: “[This] caused her a lot of financial and other stress, so that they could make way more money than with a regular tenancy.”
The poster continued: “Should I tell the management company? I think my motives maybe are a bit vengeful (and obviously it’s too late for my lovely ex-neighbour) and I probably won’t do anything, but what does everyone think?”
Plenty of users had their own opinions and shared them in the hope of giving advice to the unhappy homeowner. One said: “No, don’t. I expect the old tenant has found somewhere new, so this would just be a vindictive move.
“Also, Airbnb is not a guaranteed income so your presumption that they will make more money is completely wrong. The owner will now be liable for council tax or business rates, plus being a landlord brings a lot of stress in management though, Airbnb far less so in my experience.”
While another added: “I would. Once one person is seen to be getting away with ignoring the rules, it encourages others.”
Others, however, advised them to check their lease to see if this business practice would be allowed: “We own a seaside flat and we are allowed to rent ours out Airbnb style but none of the other flats in the block are. We specifically had that put in our lease when we bought it new from the developer to ensure that was an option if we ever wanted to use it.”
The debate reflects wider concerns surrounding the growth of short-term holiday rentals in residential areas. According to Airbnb, there were more than 100,000 active listings in the UK in 2024, while campaigners and residents have increasingly raised concerns over noise, security and the impact on local housing availability.
Whether action can be taken often depends on the property’s lease or local planning rules. Property experts say many residential leases prohibit short-term holiday lets, meaning owners who advertise on platforms such as Airbnb could potentially be in breach of their lease, although each case depends on the wording of the agreement.
Would you be happy if your neighbour turned their home into an Airbnb? Let The Mirror know in the comments.
