The backlash against short-stay apartment rentals through portals like Airbnb erupted in Melbourne after the violent death of teenager Laa Chol during a wild party in a CBD high-rise in July.
Over the weekend, another wild party was staged in a Melbourne CBD high-rise leading to widespread property damage and theft:
…over 40 African youths were involved in the highly destructive gathering at the Neo 200 complex in Spencer St.
The entire apartment was trashed, with holes in the wall, doors ripped off, plates shattered and empty alcohol bottles scattered across the floor, according to the report leaked to 3AW by concerned police officers…
The Herald Sun understands the youths are also connected to aggravated burglaries of two other apartments in the 37-level building.
Horrified residents were helpless to intervene as the marauding louts wreaked havoc, in the latest of a spate of such incidents in Airbnb houses and flats across the city.
Last month, the Victorian Government passed laws cracking down on short-stay apartments, which allowed for the black-listing apartments used for wild parties, compensation of up to $2000 for neighbours, as well as fines of up to $1,100 for guests that damage property, create unreasonable noise, and/or cause a safety hazard.
While these rules are better than nothing, Victoria’s top strata lawyer and lobbying group representing 300 Melbourne buildings – We Live Here – claims they are still the “weakest” regulations in Australia “to the delight of Airbnb”.
As long as reports of wild parties continue, the backlash against short-stay portals like Airbnb will grow, and rightly so. Not only are residents in high-rise apartments having their amenity destroyed by short-term rentals, but it is also crushing the traditional rental market in Melbourne, which is already under siege from mass immigration fuelled population growth.
