Neighbours in a quiet street are calling for action over noise from a property which is listed on holiday home websites.
Up to 18 people squeeze into the four-bedroom house in a cul de sac in Patcham, with an overspill of cars leading to concerns about emergency access for ambulances and fire engines.
Those staying at the Patcham party house, which includes a hot tub in the garden, were said to include “large groups of young people … drinking and partying late into the night”.
They are believed to include stag and hen parties.
Now a dozen neighbours of the detached house, in Court Close, are to lobby Brighton and Hove City Council, urging the authorities to act.
A delegation, led by Edward Elton, said: “Court Close is located at the foot of the South Downs and opposite the Patcham Conservation Area.
“Residents are mostly older adults and young families (and) consciously chose to live here due to the peace and quiet offered by its rural location and the strong sense of community.
“However, the continual stream of problems from this Airbnb has significantly impacted this community of people.”
Airbnb said that it had received no reports about excessive noise or anti-social behaviour, adding that the house was also listed on Booking.com, TripAdvisor and Agoda.
Neighbours said that since the short-term lets started in April, people living near by had experienced anti-social behaviour and problems with rubbish and inconsiderate parking.
Twelve families have reported the problems to the police and council but said that they had been given next to no help.
Mr Elton said: “Since May, a total of 12 households have raised these issues with both the council (planning and environmental health) and the police. However, there appears to be little action that can (or) is willing to be taken.
“The only reported issue which is being actively investigated is through environmental protection (noise) but this has taken several months and is still ongoing.
“The apparent lack of enforceable regulations creates a free-for-all system which allows homeowners, particularly in residential areas, to transform their homes into large-scale commercial guesthouses.
“The blatant conversion of a residential dwelling into commercial premises, under the guise of Airbnb, seems void of any enforceable planning regulations.
“The safety of such properties, in terms of compliance with fire safety law, again appears unregulated and unmonitored, thus placing the guests, the property and neighbouring properties at risk.
Just contact their mortgage company. The details of which can be found on the land registry site. If there is any finance on this property the mortgage company will ask for it to be repaid or force a sale if the owner does not have the ability to do this. AirBnB-ing a property in this way breaches the terms of all residential and buy to let mortgages. This will take ten minutes and is the quickest solution.
Hopefully there is a mortgage on the property
I was in a similar position as these residents. I went to the Land Registry website and found the details of the owner of the property (it cost me £5 to download a pdf file with his name and address on it). I wrote to him and threatened legal action against him if he did not control his tenants, and the problem stopped within days.
Hope this info helps someone affected by this antisocial behaviour…