This happened a year ago and AirBNB paid him $23,000 for the damages at the time. His new complaint is that he has been blacklisted from renting in NYC.
I don't understand how AirBnB is responsible here. You're obviously taking a risk when you hand over the keys to your apartment to a stranger. This is the same risk that landlords take when they lease the unit in the first place; hence why these blacklists exist: to minimize risk. The difference is that the landlord is at least leasing what is his to lease. Renting your apartment on AirBnB is prohibited by just about every lease, and is flat-out illegal in NYC. He broke the terms of his lease and the law to make hundreds of dollars a night, trusted a stranger that a website connected him with, and got busted. He could try to sue the guy that threw the orgy, just like landlords can try to sue deadbeat tenants; but just like the landlords, he'll probably get nowhere. The law can't protect you from your own poor decision-making. Would you want to rent your property to this guy?
I'm not sure why he wants AirBnB to fix the blacklist issue. I mean, sure, the situation sucks for him and he was put there partially because of renting his place via AirBnB. But he can't realistically expect AirBnB to fix this issue.<p>According to this [1]:<p>> The blacklist is actually a database of suits filed by landlords and compiled by tenant screening companies.<p>So it's basically the same as Experian, Equifax, and other credit rating agencies. And it's the same kind of scam in the end.<p>What AirBnB could potentially do is get together with him to figure out how to appeal the entry based on the applicable regulations. But that's not what I'd call them fixing the issue.<p>[1] <a href="http://www.npr.org/2014/12/14/367833532/tenant-blacklist-can-haunt-new-york-renters-for-years" rel="nofollow">http://www.npr.org/2014/12/14/367833532/tenant-blacklist-can...</a>
Anyone who googles him (or does a background check) will see a ton of red flags, including being involved in several lawsuits over the last few years. I'm not shocked no one will let him rent a place - I sure wouldn't.<p><a href="http://nypost.com/2014/11/11/embattled-manhattan-doc-faces-accusation-of-quackery/" rel="nofollow">http://nypost.com/2014/11/11/embattled-manhattan-doc-faces-a...</a><p><a href="http://nypost.com/2014/03/28/comedian-outs-pr-execs-affair-as-payback-for-bad-real-estate-deal-lawsuit/" rel="nofollow">http://nypost.com/2014/03/28/comedian-outs-pr-execs-affair-a...</a><p><a href="http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2012/03/23/the-strange-tale-of-nextgen-and-nextgen/" rel="nofollow">http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2012/03/23/the-strange-tal...</a><p><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/airbnb-orgy-victim-sues-nyc-condo-super-comments-article-1.1957128" rel="nofollow">http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/airbnb-orgy-victim-sues-...</a>
Was the author sub-letting his apartment on a temporary basis via air bnb? Would that be legal in NYC? Maybe the fact his landlord found out and blacklisted him for illegal sub-letting is the bigger problem...
Here's a link to Gawker, first hit for "xxx freak fest" for those doubting the story, including a statement by Airbnb where they promised to help the host: <a href="http://gawker.com/man-unwittingly-rents-out-apartment-on-airbnb-for-xxx-1544961941" rel="nofollow">http://gawker.com/man-unwittingly-rents-out-apartment-on-air...</a>
While I agree with the tone of the message, I don't agree with how he tries to spin the ball. The constant repetition of 'You need to fix thix' feels really childish and finger-pointy.<p>Does anyone exactly what AirBnB's legal requirements/jib-jab is on this stuff?
AirBnB could easily prevent such issues by explicitly requiring people to confirm they're not subject to a lease that prohibits short-term rentals and therefore not at risk of eviction -- before they can list a property for rent. No doubt they'll get right on that.<p>Kidding aside, not making people aware of these risks and trumpeting a '$1,000,000 Guarantee' (that only happens to cover property damage) just creates an <i>illusion</i> of risklessness -- one that takes advantage of the greedy and stupid.<p>Normally when a company takes advantage of the greedy and stupid, most of HN pitches a fit. What's different this time?
The poor guy seems to have a remarkable knack for accidentally stumbling into all kinds of drama.<p><a href="http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2012/03/23/the-strange-tale-of-nextgen-and-nextgen/" rel="nofollow">http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2012/03/23/the-strange-tal...</a>
Does anyone know how he plotted where he slept on a map like that? I am assuming he did not hand enter it into some API maps tool, but rather, an app he has marks his location.<p>I would like an app like this in the event I ever need to prove my location. And I think it would be cool to see where I go on a map.
People who rent out apartments they don't own fully deserve to get blacklisted.<p>The author dares to call it "my apartment", but you don't get evicted from your own apartment. He is the one who abused someone else's property in the first place.<p><i></i>Edit<i></i>: I truly don't understand all the downvotes. Here's someone who illegally exploits someone else's apartment for profit, and clearly feels no responsibility for his role in the whole affair. What is so abnormal about the fact that no one wants to rent to this person anymore?<p>If I borrow your car, rent it to someone I don't know who then proceeds to crash it, would you then consider met the victim or the a-hole who abused your trust to make fast buck and got your car totalled?
The guy has reportedly received $23k from Airbnb following the orgy, sued his condo for its super's disparaging comments, a doctor for misdiagnosing him, and is sued by some other guy for defamation in an unrelated issue.
I feel like the real problem here is the same problem that exists in all of these situations where the law hasn't caught up to technology: someone is being made an example of.<p>When a few people pay a huge price for something that "everyone" is doing, it is simply unfair. The people who have been sued for downloading music are a similar example.<p>In my opinion, AirBNB should fix this situation because they can. It isn't fair for one renter to bear the brunt of the pushback while the company continues to make huge profit.<p>It isn't about blame, it's about each side's ability to right what is an unfair situation.
He obviously made a bad decision to rent out his apartment. This isn't AirBnb's problem.<p>Look through my previous comments. I'm no fan of AB or most of the sharing economy's big players, but this is the sort of thing that will continue to happen and why basing a business model on the backs of people's bad risk evaluations is tenuous. These models won't hold up without the downside being felt directly by the app providers. But, then where's the fun/money?
As the occasional host in SF, I do get extremely paranoid about guests, and only accept requests from guests who have had an account for more than a year, who have 100% positive reviews, and has at least 2 reviews in the last 6 months. Obviously I reject a lot of requests. Even then I did have one unfortunate incident involving a guest bringing home another guest that stole something even though I explicitly said "no guests."<p>My perspective from the host POV is that you really have to do your own vetting of guests beyond anything AirBnB will provide. AirBnB provides barebones proof of ID, but that's it.<p>Ultimately, I find AirBnB's business to be 100x "crazier" than other "sharing" companies like, say, Uber. At least with Uber there is a more regimented process for vetting and onboarding drivers. With AirBnB it is still a free-for-all on both sides.<p>At the end of the day, you're letting a total stranger into your house. Where you sleep and have all your things. It's a risk and everyone who uses AirBnB should be aware of it.
Why is there such a shitstorm going on here?<p>Here's a guy who is now living on the street and, for all that is known, has his private life shaken up. I for my part can understand that he would like to have at least his reputation restored, i.e. be taken off the blacklist.
One should always weigh the most one could profit against the most one could be harmed. Don't do it unless that loss is not very likely and one can be tolerate it or buy insurance for it.<p>This fellow's loss of reputation was one of those harms and you can't buy insurance for that. AirBnB didn't even know the terms of the lease he signed so why should they fix the consequences of violating it?
Well at least he did a great job making the most out of this incident.
<a href="http://www.inc.com/will-yakowicz/how-to-make-the-most-out-of-an-orgy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.inc.com/will-yakowicz/how-to-make-the-most-out-of...</a>
What I cannot really understand in the first place is why it is legal for the companies in the US to make (Black-)Lists of citizens.<p>Isn't it any law that regulates that?
It seems like the issue here should be that rentals/hotels are discriminating based on whether someone operates as an AirBnB host or not. Other renter's who do the same without such a notable 'incident' are the same level of risk. It is quite unfair I believe that this person is unable to find a rental. Rental agencies should figure out their stance and make it clear and unilateral.