North Carolina
Airbnb squatters left ‘no trespassing’ sign for single mom who’s losing income and can’t boot them
A North Carolina single mother trying to put her son through college is now at the mercy of Airbnb guests-turned-squatters who refuse to leave her rental property — leaving her without her income for months.
The saga began when Farzana Rahman, who lives in the Durham area, checked in guests on Oct. 25 with a check out date of May 24.
But when Rahman’s housekeeper arrived at the rental, the guests were still there and they refused to leave, the local ABC affiliate reported.
When the cleaner knocked on the door, she asked if she should return the next day and they said, ‘No, don’t come back,’” Rahman said.
“Now they’re refusing to leave until there’s an eviction order,” Rahman told the outlet. “I think they’re just trying to gain time to stay there for free because they haven’t paid.”
Rahman even got the cops to go to the rental with her and the squatters promised to leave the next day, but they never did.
Rather, they hung a “No trespassing” sign on the front door, that 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.”
“This is my place, and I mean, I’m counting on this income; my son is in college. I’m a single parent,” Rahman said.
Rahman contacted Airbnb for help but said the $93 billion company was of little help.
“They’re sending me messages as please get help for your safety and get whatever legal help you have to get to get them out,” she said.
Rahman has filed eviction paperwork with the courts to try and regain possession of her rental.
“It’s wasted my time; it is wasting my energy; it is stressing me out,” she said.