Another Airbnb horror story is making international news this week as two brothers who rented a Palm Springs, California condo for 44 days only paid for 30 days and then refused to leave. The Airbnb Palm Springs squatter claims tenant rights in California after staying in the 600 sq. ft. condominium more than 30 days.
Cory Tschogl of San Francisco rented her Palm Springs condominium through Airbnb. The renters stopped paying rent and have refused to leave. When Tschogl threatened to turn off the electricity, the renter threatened to sue her for disrupting his online business income.
Besides lost rental income, Tschogl has seen her electricity bills quadruple. Palm Springs is in the California desert and typical July temperatures reach 110F. Her father stated he has passed by Tschogl’s condominium and seen the AC running with windows open. USA Today Airbnb tweaks platform after renter turns squatter.
The renter’s name was not disclosed when the story originally gained attention through a San Francisco Chronicle article last week. Since then, the renters names have been disclosed in stories as Maksym Pashanin and his brother Denys Pashanin.
“This is a gray area where laws haven’t caught up to Airbnb,” said Ontario (San Bernardino County) attorney C. Mario Jaramillo of Access Law Group. “Being a homeowner is very different from being an innkeeper. (A landlord) cannot circumvent unlawful detainer and eviction laws in California. But laws protect traditional hoteliers and innkeepers; if people don’t pay, they can call the police and have them kicked out for trespassing.”
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The Pashanin brothers online business Kilobite is a video game development company. They raised nearly $40,000 last year through a Kickstarter campaign to develop a Confederate Express video game.
Tschogl has hired a lawyer to proceed with tenant eviction. Airbnb paid Tschogl for the two weeks of rent the renters failed to pay and apparently is helping with legal fees. Airbnb is also reportedly updating its long term rental information.
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Ric Garrido of Monterey, California is writer and owner of Loyalty Traveler.
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