Trending News: Airbnb has become a popular option for homeowners to earn extra income by renting out their properties to guests. However, not all guests are respectful of their temporary homes, and this was made evident in a recent incident that occurred at an Airbnb in Seoul, South Korea. A Chinese couple had booked a three-and-a-half-week stay at an Airbnb in Seoul, which they later realized was located in an outer suburb of the city, far from the city centre.
Instead of discussing the issue with Airbnb or sticking to their booking, the couple took matters into their own hands and sought revenge against the host, Mr. Lee. The couple left the gas and water taps open for 25 days, resulting in massive utilities that cost Mr. Lee USD 1,570 (Rs 1.28 lakh approximately). They used up over 120,000 litres of water during their short stays of no more than five minutes at a time.
The Airbnb host only discovered the damage after the couple had left, and he was left to pay for the water and electricity bill - $116 (Rs 9512), gas bill - $730 (Rs 59,850), as well as $728 ( Rs 59,700) for miscellaneous expenses. Despite contacting Airbnb, the company was unable to offer compensation, leaving Mr. Lee to deal with the issue directly with the couple, who had already left South Korea.
This incident is just one example of the challenges that come with hosting on Airbnb, and it highlights the importance of respectful and responsible guests. Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Airbnb has made headlines for unusual reasons, with incidents of guests trashing properties and engaging in illegal activities also making the news.
