Airbnb has received plenty of attention in recent months. You might have noticed that it changed its logo last week, as part of a larger rebranding project that had twitter buzzing for days. While boasting over 15 million users since it began in 2008, Airbnb has also had its fair share of horror stories. Here are 4 of the worst--and weirdest--user experiences to date:
1. The Squatter
Earlier today, Business Insider reported that host Cory Tschogl found herself in a "nightmare" situation. Her renter not only refused to leave once his month-long stay was over, he also claimed legal tenants' rights and threatened to sue her. In fact, he was partially correct: in California, when someone rents a property for 30 days, they are considered to be a tenant on a month-to-month lease. Tschogl hired a lawyer and has begun the eviction process, which could take up to six months and $5,000 dollars in legal fees.
2. The Drunk Host
A couple rented a place in the Hamptons from Airbnb. While they were asleep, the host let himself into the house at 4 a.m., apparently drunk and "mumbling incoherently." They left immediately and found somewhere else to stay.
3. The Trashed Penthouse
When Rachel Bassini rented out her New York penthouse, she thought she was helping out a friendly guy with a wife and kids--at least that's what his Airbnb picture indicated. She returned home to find that the place had been trashed. He'd hosted a massive party with Instagram pictures to prove it, then left without returning the keys. Human feces, used condoms, and chewed gum covered the floors, walls and couches, incurring about $2,000 worth of damages.
4. The Meth Lab
In 2011, TechCrunch reported that Troy, an Airbnb user, returned home to meth pipes and a random cat. Valuables had also been stolen.
Let us know about your experiences with the downside of the sharing economy in a comment below.