According to Flash Shelton, known as the “Squatter Hunter,” squatters are breaking into people’s homes all over the United States and have become so violent that they even rent out properties through short-term rental services. It is said that there is.
Shelton is hired by homeowners desperate to get rid of illegal aliens, but some particularly cunning squatters use app-based short-term rental services to gain access to properties and actually Some have turned around and rented out their homes to generate income, he told the Post. material.
“I see squatters taking over.” [Airbnb properties] There are so many,” he said in an exclusive interview.
“In fact, we even see people breaking into the property and putting it out on Airbnb to try and make money.”
Squatters start by creating a new account on a service like Airbnb and rent out their home for a set period of time based on a daily rate, Shelton said. They then relist the property as if they were the owners.
“There was one [squatter] That was recently done in Seattle.There’s also one in Woodland Hills [California] …And then we made a video based on a squatter in Brentwood that came in through Airbnb,” he said.
In response, Airbnb told the Post: “Issues like this are extremely rare at Airbnb.
“We strongly encourage users to only book and pay with Airbnb, which has taken steps to support our community, including verifying the identity of booking guests and providing 24/7 customer support.”
According to Shelton, squatters book accommodation through an app, then contact homeowners, give them an excuse as to why they need to stay in the home for a few more days, and offer to pay directly. They say they are avoiding platforms and similar facilities.
He said if a homeowner agrees to an off-the-books extension, their contract with the rental platform will be automatically terminated as the additional nights are not secured directly through the app.
Depending on which state this occurs and the corresponding legislation, squatter rights will soon come into effect.
“So Airbnb wiped its hands and walked away.” [and decides it’s] It’s not about them anymore,” Shelton explained.
“And now the owner of that house has squatters.”
Shelton said his strategy for helping homeowners who have lost property to Airbnb squatters is to book accommodations with them and give them a taste of their own medicine.
“I think Airbnb should take more responsibility for their vetting process,” Shelton told the Post.
“And Airbnb [customers] Homeowners assume these people can be trusted because they are collecting from Airbnb. ”
Still, Shelton pointed out that the vast majority of squatters plaguing America are in the country illegally or moving into vacant properties without paying.
He tries to thwart the squatters by living with them, setting up cameras, and telling them he’s on a reality show, hoping to frighten them and annoy them enough to run away. There is.
But Airbnb squatters are also becoming a serious problem, he says.
Pennsylvania landlord Joseph Foresta sued the platform in March 2023, alleging that an individual rented a residence for a night through the company’s website and then took over the apartment as a squatter. The Pennsylvania Record reported.
A year later, Foresta is still battling Airbnb in court, according to Fox News.
In June 2020, guests paid for their stay through the company that collected the fees. court memorandum From January 29, 2024, it states.
According to Foresta’s lawsuit, the person, identified as Lawrence H. Jackson, made the reservation, then refused to leave the property on June 14 and stayed until the deadline. court order Police removed him on September 9, 2020.
Jackson allegedly changed the locks and rented out two other apartments to “four to six people per apartment” and collected rent from them. Fox News reported.
In a separate incident, the owner of a Los Angeles mansion that had been illegally occupied by Airbnb guests for more than a year claimed that the alleged perpetrator was committing “extortion.” This comes as it turns out that the so-called “tenant from hell” has only been indicted for a few months. Before refusing to leave the other house.
“To be honest, this is a nightmare,” Sascha Jovanovic told KTLA A fight began last year to take back the Brentwood property from Elizabeth Hirshhorn, 55, who at the time was demanding a $100,000 relocation fee to evict her.
“This is extortion. This is like manipulation. No one should go through something like this,” Yovanovitch said of the Harvard-educated squatter.
“She’s a smart person who knows how to game the system, and it’s dangerous for people like this to be allowed to act like this.”
According to court documents filed Nov. 6, Hirschhorn finally moved out of the guesthouse with police escort after not paying rent for 570 days. news nation.
Although trespassing is illegal in every state, laws regarding what to do with squatters vary, and most rely on civil courts to resolve disputes.
While Mr. Shelton continues to fight on his own terms, he is calling on lawmakers to make changes.
“I want illegal occupants to be treated as criminals.” [and have to] Go to criminal court,” he told the Post.
