DJSPIN80

August 02, 2011 at 5:13am

I've done couch surfing before (as a guest, never a host) and this is definitely poor judgment to me.

The fact is, you can't stop people from being who they are. If they trash your home, they'll trash a hotel room as well.  Though Airbnb did take the right steps such as placing an insurance policy (retroactively, mind you!) and cooperating with law enforcement to capture that dude.

In my years of traveling and staying in people's houses, this is the first time I've ever heard of anyone doing this kind of crap. 

Gezzer

August 01, 2011 at 9:13pm

Yes there was a lot of poor judgement involved in this story on both sides of the fence. As for the renting out of my home, naw wouldn't do it. For one I'd have to clean... all of it. Too much of a slob for that. lol

But as for the practice it's actually quite common. Most of my travels have been motorbike camping ones. But who knows I might try renting this way when the ground starts feeling a bit too hard on my trips.

As the person who blogged about the tragic results said, she first tried it as a traveller, not a renter, and enjoyed the experience. Had then tried renting through Craig's list without anything bad happening. The problem was that she felt she could trust airbnb to protect her, which did not happen in this case.

The simple locking of valuables in a closet might of been a bit naive but as my dear old pappy used to say "the hard truth is locks are for honest people, it keeps them that way, but dishonest people can always come up with a way around them."

I find it funny that we sometimes belittle others for a trait that may be a bit old fashioned and naive, but admirable none the less, that of trust. It's too bad that EJ had her's betrayed first by the traveller, and more importantly then by airbnb.

ddimick

August 01, 2011 at 4:27pm

"I get angry when I realize I will never again be who I've always been before, someone who lived strong and free by the creed that people are essentially good, that if you think optimistically, trust others, and have faith in the world around you, it will take care of you in return."

If you listen closely, you can almost hear the moment where her absurd naivity is crushed be the patient and always-triumphant god of reality.

Most people are good. Some people are total douchbags. Happiness is being able to tell the difference.

TokyoRevelation

August 01, 2011 at 3:44pm

I thought people used this to rent out vacation homes, which don't typically contain many irreplacable property items. Who would rent out their permanent residence to an Airbnb guest? She didn't even take the time to remove her personal affects and valuables? Sounds like poor judgement to me.

someuid

August 01, 2011 at 3:37pm

I don't know about the rest of you, but I would NEVER rent out my house to anyone.  That is just plain crazy.  My home is my castle, filled with all my loot and booty.  There is no freakin' way I'd let someone I don't know stay there.

Insane.

MaximumMike

August 01, 2011 at 3:24pm

So, are we now telling 'tails' and chasing 'tales?'