A single mother has claimed that her Airbnb was taken over by squatters who refuse to leave her rental property.
According to ABC 7, Farzana Rahman, who owns a condo in Durham, checked in the unidentified squatters on October 25, 2023, with a checkout date of May 24.
But when Rahman’s housekeeper arrived at the rental after the agreement ended, they discovered that the renters had never left.
The housekeeper asked the unnamed squatters if she should return the next day and they allegedly responded: "'No, don’t come back.'"
The single mom who owns the property has now shared that she is struggling to put her son through college after guests refused to leave.
“Now they’re refusing to leave until there’s an eviction order," she told the outlet, adding: "I think they’re just trying to gain time to stay there for free because they haven’t paid.”
When the homeowner arrived at the property with officers, the squatters promised to leave the next day. But the next morning, they were still not gone and had instead posted a handwritten "no trespassing" sign.
The sign read: "We will vacate the property when you filed the proper paperwork with the civil magistrate for an eviction, for we are legal residents of this home."
“This is my place, and I mean, I’m counting on this income; my son is in college. I’m a single parent,” Rahman said.
Rahman contacted Airbnb about her situation but said the company was of little help.
She claims that they only sent her messages about safety and legal help to evict the squatters. "They're sending me messages as please get help for your safety and get whatever legal help you have to get to get them out," she told ABC 7.
The Airbnb website states that "guests who stay in a home or apartment for one month or longer - the exact number of days depends on the state - may establish rights as a tenant and therefore are protected under local tenancy laws."
It also advises landlords to seek a summary proceeding to evict illegal guests, explaining: "Statutes exist in nearly all jurisdictions that permit landlords to use summary proceedings to evict tenants.
"A summary proceeding is a judicial proceeding that lets a landlord regain possession of leased property in an expedited fashion," the page continued. "You should contact a landlord-tenant attorney or your local county courts to learn more about eviction laws where you live, as they may affect your ability to evict a guest who overstays a monthly stay."
Rahman has filed eviction paperwork with the courts to try and regain possession of her home.
"It's wasted my time; it is wasting my energy; it is stressing me out," she said.
The court date for eviction is scheduled for the week of June 13.
