Halloween is a spooky time of year, but what can be scarier for short term rental owners than returning to your property with extensive damage?
It’s no secret that out-of-control Halloween parties have the potential to wreak havoc on property owners across the country. As it stands, Halloween is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States, with “an estimated 65% of Americans participating in Halloween activities” in 2021. Recent trends indicate that 2022 will continue to surge Halloween festivities, including Halloween parties at short term rentals.
Fatal Halloween Party in Orinda, CA
In 2019, there was an Airbnb Halloween party in Orinda, California that turned into a fatal nightmare. The owner of the property was informed that a family reunion would take place at their home. However, the house was occupied for a Halloween college party advertised all throughout social media. With over 100 people in attendance, the party quickly escalated into violence. After gunshots rang out, the partygoers rapidly fled, leaving 5 attendees dead and 5 arrested in relation to the shooting.
June 2022: Airbnb Party Ban
To mitigate the damages of unauthorized parties after this incident, Airbnb’s CEO, Brian Chezky, issued a ban on “party houses”. This ban included “expanding manual screening of high risk reservations”. Furthermore, it established a “dedicated party house rapid response team”. In June 2022, Airbnb announced that the party ban would be codified into their policy. Consequently, these efforts significantly prevented out-of-control parties. However, protecting your short term rental ultimately falls into the hands of the property owners.
Protect Your Property with Party Squasher
Despite the Airbnb party ban in place, it is integral to protect your property this Halloween season with the best technology. Party Squasher allows property owners to manage the number of people at their property in real time without invading their privacy. Using Wi-Fi monitoring sensors, Party Squasher can detect the number of mobile phones in and around the property to gauge the presence of occupants. If the number exceeds the maximum occupancy set on the mobile app, the property manager is alerted. Give us a try today, use coupon code Halloween22 for a saving of $50 on every new sensor!
Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash
