A sword, an axe and an illegal camp out: Airbnb host relives shocking experience

Sheri Murphy got the shock of her life when she found over 23 additional guests camp in her backyard. Picture: Sheri Murphy/Facebook.

Sheri Murphy got the shock of her life when she found over 23 additional guests camp in her backyard. Picture: Sheri Murphy/Facebook.

Published Aug 11, 2020

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Sheri Murphy booked seven guests in her holiday cottage in the Scottish Highlands, but the Airbnb host got the shock of her life when she found over 23 additional guests camping in her backyard.

Murphy and her husband were informed about the violation by their neighbour.

“This afternoon we got a phone call to inform us there were at least 10 cars on the drive of our holiday down Glenetive. We headed down definitely not prepared for what we were about to find. 12 cars on drive, 10 tents in the back garden, fire pits, rubbish, furniture out of the house in the garden, furniture in the house all moved and stacked up,” she revealed on a Facebook post.

The couple were told that 30-40 people were staying on the property.

“We were informed there were between 30-40 people staying. No one was in so we called the police,” she added.

This afternoon we got a phone call to inform us there were at least 10 cars on the drive of our holiday down Glenetive....

Posted by Sheri Murphy on Friday, July 31, 2020

Murphy told Daily Record: “As soon as we drove over the bridge my heart sank because I could see all these cars in the drive.

“We went in the side gate because we didn’t know what was going to happen and saw 10 tents in the garden. It was unbelievable, such a shock. We had a look through the windows and Martin said there was a big long sword on the bed.

“The furniture in the lounge was all piled up, they had taken the mirrors off the walls and there was a big axe on the table outside. They had brought a tannoy system.

“We called the police and when they arrived the people still weren’t back. The police asked if we wanted them to deal with it and we said we would, it wouldn’t get out of hand,” she said.

An Airbnb spokesperson told The Independent that unauthorised events were banned on Airbnb.

The spokesperson said the company had a zero-tolerance for violations. The guest was removed from the platform.

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