Action 9 has exposed a new home-sharing hustle that could burn property owners and vacation renters.
A Daytona Beach home became a popular AirBNB rental, but the people collecting the cash didn't really own the property.
Just a block from the ocean, the Daytona Beach house became a tourist magnet.
It was offered as a vacation rental on AirBNB by Ava Magee, but the property's real owner claimed the home was never hers to rent out.
“I've been in business 38 years. I have never had something like this happen,” said property manager Mary Lynn Hastings.
Hastings runs the real estate agency hired by the home's owner to find a renter and take care of the property.
Magee and her husband, Dr. James Magee, signed a one-year lease, but within weeks of the signing, Hastings quickly discovered that something wasn’t right.
She found strangers in the house renting for a weekend. Then, Hastings discovered the AirBNB ads and reviews for the home, so she tried to confront the Magees.
“They changed the locks and basically won't even answer my phone calls. And she tried to have us arrested for trespassing,” said Hastings.
The contract the Magees signed doesn't allow subleases. Another big problem is that in that neighborhood, any lease must be for three months or more.
Action 9’s Todd Ulrich found Dr. Magee has a dental practice in Orlando. He never responded when Ulrich tried to contact him.
Ava Magee owns a home in DeLand. A woman inside answered when Ulrich knocked on the door.
“Ava?” asked Ulrich.
“Who is this?” asked the woman.
“This is the address you list for your business, Leach Rentals,” said Ulrich. “She doesn't live here?”
“No,” replied the woman.
Ava Magee never got back to Ulrich.
Ulrich reached AirBNB 's corporate office. The company investigated the case and told Ulrich that hosts must certify they comply with local rules.
That same week, the ads on AirBNB were taken down, eliminating a risk to the home and the neighborhood.
“I got strange people in there, no background checks,” said Hastings.
If a fake renter takes over a property, eviction can take weeks, if not months.
Shutting off the online rental ads is a first step in halting the activity.
Based on the couple’s advertised rates, they could have been making a couple thousand dollars a month.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — AirBNB’s statement:
“We want to do everything we can to help our community members be good neighbors in the places they too call home. When hosts register on Airbnb, they certify that they will comply with local rules before they list their space, and we also encourage renters to talk openly and honestly with their landlords before hosting. We remain committed to supporting quality of life and economic growth in Daytona Beach and Volusia County.”
Cox Media Group
