Homeowner let their sister move in for free, then claimed she’d been making money off of their home: ‘I didn’t sign up to run a hotel’

A homeowner returned from a work trip early and found two strangers unpacking in the guest room. They weren’t lost or visiting a friend. The couple had allegedly booked the bedroom through Airbnb for $89 a night, without the homeowner’s knowledge. The person behind the listing was reportedly their own sister, who had been living there rent-free.

In a Reddit post shared to r/WouldIBeTheAhole, user knight_4806 explained that they’d offered their sister a place to stay after a breakup. Instead, she allegedly rented out the room whenever they traveled for work. The listing had 14 reviews, leading the homeowner to estimate she’d earned at least $2,000.

When confronted, the sister reportedly argued that nobody used the room while the homeowner was away, so she didn’t see the problem. Now, the homeowner wants repayment or plans to give her 30 days to move out. Their mother, however, thinks they should be more patient.

The sister apparently saw an opportunity while the homeowner was away

The homeowner says their sister moved in during June, with no rent or deadline to leave. They only asked her to help around the house. Since they traveled for work about once a month, she regularly had the property to herself for three or four days.

That arrangement fell apart when canceled meetings brought the homeowner back a day early. After finding the unexpected guests, they checked the Airbnb listing and recognized their furniture in the photographs. The 14 reviews suggested the room had been available for some time, although the homeowner couldn’t determine exactly how many bookings their sister had accepted.

When the sister returned from grocery shopping, the homeowner had the listing waiting on the kitchen table. Rather than deny posting it, she reportedly argued that she handled everything herself and wasn’t inconveniencing anyone.

WIBTA if I gave my sister 30 days to move out after I found out shes been renting my guest room on Airbnb
by u/knight_4806 in WouldIBeTheAhole

The homeowner disagreed. They were paying the mortgage, utilities, and even the Wi-Fi the guests used, while their sister collected the rental income. They estimated she’d earned at least $2,000, though they haven’t provided booking records to verify that amount.

Having a room to yourself doesn’t mean you can rent it out

The dispute raises a question about Airbnb’s rules. Can someone advertise a bedroom just because they have permission to stay there? Airbnb’s hosting guidance advises hosts to confirm they have permission to accommodate paying guests, including checking property agreements and local regulations.

The platform also uses a location verification process to confirm that listings represent real properties. However, access to a home doesn’t necessarily establish permission to rent it. Airbnb allows people to report suspicious listings, although the homeowner hasn’t mentioned contacting the company.

For now, the homeowner is considering demanding repayment or giving their sister 30 days to leave. Their mother has urged patience, but the homeowner questions why they should continue providing free housing after discovering the arrangement. Whether the proposed deadline meets local occupancy laws is unclear because the post doesn’t identify a location.

Despite feeling taken advantage of, the homeowner worries about leaving their sister without housing. “I don’t want to be the reason she’s homeless,” they wrote, “but I also didn’t sign up to run a hotel out of my house.”

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