‘Have a little respect’: Isle of Capri residents fed up with Airbnb party houses

Gold Coast residents are fed up with Airbnb “party houses”, hosting over 16 guests for short party stays and have called on the council to do something about it. Read about their dramas.

Isle of Capri resident Mike Koolen has had enough of Air BNB party houses in the area and all the drama they bring. "The Neighbourhood is fed up with Airbnb party house noise, rubbish and destruction of property." Picture Glenn Hampson

Gold Coast residents fed up with Airbnb “party houses” hosting 16-plus guests for quick rowdy stays are calling on the council to do something about it.

Isle of Capri residents are venting at the loud noise, rubbish and carparking chaos they say is caused by large groups of holiday-makers staying in Airbnbs.

Surfers Paradise resident of 13 years Mike Koolen said a four-bedroom property next door to his waterfront home is a “party house” where up to 16 visitors at once stay, despite a limit of 12 advertised on the website.

“The garbage is overflowing in the bins out the front, it is annoying,” he said.

Mr Koolen said guests were particularly painful for the neighbourhood during the Gold Coast 500 weekend in October.

He said the rowdy guests staying during the major motorsport event looked over their balcony and into his backyard to see what he was doing, disrespecting his privacy.

“We’ve seen some things I’ll tell you,” he said.

“When we go away we will come back and the neighbours will say, ‘Oh you’ve missed this, you’ve missed that’.”

Isle of Capri resident Mike Koolen has had enough of Airbnb party houses in the area. Picture Glenn Hampson

There are at least three homes close to Mr Koolen who believes they are Airbnbs with squads of guests coming in and out regularly.

“We would like some sort of stability, a long-term tenant or family living there would be the ideal situation,” he said.

Mr Koolen also noted five to 10 cars parking either side of the narrow street during the stay.

“These people don’t care,” he said. “Enough’s enough,” Mr Koolen said.

Another resident said trash left by nightmare Airbnb visitors would “blow all over the place.”

“Have a little respect, we are living here permanently,” she said. “They don’t care because they don’t live here.”

The neighbour said party house guests were unsettling and often not families, but large groups of men.

“I pay to live in a nice area,” she said.

Other residents on Gold Coast community Facebook groups agreed with the pair’s sentiments.

“Each group has little to no consideration, Airbnb’s do not belong in residential areas, (it) clashes with the expected ambience of one’s neighbourhood,” user Mary Beauregard said.

Community member Sarah Russell said: “I’m so sick of all the houses on Airbnb instead of being available for long term decent tenants. I am dreading another summer of noise.

“There are so many on Capri and Broadbeach Waters. It’s a joke.”

Isle of Capri resident Mike Koolen has had enough of Air BNB party houses in the area and all the drama they bring. "The Neighbourhood is fed up with Airbnb party house noise, rubbish and destruction of property." Picture Glenn Hampson

Group member Leah Madden said she would see “so many groups with suitcases, every day”.

Both Mr Koolen and his neighbour submitted complaints to council.

A council statement said: “Council’s Development Compliance Officers are continuing investigations in an effort to resolve this matter.”

Councillor Darren Taylor said the council was working in conjunction with police to deal with party house complaints.

“The vast majority of short-term rentals in our city operate lawfully and with no complaints from neighbouring residents,” he said. “Council takes action on every complaint lodged regarding so-called party houses, or any other matter.

“Often, the focus of a complaint is excessive noise or alcohol consumption in a public place, such as the footpath outside a certain premises.

“Both these issues are offences against State legislation and as such, we liaise closely with Queensland Police to address complaints.’’