Airbnb: Gold Coast unit owners fear Schoolies using AirBnb

Underage schoolies are using social media to snag the best apartments in Surfers Paradise, potentially exposing unit owners to massive insurance costs.

UNDERAGE schoolies are hunting down cheap Gold Coast apartments on Airbnb potentially exposing unit owners to huge insurance costs.

The Bulletin can reveal children as young as 17 are using social media to sign up for some of the best apartment units in Surfers Paradise.

While some hotels like the Hilton are attempting a crackdown on schoolies, owners in nearby luxury buildings are advertising apartments on Airbnb to accommodate five guests for $499 a night.

Damage at Surfers Paradise accommodation left during Schoolies.

An Airbnb host at a luxury unit tower told The Bulletin: “If they are over 18 it’s not a problem. If they’re under 18, they are not supposed to be on Airbnb.

“Airbnb won’t cover for any damage. It’s an ineffective contract. What I love about Airbnb is you can interrogate the guests.

“Last year when it opened up, I had eight responses immediately who were schoolies. I spoke to their parents, I said that it was fine but they would have to stay.

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“I told them I’m not going to supervise your children. Unsupervised juveniles in Surfers Paradise is a catastrophe waiting to happen. But there are rogue operators.”

On a website offering advice for schoolies, a former student writes: “Once you’ve picked your location, go onto Airbnb to look at all the homes and apartments available — they can work out cheaper than hotels. Better yet, if you like a place, contact the landlord outside of Airbnb and avoid a few hundred dollars of commission.”

Inside a trashed Gold Coast apartment.

Unit Owners Association of Queensland president Wayne Stevens has written a lengthy submission to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk requesting a review on all forms of short-term leasing.

“If you want a place to live in an apartment building you buy into a unit in a Class 2 building. If you want to live in a hotel, you buy into a Class 3 building,” he wrote.

“Developers have built Class 2 buildings as they are cheaper to build and operate them as Class 3 building for short term holiday letting.

“This use significantly impacts the residential amenity of owners and increases costs. If there was a major catastrophe, unlawful use of a Class 2 building would void the property insurance.”

The Bulletin in a report earlier this week detailed how up to 20 people were gathering inside two-bedroom apartments in Surfers Paradise advertised as Airbnb where they were smoking pot and urinating over balconies.

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The Schoolies Week festival in Surfers Paradise.

The Gold Coast City Council after a complaint stopped the short term rental but body corporates along with the Unit Owners Association are calling on the Government to ensure an investigation by the Ombudsman and introduce tougher laws.

A State Government spokesman told The Bulletin: “Many of the powers to regulate this sector are already available to local councils. The City of Gold Coast have embraced this legislation to crack down on party houses.

“We continue to work closely with the industry reference group on recommendations in response to short-term letting.

“A formal response will be made public in coming months.”