Frankston Council takes legal action to force wild party houses on to rental register
AN OUT-OF-CONTROL Frankston party house’s uncooperative owner could be pulled into line, along with a swag of others, if the council wins landmark legal action this week.
South East
Don't miss out on the headlines from South East . Followed categories will be added to My News.
FRANKSTON Council is taking landmark legal action against the uncooperative owner of a notorious ‘party house’ to force them to register the property as short stay accommodation.
If successful, the Frankston property owner will be liable for the occupants’ behaviour and face fines of up to $38,000 if they misbehave.
The council also plans to send letters to owners of more than 50 other properties it has found listed on Stayz and Airbnb, demanding they register their properties, as prescribed under the local law.
The crackdown follows several complaints about noise and rowdy behaviour at the property.
PEOPLE ON PENINSULA BRACE FOR NOISY SUMMER
NEW LAW FOR NOTORIOUS PARTY HOUSES
The case, to be heard at Frankston Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, could set a precedent.
Council officials refused to comment because the matter was yet to be heard, but documents (seen by the Leader) show the owner has repeatedly refused to co-operate with council officers to address concerns about behaviour of transient tenants, or register the property.
Multiple neighbours told last week’s council meeting they’d had a gutful of rowdy revellers at so-called party houses nearby.
PEACE SHATTERED BY PARTY HOUSE
ANGRY RESIDENTS CALL FOR LAW TO STOP PARTY HOUSES
Robert Thurley said people at a short-stay accommodation house near his property were “routinely creating mayhem”.
And Alex Fitzgerald said teenage footballers next door to him often partied until the early hours of the morning, driving neighbours crazy.
“We just want a bit of peace and quiet,” he said.
Airbnb has told the council it is an “online platform and do not own, operate, manage or control accommodations”, but they do take these types of complaints seriously.
Neighbouring Mornington Peninsula Shire introduced a Victorian-first local law to stop drunk, dodgy and disrespectful behaviour at Peninsula “party houses” following numerous complaints.
Under that local law, owners of the 3000 short-term stays in the municipality have to sign a code of conduct guaranteeing their guests will behave.