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A group of female individuals are taking legal action against Airbnb for a holiday rental property that is overrun with live bats and deemed a “house of horrors.”
The group of women shared their unsettling encounter while staying at a Victorian-style house in Michigan, commonly known as “The Castle,” for their 50th high school reunion in late July.
According to the lawsuit obtained by The Independent, the group reported an enjoyable stay for the first three nights. However, on the fourth night, two female guests staying in the spacious turret room were disturbed by the noise of bats flying inside.
According to their legal representatives, the women initially believed there was only one bat inside their home. However, they were soon proven incorrect as more bats started to enter the hallway.
Their legal team reported that the stairwell was filled with bats as they attempted to flee.
The women were unable to leave, so they used window sashes, towels, and pillows to block the doors. However, bats still managed to get into the room through the old lathe walls and gaps in the baseboards.
According to their legal representatives, the women claimed that they were hit by bats that flew into their hair and got tangled. Additionally, one woman reported being bitten by a bat.
Throughout the night, the women were confined to their rooms and could not fall asleep. They huddled under their covers as bats swooped into their beds and linens until morning arrived, according to their accounts.
After their visit, a pest control specialist was summoned to the premises and discovered a significant population of Michigan Brown Bats residing in the attic.
An exterminator discovered a significant community of Michigan Brown Bats residing in the attic.
According to the legal team representing the women, the exterminator discovered that the bats had been inhabiting the property for a prolonged period of time. This was evidenced by a substantial amount of bat droppings covering the attic floor and bat urine dripping down the walls of the basement.
Each and every woman received rabies vaccinations.
The women took legal action against Airbnb, claiming that they were negligent in permitting a home infested with bats to be advertised on their platform. They also held the homeowners and maintenance workers accountable for not ensuring the safety of the home during the rental period.
The legal team representing the women depicted the situation as a “renter’s worst nightmare”.
Attorney Jon Marko stated that what was intended to be an enjoyable vacation ended up being a terrifying experience for his clients, who were unexpectedly attacked by a large group of bats.
This was reminiscent of a scene from a scary Halloween film.
According to a reliable source within Airbnb, the company has not yet received a lawsuit regarding the issue. The law firm responsible for filing the suit claims it was sent on Monday.
Rewording is not possible.
