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A Calgary couple, Mark and Star King, rented their home out through Airbnb (as they’ve done before) to four adults who were in town for a wedding last Saturday. The couple had planned to spend the weekend with their in-laws in another part of the city. What they weren’t expecting was for their home to experience some Michael Bay-style destruction in their absence.
Later that evening, the Kings started receiving texts from neighbors who alerted them that a party bus had apparently pulled up to their home with about 100 people. CBC News reports that it was just the start of what police later called “a drug-induced orgy,” and when they were finally able to evacuate the revelers from the house, their home was destroyed to the tune of more than $50,000 in damage.
“Our hardwood floors are all popping because there are pools of liquor. There’s glass shards, there’s dent [sic] in our walls, toilets flooded and plugged with condoms,” says homeowner Star King.
The King family had to plead with the renters to pack up and leave, who she said were “just totally wasted.”
“They threw paint all over my works that I was going to sell for probably a couple thousand. Just totally disrespectful behaviour,” King told the Calgary Eyeopener.
Thankfully, the Kings aren’t being left completely high and dry, as Airbnb provides host guarantee insurance, which covers up to $1 million in unforeseen guest damages. Likewise, the “guest” who rented out the home has been banned by Airbnb, and police are pursuing mischief charges. Still, none of that probably helps the feeling of violation that the couple isn’t likely to shake anytime soon.
The video below was taken shortly after the Kings were finally able to reenter their home with police on the scene. I think, for once, we can excuse the vertical filming.