Sir, – Ceire Sadlier's article ("Airbnb helped me stop hating my negative equity apartment", October 24th) on Airbnb glosses over the reason for a ban – that subletting on a short-term basis has a detrimental impact of the quality of life and asset values of her fellow residents, many of whom are also in negative equity and surely deserve peaceful enjoyment of their painfully expensive homes.
Ms Sadlier claims she has had no complaints but mentions that complaining is useless, so isn’t it possible that her “guests” have disturbed her neighbours but they simply haven’t done anything about it?
Neither does she acknowledge that she has given perfect strangers free run of the common areas of her complex and has therefore bypassed the main security feature of an apartment – one of the justifications for paying a hefty annual service charge.
It is also worth noting that management companies are not alien bodies – they are appointed by directors who are, in turn, elected by owners – that is the minority of owners who bother to take responsibility for their complex and participate in this most grassroots form of democracy.
If Ms Sadlier is to demand empathy for her financial misfortune she should try to see things from the perspective of those who bought apartments in the not unreasonable belief that they were buying into a peaceful, secure complex – not a glorified youth hostel.
– Yours, etc,
MATTHEW GLOVER
Lucan,
Co Dublin.