AN AirBnB host sent CCTV footage of a guest with another woman to his wife in retaliation for a bad review, according to a lawsuit.
The renter Shawn Mackey claimed that Pamela Fohler tried to “extort” him after he allegedly refused to pay additional fees.
Mississippi District Court.AirBnB owner allegedly sent CCTV footage of a guest with another woman to his wife[/caption]
Mississippi District Court.The 3-bedroom property was rented for £451 a night[/caption]
Mississippi District Court.AirBnB charged the renter a fee for every additional guest which he refused to pay[/caption]
The AirBnB owner allegedly threatened to email the security footage of the man bringing another woman into property to his wife but accidentally hit send.
Mackey, from Mississippi, had rented a three-bedroom house in Tennessee from September 9 to September 11, 2022.
The renter was planning to stay at the property with three of his friends, but had told the property owner he may have additional friends over for dinner.
Mackey had been charged £451 ($567) per night but refused to pay an additional £764 ($960) fee for allegedly breaking two house rules and bringing more people than promised.
The house – described as “a little bit more country” – was advertised on AirBnb as having a capacity of up to nine people.
The rules AirBnB host set out prohibited smoking or vaping, unregistered guests, parking in front of garage doors, excessive noise, skinny-dipping or “urinating in the pool”.
They have also warned of the security cameras outside of the premises.
“Rest assured, we will take great care of your home,” Mackey emailed Fohler.
Fohler had asked Mackey to register anyone who might show up at the house and had charged an extra fee for each person regardless if they spent the night or not.
Mackey had reportedly agreed to the rules, and offered Fohler a list of dinner guests – a total of nine people plus “maybe a few more” with four or five staying over.
Fohler replied in ten minutes, saying: “Hello Shawn, we will be able to accommodate a max of 8 guests.
“This is due to the city restrictions and capacity at our home. I apologize we had not discuss [sic] the guest count tripling.”
She added that there would be “costs for each guest”, including those who didn’t stay the night.
But after 45 minutes of no response from Mackey, Fohler reached out again, saying that she had received complaints from neighbours.
Another 15 minutes later, the AirBnB host requested Mackey to vacate the property.
She wrote: “I am very sorry but you have violated the no party rule, disturbed my neighbors by cursing and yelling in the parking lot, and have unauthorized guests.
” I am asking you to leave now. I can’t allow you to stay, I am sorry.”
Mackey later left a negative review and requested a partial refund of £400 ($502) which was denied.
He has contested allegations of partying, noise and cursing in his lawsuit, adding that only one extra guest had shown up.
The plaintiff then claimed that Fohler messaged him on September 17 threatening to expose photos of him with another woman.
The message said: “Hello Shawn, hope you are well. Sorry it took so long to get the photos you requested together to show your stay at our home.
“But I had faith, was driven by integrity, so I committed to get these posted for you and Airbnb. Photo at 3:16 AM is especially notable.
“Should I forward the photos and videos to [Mackey’s wife] Teresa, or will you?”
She then allegedly threatened to post the videos on YouTube as the file was too large to text.
Three days later, Fohler allegedly emailed the pictures to Mackey’s wife with the subject line “nice bag”.
The email read: “I love your bag, where’d you get it?” alongside security camera images of Mackey with the woman.
The suit claims that Mackey’s “marriage has suffered as a result”, adding that Fohler has caused him “extreme emotional distress”, “publis humiliation”, and “mental anguish”.
In turn, Fohler has filed a counterclaim in December and denied corresponding with Mackey’s wife.
The plaintiff also claims AirBnB would not support him “instead of reacting as any decent person or even decent corporation would at such illegal and abhorrent conduct”.
Mackey has sued for “economic damages and damages to his marriage” as well as emotional damages as a result of invasion of his privacy.
Fohler submitted a move to dismiss, while Airbnb submitted one to require arbitration between the parties.
Mackey has until February 21 to reply.
The Sun has reached out to AirBnB for comment.
Mississippi District Court.Fohler allegedly texted ‘Should I forward the photos and videos to Teresa, or will you?’[/caption]
Mississippi District Court.The house listed as having a capacity of up to nine guests[/caption]
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