Chinese Using 120 Tons of Water and Fleeing... Threatened with "Contacting the Embassy" if Questioned Repeatedly

Airbnb Long-Term Stay Couple... Wasting Water and Gas
When Asked About 840,000 Won Utility Bill, They Said "Already Left Korea"

A Chinese couple who caused a nuisance by using 120 tons of water at a shared accommodation in Mapo-gu, Seoul, has recently reportedly threatened the property owner who protested by saying, "We will contact the embassy."

According to SBS and others on the 12th, Mr. Lee rented out a detached accommodation to Chinese guests through the shared lodging platform 'Airbnb' for 25 days starting from the 6th of last month. He was pleased to have long-term guests after a long time but was unaware that he would be billed 840,000 won in utility charges.

[Photo by SBS]

According to Mr. Lee, the Chinese couple used 120 tons of water at the accommodation and left the windows wide open and the boiler running so hot that the floor felt hot even when they were out.

On the 27th of last month, four days before the end of the contract period, a gas meter reader suspected a leak and contacted Mr. Lee. Mr. Lee hurried to the accommodation after asking the guests for understanding but found out there was no leak.

However, when Mr. Lee checked the closed-circuit television (CCTV) in the alley in front of the accommodation, it was confirmed that the Chinese couple packed all their belongings and left the accommodation just five days after moving in, and afterward, they only visited for about five minutes every three or four days.

After confirming this, Mr. Lee sent a message to the guests but received a reply that they had already left Korea. This is why Mr. Lee suspects the guests of intentional water and gas waste.

Mr. Lee told SBS that he sensed something strange even before the guests moved in. Three days before moving in, they suddenly inquired about canceling the reservation, claiming they had contracted COVID-19. When Mr. Lee said, "You need to submit proof according to the regulations," they replied, "We will check in as originally planned."

Afterward, the reserver changed the name and nationality on their Airbnb account and also checked whether there was CCTV inside the accommodation.

Airbnb: "Resolve directly with guests"... Relief for damages unlikely

[Photo by SBS]

Burdened with an excessive bill, Mr. Lee sought help from Airbnb, but the response was that "According to the terms of service, in cases of property damage, charges can be forcibly imposed on guests, but for utility bills, this cannot be done 'without the guest's consent.'"

Mr. Lee then contacted the guests again via message to seek compensation. However, the guests rebutted, saying, "There was no problem with our usage. If you continue to contact us like this, we will raise this issue through the Chinese embassy."

Despite the unfortunate circumstances, the chances of Mr. Lee receiving relief are slim. According to Airbnb regulations, in the case of long-term stays, there is a provision for the host and guest to negotiate utility fees, but in this case, there was no prior separate agreement with the guests regarding utility fees.

Also, since the Chinese guests have returned to their home country, filing a civil damage claim against foreigners is practically difficult. If it were a matter between domestic residents, a civil lawsuit could result in a win, but enforcement against foreigners is realistically impossible.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.