‘Nuisance’ listings dropped

AUCKLAND: Airbnb has scrubbed 300 New Zealand properties from its lettings platform as its global crackdown on problem houses continues.

Its website said the decision was made after an update to its policies which included a ban on parties and events in Airbnb listings which came into effect in August.

So far, changes have affected bookings for large groups or guests under the age of 25.

Now it is the turn of those hosting bookings to go under scrutiny.

‘‘Our message to everyone who uses Airbnb could not be clearer; bad behaviour has no place on Airbnb,’’ head of policy for Australia and New Zealand Derek Nolan said.

With more than 300 listings removed, this represents just under 1% of the 37,000 rooms for rent across the country.

The houses were identified as properties which had caused ‘‘repeated nuisance’’ for communities.

The website introduced a new tool on its Neighbourhood Support Page for neighbours to report unruly parties. This communitywatch hotline for ‘‘policing parties’’ had led to some of the suspensions, Airbnb said.

Mr Nolan said the vast majority of users on its platform — hosts and guests — were ‘‘making a positive contribution to surrounding neighbourhoods, including by supporting jobs and helping to ensure tourism dollars flow into local businesses’’.

Problem listings in Australia have already been purged. The platform announced it had removed 500 properties from the platform and stopped 9000 ‘‘highrisk’’ bookings in October.

The global crackdown on problematic users comes as the company announced intentions for an ambitious initial public offering on the United States markets.

In a statement announcing the IPO, Airbnb said winning back ‘‘community trust’’ would be an important engine of success. — The New Zealand Herald