London's Airbnb crimewave exposed

Rentals can create opportunities for crime rather than damage communities

Soho in central London is one of London most popular areas with locals and tourists. Reuters

Increasing numbers of Airbnb properties have been linked to a rise in crime in London, according to new research.

The study suggests that a 10 per cent increase in active Airbnb rentals in the city would correspond to 1,000 more robberies a year across London.

Researchers also said they wanted to look at more cities to see if the Airbnb effect continued.

Dr Charles Lanfear, of the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Criminology, told The National: “Our results are somewhat similar to those seen before in other cities like Boston, but it is important to do further work in other settings different from London. Barcelona will be an interesting place to watch with the coming ban of short-term lettings.”

The Airbnb-crime link was primarily down to entire properties being rented, rather than spare or shared rooms, the study, published in the journal Criminology, found.

“Our findings are more consistent with Airbnb activity creating opportunities for crime than with it destabilising neighbourhoods,” Dr Lanfear told The National.

He and University of Pennsylvania co-author Prof David Kirk studied Airbnb data and crime statistics across London for six categories – robbery, burglary, theft, antisocial behaviour, any violence, and bodily harm.

Airbnb questioned the study's conclusions but said the work did recognise the number of dwellings and hosts on Airbnb is small relative to the total number of homes in an area.

A company spokesperson added that the safety of its guests, hosts and local communities was paramount, and safety-related issues on Airbnb were exceptionally rare.

Airbnb, founded in 2008, is a giant of the digital economy that has transformed the tourist industry. There are more than five million properties active on the platform in about 100,000 cities.

Concerns that Airbnb is contributing to unaffordable housing costs has led to a backlash among residents of cities such as Barcelona, and calls for greater regulation.

London is one of the most popular Airbnb markets in the world. An estimated 4.5 million guests stayed in a London Airbnb between 2015 and 2018, the period covered by the study.

“We tested for the most plausible alternative explanations, from changes in police patrols to tourist hotspots and even football matches,” said Dr Lanfear. “Nothing changed the core finding that Airbnb rentals are related to higher crime rates in London neighbourhoods.

“While Airbnb offers benefits to tourists and hosts in terms of ease and financial reward, there may be social consequences to turning large swathes of city neighbourhoods into hotels with little regulation.”

The association between active Airbnb rentals and crime was most significant for robbery and burglary, followed by theft and any violence, the study found.

In the last 15 years, the figures show there has been a 39 per cent increase in robberies involving knives in the UK, according to Home Office data.

In London, there were 169 recorded offences involving a knife per 100,000 of the population, in the year to March, compared to 145 the same time last year, 126 in 2022 and 113 in 2021. Before that and the Covid-driven slide in crime figures, there were 178 knife offences per 100,000 people in 2020.

Airbnb has taken steps to prevent crime, including background checks and requirements for extended bookings on occasions popular for one-night parties, such as New Year’s Eve.

“The fact that we still find an increase in crime despite Airbnb’s efforts to curtail it reveals the severity of the predicament,” said Dr Kirk.

On average across London, an additional Airbnb property was associated with a two per cent increase in the robbery rate in the area. This association was one per cent for thefts, 0.9 per cent for burglaries, and 0.5 per cent for violence.

“A single Airbnb rental can create different types of criminal opportunity,” said Dr Lanfear. “An Airbnb rental can provide an easy potential victim such as a tourist unfamiliar with the area, or a property that is regularly vacant and so easier to burgle. A very temporary occupant may be more likely to cause criminal damage.

“Offenders may learn to return to areas with more Airbnbs to find unguarded targets. More dedicated Airbnb properties may mean fewer long-term residents with a personal stake in the area who are willing to report potential criminal activity.”

Airbnb said there was no evidence that the crimes were being caused by its guests. The company spokesperson said: “This report is misleading as it fails to account for a general rise in crime rates and seasonal travel peaks in London, which have a far greater impact on crime than the cited, decade-old data.

“Listings rented for more than 90 nights a year on Airbnb account for just 0.17 per cent of homes in London. Airbnb creates new income for families, businesses and communities, boosting London’s economy by £1.5 billion last year alone while supporting over 16,800 jobs.”

Airbnb said its data showed the average host in London rented their home for less than four nights per month, indicating that most of them live in the homes they list on the platform.