WTF?! There are plenty of specific and sometimes unreasonable rules when staying at Airbnb locations, but one property owner has been forced to introduce a policy that might have seemed obvious: no cryptomining. It was implemented after guests installed 10 mining rigs during their stay, racking up a $1,500 electricity bill.
Ashley Class revealed in a TikTok video that she has banned cryptomining from her short-term rentals after an experience at one of her North Carolina properties.
The guests in question left the home clean and tidy after their three-week stay, awarding it a five-star rating. Class seemed happy until the electricity bill arrived showing the tenants had pushed it to $1,500 while they were at the Airbnb.
Class decided to check the outdoor camera at the property for any clues. She saw the guests hauling in at least ten computers and installing an electric vehicle charging point.
It turned out that the computers were used to mine crypto during the guests' stay. "It was cheaper for them to rent a house to pay for that electricity," Class said. She has since introduced rules that prohibit cryptomining and electric vehicle charging at her Airbnb properties.
Class said in the video that she messaged the guests to inform them that they would be charged for the bill. The cryptominers initially refused until she involved Airbnb and shared documentation proving the bill. The culprits then admitted what they had done, claiming they'd made $100,000 during their stay, so $1,500 doesn't seem like much in comparison.
@built.with.class Weird airbnb rules #airbnb #airbnbsuperhost #airbnbhost #crypto #electricvehicle #airbnbtips ⬠original sound - Ashley | Mama | Lifestyle
It appears that Class isn't the only one who has had to deal with cryptomining Airbnb guests. Several people who commented on the video reported it had happened in their properties and have had to ban the practice, while others say they will be introducing the measure as a precaution.
Another Airbnb host said they once removed their guests from a property after the electricity company noticed a massive spike in power usage. The host says that if the cryptominers had not been kicked out, they would have racked up a $6,000 electricity bill.
In February, the Energy Information Administration said that just 137 known cryptomining operations across the United States were using 2.3% of the country's annual total energy consumption.