Woman's 32-day Airbnb stay turned into months-long legal battle in Washington

NewsWorld NewsUS NewsA woman booked a Washington Airbnb for 32 days after a fire displaced her, but stayed for months; the homeowner offered $2,500 and two months of free rent before a judge ruled in her favour A woman booked a Washington Airbnb for 32 days after a fire displaced her, but stayed for months; the homeowner offered $2,500 and two months of free rent before a judge ruled in her favour A short-term rental arrangement can become complicated when a guest decides not to leave after the agreed period.

That is what happened to Rochanne Douglas, a Washington, D.C., homeowner who initially welcomed a woman into her Northeast Washington property for a 32-day Airbnb stay. The booking was supposed to provide temporary accommodation while the guest waited for repairs to her previous apartment.

Instead, the arrangement stretched into several months, payments became irregular and the guest disputed the homeowner’s attempts to regain possession. Even an offer of $2,500, alongside two months without rent, did not bring an immediate end to the disagreement.

The matter eventually reached a judge.How a 32-day Airbnb booking turned into an extended stay in a Washington rowhouse As reported by The Washington Post, the arrangement began in late February 2025 when Shadija Romero booked Douglas’s Northeast Washington rowhouse through Airbnb.

Douglas, 49, had owned the property since 2019 and was working as a realtor and entrepreneur in Maryland.Romero reportedly explained that a fire had forced her out of her previous apartment and that repairs would take slightly more than a month.

She wanted somewhere to stay while the work was completed. Douglas agreed to accommodate her, charging $100 a night through Airbnb.The initial booking covered 32 days. Romero made the payments through the platform and moved into the property expecting a temporary arrangement.

When the agreed period ended, however, she asked to remain for another month. She said the repairs at her previous accommodation were taking longer than expected. Reportedly, this time, the payments were made directly to Douglas rather than through Airbnb.The change in arrangement would later become an important part of the dispute.

Airbnb subsequently clarified that the extended stay was covered by a separate agreement between the homeowner and Romero, not by the original platform booking.Late payments and past eviction records raised concerns for the homeowner According to Douglas, Romero initially kept up with the payments.

The situation began changing around June, when payments started arriving late or in smaller amounts. Romero also requested additional time to settle what she owed.Douglas said she began looking into Romero's background through public court records after the repeated payment problems.

Her searches uncovered previous landlord-tenant disputes, including a substantial unpaid rent balance connected to another District apartment.Court records reviewed by The Washington Post showed that Romero owed nearly $50,000 in back rent for an apartment in Washington, D.C., in 2024.

She had also been ordered evicted from another District apartment building in 2023 over unpaid rent. Public records showed at least a dozen judgments or liens involving her dating back to 2008, most relating to landlord-tenant matters in Maryland and Virginia.By August, Douglas had become increasingly concerned about the arrangement.

When the payment for that month had still not arrived by the middle of the month, Romero asked for another extension. Douglas responded by issuing notices asking her to leave, including an immediate vacate notice and a separate 30-day notice.

Romero eventually paid the August charges, but the following month brought another round of delayed payments and installments.The homeowner's attempts to get her property back By September, Douglas said she no longer wanted to continue the rental arrangement.

After receiving the month's payment in installments, she again told Romero to vacate the property. She also warned that the electricity would be disconnected if she remained beyond October 15.Douglas said, “I told her she needed to vacate the property.

And I specifically told her this is why I’m not a landlord because this is the kind of correspondence I don’t want to do.”“Airbnb is very clear. You book it, they pay you the next day. ... I didn’t want to be in a situation where I had to listen to this every month.”Douglas maintained that she did not want to continue accepting payments or extend the arrangement.

Her position was that the original short-term booking had ended and there was no agreement for Romero to remain indefinitely.When October 15 arrived without Romero leaving, Douglas arranged for the electricity to be switched off.

But the power was restored shortly afterwards. According to Douglas, Romero had transferred the electricity account with Pepco, the local utility provider, into her own name and arranged for the service to resume. Romero's position was that she had tenant rights and could not simply be removed from the property.

That argument brought a separate legal complication into the dispute.Under Washington, D.C.'s tenant protections, a written lease is not always necessary for a tenancy to exist. However, landlords can pursue eviction for unpaid rent through the required legal process after giving the appropriate notice.Airbnb also distanced itself from the extended stay.

A company spokesperson told The Washington Post, “This agreement was separate from any prior booking made through Airbnb. While issues like this are rare, hosts and guests should always communicate, book, and pay on Airbnb, so they’re covered by our policies and protections.”Homeowner offered $2,500 and waived two months' rent, but Airbnb guest refused to leave With the disagreement continuing, Douglas consulted a lawyer about her options.

She was advised that Washington, D.C.'s housing laws could allow Romero to delay an...