What it’s like living next door to short-term rentals

When my wife and I bought our home in Melbourne Beach over 25 years ago, we loved opening our windows in winter to feel the cool air and hear the ocean waves breaking. We stopped doing that, however, when the properties that surround our home became short-term rentals (STR).

To the east, our neighbors built a STR apartment in the side of their house facing our home, where our bedroom is, with a deck that reaches a foot from our property line. Once the STR guests came, problems began immediately: people talking on the deck past midnight, guests chatter flooding the private space of our own patio, strangers staring at us while we were in our backyard—once a tenant asked my wife what she was doing because the sound of watering her orchids had bothered him. We’ve had cars idling in front of our home late at night, cars parked in our yard, and a few times cars running over our plants. I spoke with the neighbor, built slatted privacy screens, and laid garden timbers in the yard at the street, but the talking outside our bedroom continued, so my wife and I moved our bedroom to the west side of our home.

Then the house on that side became a STR. This house has a pool and a screened in-porch. The problems were immediate. Music blaring all weekend. Regular pool parties—day and night—with screaming so loud—Marco! Polo!—we could hear it in the center of our home with our windows and doors closed. We’ve seen guests drinking and smoking pot in the front yard of the STR and watched large groups of strangers—more than 15 at times—fill our street. We’ve had guests’ kids playing in our yard, guest garbage in our outside garbage can, guests pulling into our driveway to unload suitcases, Uber drivers trying to pick up guests at our front door, and cleaning crew vehicles idling in front of our house.

And it’s not just us. The six homes, front and back, have noticed the garbage cans sitting on the curb for weeks, cars parked everywhere, the noise, and the strangers. Some have complained to the STR guests, some have called the police.

We made complaints to the owner and to Airbnb. We’ve called the police. We moved our bedroom again. We bought sound machines to mask the noise. Still, the issues continued.

Then last December, the street was overwhelmed with cars and people because the STR guests were hosting a gender reveal party (complete with signage).

Twenty cars filled the driveway and spilled into the street. Regular street traffic was disrupted. The party was held outside, too, with a tent set up between our houses. The noise of the gathering rose throughout the adjacent homes. One guest hit our neighbor’s mailbox. Another neighbor in the next block texted and asked if the loud group of people walking to the beach was from the Airbnb (they were); she said they were setting off fireworks at the beach. The party continued outside for hours until voices were heard after midnight.  

Since the first STR started renting, we estimate that we’ve had at least a 1000 strangers 25-feet from our bedroom window as they walk the side path to their guest rooms, and to the west, the house with the pool that’s only been renting for a little over a year, we estimate about 500 strangers have occupied that space. (There are seven cars in the driveway as I write this.)

Once the noise nuisance and flow of strangers from the STRs next door to our home became unbearable, we sought help from our Town leaders. It did not go well!

If you don’t have a busy STR beside you, especially one with a pool, then you may not be aware this problem exists in our town. Trust me, it does, and I guarantee you, you don’t want to experience what we have. But you might. New short-term rentals are regularly popping up. The house behind our home is now an STR. And we’re not the only house in town that has three STRs around them. Recently, the house three doors down became an STR, and another house on our street went for sale this past summer, advertising as “STR ready.” It’s now an STR. If you have a house beside you that’s up for sale, look online and see if it’s being advertised as having “STR potential” and pray it doesn’t get swooped up by an investor, because the STR problem in the Town of Melbourne Beach is real, andit’s going to get much worse in the years ahead unless we citizens demand our Town Commissioners impede the proliferation of STRs throughout Town, tighten our vacation rental ordinances, and enforce the rules we have to stop and deter violations.

Mark McBride - October 2024

Having a vacation rental behind my house was terrible

I’ve been a resident of Melbourne Beach since 1998. Following the explosion of vacation rentals in town, I’ve seen and experienced multiple issues that didn't exist prior to the allowance of hotels in our backyards.

I lived with a vacation rental behind me for several years. During the loud, multi-family celebrations, many of the "hotel guests" thought it was a good idea to throw their trash over the fence into my once peaceful backyard. Each time the music and ruckus became too much, I called the Melbourne Beach Police Department (MBPD) non-emergency phone number. The police were always responsive to my calls, and the music stopped. However, while the music stopped for those hotel guests, there was always the next vacation renter. 

One fine Sunday morning, I stepped into my backyard to a loud serenade of a rap tune belting out Mother****er, Mother****er (over and over again). Not really the typical Sunday morning sounds I was hoping to hear, so I called the MBPD. They came right out to speak with the hotel guests, and they turned off the music. After the MBPD left, a hotel guest yelled at me over the fence and said, "It wasn't even that loud, Bit*h." Hmmmm. Not in my backyard. I called the MBPD right back, and they visited the hotel guest again. The hotel guest was informed should the MBPD have to return, the hotel guest would receive a court date in Brevard County.

My neighbor who shares the backyard would also frequently call the MBPD. We shared our information and supported each other's calls. Fortunately, the owner eventually sold the property, and a nice young family is now living there. I enjoy hearing their music and their children play. It's important we understand the difference between homeowners and hotel guests. 

My recommendation to anyone dealing with a vacation rental is to not be tolerant. These are unwanted hotel guests in our residential community. I have suggested to others who have had similar problems to call the MBPD non-emergency number (321-773-7212) when issues arise. This is our home, and it is our peace that is disturbed to enhance someone else’s bottom line. 

Let's join together and return Melbourne Beach to a safe and desirable residential community, not a vacation destination.

Anonymous - October 2024