Dean Gauci, a 39-year-old maintenance worker who manages Airbnb properties across Wales, was sent to evict a guest from a property in Cardiff on November 9, 2026, after the guest overstayed by a day. On arrival, he discovered the flat in a shocking state, with clothing scattered across the floor and piles of mouldy food left around, though nothing had been damaged.
A video taken by Gauci shows a toilet filled with food, including bacon, tomatoes and pasta, while more food had been dumped on the steps leading to the main bedrooms. As Gauci continued his inspection, the guest walked in and was evicted.
Worker describes shock at the mess
Gauci said: "I opened the door, and that is what I walked into. I don't get angry often, but I was upset about this - it annoyed me. They overstayed their welcome, and that is the mess they left it in. It was just shocking."
Airbnb has been contacted for comment.
Other bizarre Airbnb incidents
In a separate incident this month, a family holiday in San Diego, California, took a strange turn when two sisters discovered a photograph of themselves on the walls of a holiday home they had never visited before. TikTok user Aubrey Birrell posted about finding the picture, which had reportedly been taken without their knowledge during a beach excursion about a decade earlier.
In the clip, Aubrey says: "We're looking at this picture, and my dad is like, 'This looks like me.' I'm like, 'Dad, what?'...No, this is my dad. That's my sister, Libby, from 10 years ago, and that's Brady, my brother, 10 years ago." Her sister Libby added: "It's unsettling — random Airbnb. We have those swimsuits. We are literally in this picture. We are on our Airbnb wall."
Another unusual Airbnb listing was a one-bed tent in a back garden on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent, listed in 2019 at £8 a night plus a £1 service charge. It came with a sleeping bag, air bed, plug socket, a water bottle and a flask for tea or coffee, with a separate loo tent featuring a cat litter-style toilet. The description read: "Sleep al fresco in the privacy of a backyard, suited to the adventurous solo to experience Sheerness under the stars, near the beach!"
