A woman and her family were left "terrified" after discovering a man concealed behind a false wall in a Booking.com rental property. Therese reserved the property for a night following a family birthday celebration, but the ordeal has put her off booking holiday homes in the future.
Discovery of the hidden man
Last weekend, Therese booked a dwelling marketed as not being owner-occupied. After meeting the landlord to collect a key, she noticed his clothes in the dryer and asked if he would be there that night. He said he would not be.
Upon returning later that evening, the family found the washing machine running, suggesting the landlord had come back. Feeling unsettled, Therese asked her partner to check the rooms. He noticed a thin partition wall in the living room that appeared movable. When he moved it, a man was behind it, saying "hey, hey."
Immediate departure and aftermath
Therese immediately gathered her children and left. She later confronted the landlord, who claimed not to have met her before. She said, "Why have you done this? You have traumatised myself and my kids." The landlord replied, "Well, my Google reviews don't say that."
Therese described the experience as "horrifying" and said it has affected her psychologically, even in her own home. She stated, "I feel like I was on a Netflix documentary. I wouldn't believe this."
Booking.com investigation
Booking.com confirmed an investigation into the incident. A spokesperson said, "We take safety and security very seriously. As soon as we were made aware of this incident, we launched an investigation into the property, which is ongoing." The listing has been suspended during the probe.
