NSW police have urged short-term rental property owners to vet potential guests before accepting bookings after a number of "out-of-control" parties across the state.
Many online booking websites have banned parties at their properties but NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Peter Thurtell said police had recently been called to multiple short-term rental parties where there were brawls and property damage.
""Anyone who would be disrespectful enough to trash another person's property would obviously not care about a corporation-imposed party ban, so the onus for protecting the property lies mostly with the owner," Assistant Commissioner Thurtell said in a statement released on New Year's Eve.
"If you are renting out your property, we encourage you to build strong relationships with neighbours who can keep you notified of concerning activity."
On October 30, officers were greeted by a "hostile crowd" at a party in Arncliffe where 150 people were dispersed from the damaged three-bedroom rental home.
The next night police found more than 130 people at a three-bedroom rental at The Rocks. As officers were dispersing the crowd, a fight ensued between partygoers, during which a 25-year-old man was stabbed in the back.
He was treated at hospital and has since been released. There were reports of significant damage inside the property, including smashed windows, carpet damage and bloodied walls.
Officers arrived at a party in Ultimo on November 7 where people threw bottles off the balcony at them. A 30-year-old man was found in the apartment with lacerations to his head and face and another man was charged with his assault.
Walls were damaged and furniture was destroyed.
On Sunday November 14 officers arrived at a house party in Wentworth Point where an 18-year-old woman had been hit in the head with a bottle after more than a dozen people gatecrashed with knives, a hammer and sticks.
On Saturday, November 20, officers were refused entry at a party at a Schofields rental property in Sydney's northwest.
Police said every room in in the four-bedroom property sustained "cosmetic damage" as well as multiple holes in the walls, broken windows and furniture, damage to kitchen appliances and a broken fence.
Assistant Commissioner Thurtell said party hosts can register event details with police.
Australian Associated Press
