If you were assaulted, shot, or otherwise harmed because of inadequate security at an Airbnb or Vrbo, you may have a negligent security claim against the host or property owner. Hosts often have a duty to provide reasonable security measures, such as working locks and adequate lighting, and a failure to do that can support a case.
Key terms
- Premises liability
- The legal rule that a property owner or host must keep guests reasonably safe from hazards they know about, or should know about.
- Statute of limitations
- The deadline for filing a claim. It varies by state and can run out before you realize you have a claim, so do not wait to ask.
Injured at a short-term rental? Talk to our team today, free of charge.
When a property is left unsafe, and that lack of safety lets a crime happen, the people who controlled the property may share responsibility. A negligent security attorney looks at whether the host or property manager ignored a known danger, such as broken locks, no exterior lighting, or prior crime at the address. A free case review is how you find out.
This is not your fault. Being a victim of violence is frightening and confusing. You may be wondering if anyone besides the attacker can be held accountable. Often, the answer is yes.
Hurt by violence at an Airbnb or Vrbo? You don't pay unless we win.
Call 833-236-8253 for a free case review, available 24/7.
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What "Negligent Security" Means
Negligent security is a type of premises liability claim. The idea is simple: property owners and hosts have a duty to take reasonable steps to keep guests safe from foreseeable harm, including crime.
If a rental had a known safety problem, and a host did nothing about it, and a guest was then attacked because of it, the host may be legally responsible for that harm. You do not have to prove the host wanted you hurt. You have to show they failed to provide reasonable security.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics defines violent crime to include murder, rape and sexual assault, robbery, and assault. These crimes can and do happen at rental properties, and the rate of violent victimization is not small. BJS reported 23.5 violent victimizations per 1,000 people in 2022. When a host ignores a known risk, the danger to guests is real.
Crimes at Short-Term Rentals We Handle
We help guests and families harmed by:
- Assaults and beatings at or near the rental
- Robberies of guests
- Shootings, including at unauthorized parties
- Break-ins that turn violent
- Stabbings and other attacks
"Party house" shootings are a recurring problem. When a host allows or ignores large unauthorized gatherings, the risk of violence goes up, and innocent people get caught in it.
Were you a victim of violence at a rental? You may have more options than you realize.
Call 833-236-8253 or start a free case review now.
Security Failures That Can Lead to a Claim
A negligent security case often involves one or more of these problems:
- Broken or missing locks on doors and windows
- Broken or no exterior lighting in dark, unsafe areas
- No security cameras where they were clearly needed
- No gate, fence, or barrier at a property that needed one
- A history of crime at the property that the host ignored
- Allowing large parties known to draw violence
- Failing to warn guests about a known danger nearby
- No working way to call for help or reach the host
The key legal question is whether the harm was foreseeable, whether a reasonable host should have seen the risk and done something about it. Past crime at or near the property, ignored warnings, and obvious broken safety features all matter.
Who Can Be Held Responsible?
The criminal who attacked you is responsible too, but criminals are often never caught, are uninsured, or have no way to pay. A negligent security claim looks instead at the people who controlled the property and let the danger exist: the host who never fixed the broken lock, the owner who knew about past break-ins, or the property manager whose job was security.
Liability is fact-specific, and Airbnb or Vrbo may also share responsibility depending on what they knew and represented. Our who is liable page explains how each party can fit in. A free review is how we identify everyone who should answer for what happened to you.
What to Do After an Assault or Shooting at a Rental
If you are safe enough to do so, these steps protect both your health and your rights:
- Get to safety and call 911. Your safety comes first.
- Get medical care. Tell providers everything, even if it is hard.
- Report the crime to police and ask for a copy of the report.
- Report it to Airbnb or Vrbo through the platform.
- Save evidence, photos, the listing, messages, names of witnesses.
- Write down what you remember while it is fresh.
- Call us before accepting any offer or signing anything.
You do not have to figure this out alone. We can help you preserve evidence and deal with the platforms while you focus on healing.
What Your Claim May Be Worth
A violent attack leaves wounds you can see and ones you can't. A negligent security claim may include compensation for:
- Emergency care, surgery, and rehabilitation for gunshot, stab, or blunt-force injuries
- Long-term mental health treatment for the trauma, fear, and PTSD that often follow a violent crime
- Lost wages now and lost earning ability if your injuries are lasting
- Pain, suffering, and the loss of feeling safe
- Wrongful death losses, if a loved one was killed
These cases are hard because the host's insurer will argue "a criminal did this, not us." The work is showing the harm was foreseeable, that a reasonable host knew the risk and ignored it. That's the case we build.
We work on a no fee unless we win basis. The case review is always free.
You survived. Now let us help you hold the right people accountable.
Call 833-236-8253 for a free case review, 24/7.
Start Your Free Case Review →
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
What does foreseeable harm mean in a negligent security claim?
Foreseeable harm means a reasonable host or owner should have seen the risk of crime and taken steps to address it. Courts look at things like past crime at or near the property, ignored warnings, and obvious broken safety features. If the danger was foreseeable and the people who controlled the property did nothing, they may share responsibility for an attack a criminal carried out.
Can I bring a claim if my attacker was never caught?
Possibly. A negligent security claim does not depend on an arrest or a criminal conviction. It focuses on whether the owner, host, or property manager left the rental unsafe, such as by ignoring broken locks, missing lighting, or a known history of crime. Attackers are often never identified, uninsured, or unable to pay, which is why the claim looks at the people who controlled the property. A free case review can help you understand your options.
Does it matter if I was hurt at an unauthorized party at the rental?
It can support a claim rather than defeat one. When a host allows or ignores large unauthorized gatherings, the risk of violence rises, and that pattern can be part of a negligent security case. Guests and bystanders caught in party-related violence may have claims against the people who controlled the property, in addition to any case against the attacker.
What is a negligent security claim at an Airbnb or Vrbo?
A negligent security claim argues that a host or property owner failed to provide reasonable safety measures, such as working locks, adequate lighting, or secure entry points, and that failure led to an assault, shooting, or other harm. These claims often apply when a known risk in the area was foreseeable and preventable. Airbnb and Vrbo hosts can both be held responsible in these situations.
Does this apply if the assault happened at a Vrbo?
Yes. Everything on this page applies to a negligent security claim at a Vrbo or any other short-term rental, not just an Airbnb. Your claim rests on the duty the host and property owner owe to keep the property reasonably safe, and that duty does not change with the booking platform. What changes is the paperwork: report what happened to Vrbo in writing through the app, save your reservation and every message, and let us review the listing and Vrbo's published policies as part of your free case review.