Hepburn Airbnb owner suing holidaymaker over an online review

The owner of a high-end holiday rental is suing a disgruntled customer whose booking was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The customer blasted the business in posts on Facebook and in a TripAdvisor review, saying the owners was too slow to refund after the stay was cancelled.

The owner has now launched defamation action, claiming his reputation has been seriously damaged because of the posts.

Melbourne barrister Matt Collins QC, said this type of lawsuit is becoming more common.

“This is a very common trend,” he told Ross and Russel.

“We’ve seen an absolute explosion in defamation cases of this kind.”

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