Airbnb operator says new rules on short-term rentals are unclear

Airbnb host St. John’s, David Curtis, says Airbnb hosts have no idea about new short-term rental regulations (Martin Bureau/Getty Images)

Short-term vacation rentals like Airbnb and VRBO now must register with the Newfoundland and Labrador government and be subject to new regulations, but one owner says the regulations are unclear.

The Tourist Accommodation Act states that short-term accommodation must be registered with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Art. All registered accommodation facilities must also comply with municipal and provincial regulations, including fire and tax regulations.

David Curtis, who owns an Airbnb in St. John’s and manages others through his company WeHost Inc., told CBC News in a recent interview that he has registered his rental properties but is still waiting to find out if he needs to make changes to his properties. When landlords asked the city for a bylaw, he said, they were told that St. John’s does not regulate short term vacation rentals.

“A lot of people are just confused and have no idea how to do it,” Curtis said.

According to Airbnb’s website, hosts must register with the province. However, when it comes to regulations, it says that hosts should contact the municipality.

Curtis says there is a lack of communication between the province and the municipality.

City spokesman Jackie O’Brien said in a statement that the city has no short-term rental regulations or inspection requirements.

She said the provincial government is working on standards that will apply to all municipalities so that all registered short-term rental agreements are held to the same standard.

Regulations are coming

Deborah Bourden, director of Bonavista-based Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, said the regulations would level the playing field with other vacation rentals such as inns and bed and breakfasts.

“I think considering the fact that we’ve had over 2,000 people register in the last year, you can say that there haven’t been many barriers to registration,” Bourden said.

Deborah Bourden, hospitality director in the Netherlands, says the main reason for the regulations is peace of mind. (Sherry Vivian/CBC)

She said short-term rental agreements should be checked against Service NL safety standards required of all commercial buildings, including having egress windows, smoke detectors, emergency lighting and a commercial insurance plan.

He also suspects that once hosts register rental properties, the government will conduct inspections at the provincial level.

Bourden says the main reason for the regulations is to give travelers peace of mind.

“They can put their head on the pillow, fall asleep and know that they are safe, that we care about them as an industry, we care about them as a province,” Bourden said.

Last year, seven people died in a fire at an unregistered Airbnb property in Montreal.

After June 30, penalties may be imposed. The government’s statement says anyone who fails to comply with the new requirements could be fined between $250 and $2,000.

Download ours free CBC News app to sign up for push notifications for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to visit our landing page.