Enforcement blitz nabs hundreds of unlicensed short-term rentals in London, Ont.
CTV
A crackdown by city hall has upended the local short-term rental market — leaving just 31 legally licenced properties on websites like AirBnB and Vrbo.
A crackdown by city hall has upended the local short-term rental market — leaving just 31 legally licenced properties on websites like AirBnB and Vrbo.
A total of 366 unlicensed premises offering short term accommodations (STAs) have been identified and issued a “notice of contravention” by Municipal Compliance Services.
Failure to comply with the written notice could result in a $500 fine that may be doubled for repeat offences.
Of those locations identified through the investigation, 89 were operating without a licence.
The remaining 277 premises do not appear to be the principal residence of the property owner and must cease operating as a short-term accommodation.
In 2022, Municipal Council approved an amendment to the business licencing by-law to regulate hosts and online broker websites.
The new rules require STAs to be located on the owner’s primary residential property, essentially eliminating out-of-town and absentee hosts.
