All short-term rentals in Richmond require permits, but the number of listings on websites such as Airbnb far exceeds the number of licenced operations in the city.
The Richmond News recently reported a local condo owner had kicked out his tenant after discovering that the tenant was running a short-term rental business.
The tenant had rented the unit under the guise of a family home for herself and her son.
Hunter Boucher, vice-president of operations for LandlordBC, said although similar incidents are not “rampant by any means,” they do happen.
One way for landlords to seek recourse would be eviction.
“The reality is, in many cases, when a tenant rents the unit through something like Airbnb without the landlord’s permission or consent, they’re likely breaching their tenancy agreement,” said Boucher.
If that’s the case, a landlord could simply issue a notice to end the tenancy.
However, LandlordBC recommends negotiating with tenants first to get them to stop, as some may not be aware of the rules and regulations.
“Where the real concern comes in, is people who professionally do this,” said Boucher.
“This is situations where they rent the unit with full intention to potentially never even live in the unit and simply rent it out on Airbnb making profit.”
Doing so, said Boucher, would affect the unit’s insurance, liability and even relationship with strata.
“So in those cases, you’re probably not going to get much in the way of compliance just by giving a warning.”
And kicking the tenant out may not be the end of the matter, as some stratas might impose fines on illegal short-term rentals.
Landlords may dispute fines at the Civil Resolution Tribunal, and they can also seek payment from the tenant through the Residential Tenancy Branch’s dispute services.
Boucher also advises landlords to do the following:
- Do a thorough reference check, making sure addresses match up.
- Include a clause in the tenancy agreement that explicitly forbids short-term rentals.
- Do regular inspections of the unit and watch for telltale signs which may include a lack of personal belongings and impersonal furnishing.
- Maintain a good relationship with neighbours and the strata. They can alert you to signs that the unit is being used for short-term rentals and provide evidence if necessary.
