The federal government is giving London a $1-million boost to crack down on unlicensed short-term rentals in the city.
London will receive $1.08 million over a three-year period to strengthen local enforcement targeting unsanctioned short-term rentals, including properties listed on platforms such as Airbnb and VBRO, in a bid to reduce the impact on housing availability, officials announced on Monday.
Under a bylaw introduced in 2022, homeowners are only allowed to use their primary residences as short-term rentals for a maximum of 29 days. Those properties must be licensed by the city, display a licence number and the owners are required to charge a four per cent hotel tax.
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The federal funding – $380,000 this year and $350,000 for both the next two years – will allow the city to expand its enforcement efforts by hiring more bylaw officers, increasing inspections, upgrading software and providing education and outreach to rental operators, officials say.
Manager of community compliance, Wade Jeffery, said city hall has issued 610 licences for short-term rentals, including 295 this year, and bylaw officers use artificial intelligence to identify local listings on more than 60 short-term rental websites.
Repeat violations can result in doubled penalties. In more serious cases, offenders may be required to appear in court.
Bylaw officers have dished out $147,800 in fines, including $58,300 this year, since the short-term rental bylaw came into effect nearly three years ago, Jeffery said.