Guelph’s Airbnb hosts and others renting out space in their home for overnight stays may soon be required to have a business licence, complete with safety inspections and insurance requirements.
That’s the recommendation of city staff heading to council’s committee of the whole meeting on Feb. 7. Staff is asking for the go-ahead to develop a short-term accommodations bylaw with licencing requirements, annual fees and proactive enforcement.
“Staff recognize that short-term rental platforms are active and growing in Guelph, and unlike hotels and bed and breakfasts, premises operating under these platforms are not licensed,” states the report to council. “Staff have received concerns regarding the rapid growth of nightly rentals offered in Guelph through platforms such as Airbnb and VRBO.”
The vast majority of unlicenced short-term accommodations in Guelph are provided through Airbnb, the report notes.
On Friday morning, there were 162 Airbnb rental properties listed as available in the city.
Some of the Guelph’s bed and breakfast owners have complained such rental properties aren’t being “treated consistently” with them, the staff report states, with concerns including fire safety, zoning and/or parking issues in some residential areas.
Having a licencing bylaw in place is intended to allow for regular safety inspections to ensure fire codes and building regulations are met, and treats overnight accommodators “equitably from a tax and regulatory perspective.”
It’s proposed 2023 licencing costs include a $241 inspection and a $208 application fee, with a $224 renewal fee in future years. Also, licenced overnight accommodations would be restricted to the owners’ primary residence.
If the committee agrees with the development of a licencing bylaw, and that decision is ratified by council later in the month, city staff plan to consult with key stakeholders – bed and breakfast owners, short-term rental platforms and the University of Guelph, etc. – ahead of its creation.
A follow-up report to council is expected by the end of the year.
