New short-term vacation rental regulations unclear, says Airbnb operator

St. John’s Airbnb host David Curtis says Airbnb hosts are in the dark about new short-term rental regulations (Martin Bureau/Getty Images)

Short-term vacation rentals like Airbnb and VRBO now have to be registered with the Newfoundland and Labrador government and follow new regulations to operate, but one owner says the regulations are unclear.

The Tourist Accommodations Act says short-term accommodations must be registered with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Art. All registered accommodations must also comply with municipal and provincial rules, including fire inspections and taxation.

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 registered his rentals but is still waiting to figure out if he needs to make changes to his properties. When hosts ask the city for the regulations, he said, they’re told St. John’s doesn’t regulate short-term vacation rentals.

“A lot of people are kind of just confused and in the dark and trying to figure it out,” Curtis said.

According to Airbnb’s website, hosts must register with the province. But in terms of regulations, it says hosts should check with the municipality.

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

City spokesperson Jackie O’Brien said in a statement the city does not have regulations that apply to short-term rentals and there are no inspection requirements.

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

Regulations coming

Deborah Bourden, the Bonavista-based chair of Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, says the regulations will level the playing field with other vacation accommodations, like inns and bed and breakfasts.

“I think given the fact that we’ve had more than 2,000 register over the past year tells me that there hasn’t been many barriers to them registering,” said Bourden.

Deborah Bourden, Chair of Hospitality NL, says the biggest reason for regulations is for peace of mind. (Sherry Vivian/CBC)

She said short-term rentals need to be inspected for Service N.L.’s safety standards, required of all commercial buildings, including having egress windows, smoke detectors, emergency lighting and a commercial insurance plan.

She also suspects that once hosts register their rental properties, the government will carry out audits at the provincial level.

Bourden says the biggest reason regulations are needed is for travellers to have peace of mind.

“They can lay their head on a pillow and go to sleep at night and know that they’re safe, that we care as an industry, we care as a province,” said Bourden.

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

After June 30, fines can be levied. The government’s announcement says anyone who fails to comply with the new requirements can be fined anywhere from $250 to $2,000.

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