Airbnb to help Vancouver enforce new home sharing laws
Airbnb hosts flouting new short-term rental regulations in Vancouver could be hit with a hefty CAD$1,000-a-day ($795) fine.
The city agreed a deal with Airbnb which will help enforce the new ordnance.
Vancouver said all hosts must display a business license number on all ads to verify they are operating legally.
"We’re making sure that our housing functions first and foremost as homes for people who live and work in Vancouver," said Mayor Gregor Robertson, who added that 88% of the city’s short-term listings are featured on the Auirbnb platform.
From next week Airbnb will include an additional data field for host signups to input a newly acquired business license number from the city.
Hosts will not be able to complete the signup process without it.
Existing hosts have until August 31 to get one.
Airbnb agreed to provide all Vancouver area listings and associated addresses every quarter, and any without valid license numbers will be subject to heavy fines.
Hosts pay CAD$56 to register and an annual fee of CAD$49 for the license.
Airbnb will also collect state and city taxes direct from its hosts.
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Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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