Kelowna set to crack down on short-term rentals

Kelowna city council wants to hammer people renting their homes for short-term rentals, especially those who allow too much partying.

Following a workshop at its council meeting today, July 10, council sent a strong message to staff that things have to change.

“A lot of this has been brought forward because of abuses that have happened with individuals and the neighbours who have been affected by these abuses and living next door to them every Friday and every Saturday, with new individuals in them disrupting their lifestyle,” Mayor Tom Dyas said.

Current rules about the number of people staying in short-term rental suites, and whether the owner or operator lives on site for the required 240 days a year, are tough to enforce, council was told.

So, council wants enforceable rules with fines likely to be double the current rates as well as looking at canceling business licences for people who have three or more complaints.

Councillor Luke Stack also wants staff to consider banning short-term rentals in apartments, townhomes and single-family houses.

“There may be some good operators out there, I’m sure there are, I have no doubt,” Coun. Stack said. “But the ones that are bad are absolutely horrendous and they cause so much grief in our community."

READ MORE: Could a short-term rental ban be in Kelowna’s future? It's one option

A Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation study found that the majority of those operating short-term rentals were large corporations. City staff said they can't tell what that ratio is in Kelowna and, at times, they cannot even determine the location of some of the units.

Staff will return to council with recommended changes, likely in the fall.

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