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Hello, have just seen new rules the city is proposing to pass next month.
Highlights. They seem to be good with certain stratas but will cut out suites or carriage houses in name of creating more long term rental. As well there will be a limit to 3 bdrms.
Any thoughts ???
Country?
202020202020
That would be The City of Kelowna in BC Canada. Sorry should have noted. Have you gone through this in your city?
What are you wondering? I’m in Seattle, where a whole host of regulations are going into effect in January. So yes, we are about to go through this. We will have to apply for a STR permit/license along with the business license which is already required. Airbnb collects the taxes for us, (which are going up to be equivalent with hotel/motel tax) but we have to file quarterly of course. There will be a limit on stand alone units to one per owner plus one in your own home, although if you had a license before September of 2016 (if memory serves) you can have 2. A few noisy STR operators have been granted exemption, but most will have to comply, although no one knows when as the city is grappling with how to enforce and as far as I know hasn’t even hired the one inspector they’re planning on hiring plus a dept. of administrative folks to check-up on listings. I think at some point (maybe May) Air will require the city license # to be included in your listing. Sorry for so much information, but you asked if anyone had gone through this. 
Really I Just want to alert kelowna hosts to this.
Going to be messy here until this is all sorted out.
Hoping property owners weigh in at city council.
I was hoping the new regs would be a little more inclusive. Get high level of compliance so they can cover enforcement expenses. Then the (very few) bad apples get called out.
I’d say roughly 3/4 of current listing will be asked to stop renting.
This is a summer tourist and University town. There’s a huge demand for short term. I doubt anyone will mind being licensed. Taxes have always been straight forward here. Although they did just eliminate an exemption for less than 3 units. So now everyone has to collect 8% provincial and 3 % for the city… (but so far Airbnb is just collecting the 8%) JUST REVISE. FIXED
This is a very forward thinking city too so hopefully they reconsider before this is set in stone.
@Marie this is an international group. Not Canadian or even North American. I doubt there is another host from your city that is part of this group.
What do you mean? " there will be a limit to 3 bedrooms."
Thanks Arlene… very interesting to see what different regulators are planning.
Hi Robin, yes if you’re in Kelowna, and you have more than 3 bedrooms, you better get in touch with city asap to voice concerns . Regs are still “DRAFT” but they are proposing a limit to max 3 bedrooms 6 guests
That’s awful for large Families or Group Travelers. They are the ones most in need of VR. Kathy
11% tax. Tis nice. Chicago collects 23.4%…
I live in Melbourne Australia and there are 2 or 3 other contributors here. It doesn’t hurt to ask for opinions about local issues, you never know who is lurking.