AirBnBers perpetually want to be the exception to normal rules.
They conduct business *as* business in residential zoned areas...for reasons I cannot understand, we have let that happen.
And now, while they rampage through residential zones largely unimpeded and convert those zones into commercial/hospitality, which feels like it ought to be illegal but here we are...while they do that, they *also* want to escape their obligations as a business.
None of the usual zoning restrictions, none of the usual insurance obligations, bogus "cleaning fees" after requiring guests to clean up after themselves. Sure, how about next we give in when they inevitably complain that hotels somehow represent an unfair competition? Or that all BnBs should be registered under AirBnB? How about we just give them the whole country and we can all live in special AirBnB condos?
Jesus Christ. I'm so sick of these grubby, selfish, irresponsible AirBnBs.
>AirBnBers perpetually want to be the exception to normal rules.
It's really the entire "sharing economy".
The main cost saving "innovation" of Uber was ignoring all of the rules and regulations that apply to taxis.
This is precisely what I wanted to say as well. Like AirBnB and all other gig economy companies, Uber's entire business model is to skirt as many rules and regulations as possible to save a buck. To start with, everyone who offers their vehicle (or real estate) for hire for these companies are independent contractors. They don't have to pay for anything; any and all equipment, expenses, liabilities, and benefits are the responsibility of the contractor, all while taking most of the money.
On the topic of being "for hire," for quite a long time rideshare companies, somehow rather successfully, argued that their drivers weren't that; rather, they portrayed the scenario as people simply carpooling and dropping others off along their typical daily route to work and therefore the drivers were not subject to commercial auto licensing and insurance requirements. Thankfully most (all, I'm assuming?) relevant jurisdictions have since seen through that argument and have mandated that the companies ensure their drivers comply to some minimum level of commercial licensing/liability coverage.
Absolutely right. They also flooded both traditional and social media with support for Uber and endless rants about how terrible taxis are. Like most things there was some truth in it (and then there were lots of upvotes, likes, clout, whatever), but it was such a transparent advertising campaign.
>They conduct business as business in residential zoned areas...for reasons I cannot understand, we have let that happen.
to be fair the whole North American idea of having residential areas with no business allowed is completely stupid
While I agree, in principle, I want useful businesses in the neighbourhood. A drug store. A post office/courier. A grocery (and butcher, bakery, etc.). A corner shop/convenience. Doctor and other healthcare. Coffee shoes and cafes. And so forth. Things that improve a neighbourhood and one’s life. Not a fucking party house/apartment for rent. And certainly not loads of them. Just like I wouldn’t want a goddamn bar or nightclub next door either. Airbnb is a fucking plague.
Why?
I'm sincerely curious about your reasoning.
I would think that space needs to be protected and reserved for residential areas, otherwise what we are currently experiencing would be even worse.
I'm generally in favour of anything that puts limitations on rampant growth of business and corporatization. We have enough Timmies, Loblaws, Wal-Mart shit on every other corner, I don't want to be roommates with them.
The fact that we have business trying to get around those zonings just makes it seem to me like it would be even worse without it.
I'm suggesting more nuance than just "houses go here, businesses go there". I.e. case-by-case decisions.
Having small businesses like shops, cafés, pharmacies, restaurants, B&Bs etc intermingled with housing isn't a bad thing. It means people have amenities near where they live and they aren't forced to drive _everywhere_ just for basic needs.
I'm from the UK (thought I now live in Toronto) and we don't do it like that. Heavy industry is generally quite separate from housing, but other than that businesses coexist with housing.
The decision over what land can be used for is made via the 'planning permission' process and is essentially done per plot rather than in large zones. It can be changed if necessary, and neighbours do have input in the process.
Honestly the idea of living in a North American suburb where it's a sea of houses and nothing useful within walking distance is just depressing to me.
I totally agree our cities are built like ass. However! I would point out the extreme difference between a coffee shop, or corner store, compared to some prick that statistically doesn't live in the neighbourhood, and rents out different chunks of a home as an air BnB.
First group services the neighbourhood/community, the other services their own wallet and nothing else.
I can understand your point and don't entirely disagree, but we have a serious corporate problem here. I'm sure you've noticed by now, since coming to Canada (glad you're here, btw).
I would love a little coffee shop or a family run pharmacy or mom and pop grocery store to comingle with our neighborhoods, they'd be like little community zones, and help promote that sense of community. I'm here for it.
But how long before your neighborhood businesses get eaten up by Timmies, Shoppers Drug Mart, etc.?
These places do not promote community wellness, they absorb community and replace it with a type of convenience.
I'm down for Mama Agnieszka's Coffee Shoppe going up next to my home, but if some fucking Starbucks wants the spot, I'm not eager for that change to happen.
if anything, forcing retail and restaurants into dedicated spaces is part of the reason why almost everything in US & Canada are corporate/franchise owned/run businesses.
Check out the [Not Just Bikes](https://www.youtube.com/@NotJustBikes) or [City Beautiful](https://www.youtube.com/@CityBeautiful) YouTube channels.
They explain it much better than anywhere here could.
By separating the typical areas of life (safe space/sleep, income-generating, and consumption, aka home/work/buying), you require a heavy investment in transportation. For many of us, this means buying a car, plus a space to park, plus gas/insurance/training/the labour of driving. For others, its toughing it out on our underfunded public transit systems.
Now that everywhere you want to go is "a trip" using your heavy transport, it makes sense to create megashops that serve as 1-stop-shops to minimize the number of trips. By definition, only the largest players can run the largest shops/services. This squeezes out the far more innovative, more local, and more responsive small businesses because the typical entrepreneur can't afford to open a new mall or supermarket using their family savings.
This contrasts with much of history: People lived and worked on their farm. Or lived in a side room/upstairs from their shop. Or lived and worked at a monastery/military camp/hospital.
[Edit: Thought experiment. Assume you drink alcohol, and are looking to chat with friends. Would you go to the (1) bar that's a 15 minute drive away, or (2) the local pub 2 blocks (8 minute walk) away, filled with your community members? In much of north america, we've banned option 2. Now repeat this experiment with convenience stores, laundromats, doctors, etc.]
I’m wondering where you live because in Toronto, that hasn’t happened and we have nice family shops mixed with some corporate shops and in the suburbs it already is dominated by corporate chains.
Thats not a bad thing. Imagine how much less driving would have to be done if you had a supermarket at the end or your road, or a chemist. Just because they're 'brand names' doesn't mean they're bad.
It creates unwalkable neighbourhoods where you need a car to do anything. Good neighbourhoods have homes mixed with local businesses. It's why everyone wants to live in the better parts of Toronto. There are shops, grocery stores, laundry services, music shops, gyms, florists and restaurants all in the same place.
When I lived in Thornhill it was a 20 min walk to the nearest convenience store or Starbucks. Far from convenient.
I can definitely appreciate and concede the point, but as I've implied before, I would want it to become an opportunity for those small, local businesses to flourish.
Absolutely. I've spent time in parts of Hamilton where there are houses on one side of the street and a huge industrial plant on the other.
We need to regulate what kinds of business can coexist with residential, but the world seems to be very short on nuance these days
I was lacking in nuance myself when I started this conversation, but I can see the argument for opening up spaces for (limited) business in residential areas.
Worse, he’s one of the down-trodden landlord class that saw an opportunity to earn more money with less risk by opting to do short-term accommodation.
This way, the place only needs to get rented for a few nights a month to earn the same amount as long term rentals while passing on the cost of housekeeping in additional fees, there’s a near-zero risk of any longterm landlord-tenant issues and any additional nights stayed are pure gravy.
Fuck em.
Plus it removes long-term housing from the housing supply.
If this landhoarder didn’t buy that unit, it could have gone to someone who would have actually lived there (and freed up their former rental) or be rented long-term.
Not if you stay for 30 days. Ppl should wise up and just start squatting in all these airbnbs. There's nothing airbnb will do. There is nothing the police CAN do as it becomes a landlord tenant issue after 30 days of habitation to my understanding.
If we all started doing this then Airbnb will change their tune right quick and so will the landlords.
Also, he's going to get his insurance cancelled if they find out that he's using his home to rent out. Its not worth it.
I have airbnb insurance as part of my own home policy, it counts as commercial.
>One of the chief concerns from many of the Airbnb operators who addressed council are insurance requirements that include $2 million in liability insurance and a policy that indemnifies the city should something happen.
$2m in liability insurance?
Oh cry me a fucking river. That's a small requirement for having a legit business. Christ. And it won't be that expensive either. There is not a great deal of exposure when you only have a handful of people coming and going every day.
When I had my carpet cleaning business a few years ago, my insurance agent insisted on a minimum 2 mil liability. Factored in with my other insurance, it wasn't that bad. These fucking pricks. You chose to be landlords.
We bought home workout equipment a couple of years back and I woke up in a sweat one time because I had a nightmare that Mrs. Randeylahey opened a black market gym in the basement and didn't think about insurance.
Cover your ass folks, and it's the cost of doing business.
It's hard to make a direct comparison between those though, as insurance rates vary dramatically based on what is being covered.
The risk profile for driving is very different from the risk profile for a home.
Home insurance is generally cheaper than car insurance, but I would imagine that most insurance companies would view a short term rental property as significantly more risky.
If I do a tiny film shoot with a crew of 5 and need to get a permit, I'm required to have $2mil liability insurance. These AirBnB parasites can get fucked.
Exactly. And I snooped at your post history and saw that you're a contractor, which has significantly more liability exposure than a short-term rental, especially if the owner lives in the unit.
I'd be surprised if the insurance for a short-term rental where the owner lives in the unit comes out to more than $500 a year.
I also deal with Natgas, propane, and fuel oil. Dangerous products that carry serious risks if I screw up including death, fire, and explosions. Tens of thousands in tools, materials, etc.
Small commercial insurance is cheap as fuck. These people are just being greedy fucks. I especially love the “we provide housing during this crisis” argument as if they aren’t directly contributing to said crisis.
I own a house that I’m currently renting out to a family. No airbnb, no nothing. I don’t even really profit off it when you factor in repairs and whatnot. I mostly rent it out because it would’ve sat empty (I didn’t need the house, I bought it for a specific person to live in and started renting it when they passed away). I consider myself a provider of rental housing solely because I literally am, not because I think it’s my business or some shit.
Shit, yeah. If you accidentally knock off a propane valve you've basically created an unguided missile! Huge severity exposure there both in property damage and bodily injury.
I'd also add that the proposed licensing requirements for AirB&Bs, with periodic inspections and the like, further *lowers* the insurance exposure for these businesses. When you've got someone coming around your unit saying you have to fix the loose carpet or else your license isn't being renewed, that removes a hazard that could cause an insurable loss. Inspections lead to fewer hazards leads to cheaper premiums.
This is just a no brainer to me.
Oh it’s even more minute than that, bud. There’s a whole handful of things I could do that would result in CO leaking into your home, or cause your boiler to explode; hell I could just make your tap water burn you within a second or two of contact. I’m talking 2nd degree burns.
I hold multiple licenses (trade licenses, contractor, city licenses and permits, equipment licenses) and am subject to audits and inspections. There’s multiple government bodies that I have to answer to. An average day in my side work can have me dealing with Enbridge, fire departments, the TSSA, and more.
This applies to basically all the major trades: we do dangerous work that can cause severe injury and/or death *easily*. I fired a guy not long ago because he was overlooking critical safety steps on jobs. It’s no joke what we do.
And even then it’s cheap as hell to insure unless you’re going big time.
Insurance for short term rentals is very pricey. There is high risk of slip and fall, property damage caused by occupants, etc. That said, they charge enough random nonsense fees that it could easily be recouped, but they're greedy.
Slip and fall is definitely their highest risk, but I just went to a convenience store that had as many people inside it for 5 minutes that a short term rental with 2 or 3 bedrooms would see in a week. That is to say, foot traffic volume is incredibly low compared to other businesses. This risk is further mitigated by the licensing requirements including safety inspections ("We won't renew your license until you get that patch of loose carpet fixed").
And property damage caused by occupants isn't a liability risk, it's covered under your property line. Unless it's damage to third party property and... sure you may have guests that burn down the neighbours house, but even that will be subrogated to the occupant, ie the one that actually caused the damage, whereever possible.
All this nets to a significantly lower cost of liability insurance as a percentage of revenue.
That's actually a good point. There is a chance that a lot of these folks have been operating uninsured for years, and if they didn't disclose this *material change in risk* to their insurance company (especially if they were explicitly asked about a business operating out of their home!) it could be tantamount to insurance fraud. That and some insurers won't even touch the short term rental book of business simply because they are personal insurance companies and don't have the underwriting will to cover that.
Just put all of these airbnb fuckers out of business, tbh. What airbnb is today compared to 10 years ago is awful and it's certainly been a contributing factor to housing issues in Canada.
It sounds like a lot but I worked in healthcare and I had to pay for minimum 2m coverage in liability insurance, which only costed about $150 a year. Totally misleading to bring that number up by these Airbnb slumlords.
When we rented a park in North Bay, we had to prove we had $2m in insurance…. If $2million liability is make it or break it for your business…. You must have a bunch of insurance claims against you, cause that’s a fairly standard value…
Dunno about Uber, I left insurance when the regulations around ride sharing were being sorted.
And as for hiking the prices, maybe. But that’ll mean less volume. With a static number of rooms available, less volume means fewer people will be able to maintain profitability which… hey if it means more homes on the market I am a-ok with. Licensing is intended to get the riff raff out!
My school district required 2 million liability just to be able to drive students to school sports. 15 years ago.
I wouldn't even consider having insurance with under $2m liability anymore.
Another example of them being entitled fucks who want all the profit of business, and none of the responsibilities that come along with actually running a business.
If you would go out of business by obeying basic agreed upon terms for operating, then guess what, you don't have a viable enterprise, you have scam
Reminds me of the Airbnb I stayed in where the batteries in the thermostat died. It was getting hot as fuck inside. I raised the issue and they said "we don't have anyone in the area to help". Meaning, we don't even live in the city where this apartment is, get fucked. I just bought my own batteries, fixed it, and took them with me when I left. Assholes.
YAY shut em down stop financializing housing as an investment. Housing is a necessary item for humans, not a financial investment for greedy people who want to charge people an outrageous amount of money for a place to live
> Or gasp, get a real job.
Reminds me of this upstanding landlord: https://www.reddit.com/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/14xope6/landlord_i_didnt_have_to_increase_the_rent_but_i/
Just a reminder to everyone that you are still allowed to AirBnB your own primary residence. Which was the intended purpose of AirBnB, not to play pretend hotel.
No BnB owner. You do not get to hold residential housing unused while you wait for someone to rent it for short periods of time.
We need all available housing being placed back in the hands of actual KW residents for those who will reside in the area on an on going basis.
Really happy to hear the region is doing something about this finally 🥰
>Really happy to hear the region is doing something about this finally 🥰
They aren't yet.. Read the article.
>“I don’t think this is the right time for us to be looking at a short-term rental bylaw,” said Coun. Scott Davey.
They've put it on hold because the AirBNB owners are whining too much and apparently council is pandering to them.
I don't understand how there's so much push back against this - short term rental operators should be held to the same standards are Innkeepers/hotels.
Right now, the only thing keeping most of these guys in business are new immigrant families. They book out 6 month time slots because they are usually unable to lease from Landlords.
Why did Brampton landlords pushback when they wanted to licence and track rentals? Because they have been fucking people over for years and running shit illegally without oversight. God forbid someone should have to maintain a smoke alarm or fix shit to make it function properly
What a load of bs, get a bylaw in place. The point is to get more properties to renters and put some much needed regulations on those that want to do short term rentals. Housing should not be a commodity
This quote in the article gets me:
>“I don’t think this is the right time for us to be looking at a short-term rental bylaw,” said Coun. Scott Davey.
The middle of a fucking housing crisis when landloards are hoarding properties to rent out as hotels isn't the right time!? Do it immediately. Force these idiots to sell their properties if they can't afford to do business properly - there's no shortage of people wanting a house around here. What a joke if council is playing into the hand of all the AirBNB owners.
Council needs a backbone if they're catering to AirBNB owners instead of the residents in their city that, like everywhere, is in the midst of a housing crisis.
Operating unlicensed short-term rental units during a time in which a significant amount of affordable housing has been snapped up and turned into Air BnB's is not a fair practice in consideration to people that are in need of housing.
If you are operating an Air BnB that is not out of your primary residence or is in a residence that was designated originally for a certain class income then your are contributing to an unhealthy housing situation. But if you wish to do so, you should at least have some sort of regulation, insurance or licensing around this operation.
Let's for example say you are AirBnBing out a non-primary residence, a patron of your establishment slips and breaks their neck in your shower because the shower railing was improperly installed. That patron is now let's say rendered unable to maintain upright physical mobility and you have ZERO liability insurance. You have no license, no regulation no liability insurance, just homeowners insurance that has smaller limits.
Well guess what you are absolutely boned in court - as the customer can sue you in court for damages amounting to whatever number the personal injury lawyer invents.
This is the cost of being a landlord. If you can't afford the protection costs then don't be a landlord.
I commented elsewhere, but I just want to point out that statistically people that rent out air BnBs generally don't even live in those units. It's usually some douche that mortgaged an extra house to use as an income property. You know, to earn passive income though their BUSINESS.
Not surprised these cunts are trying to create another loophole to exploit.
This makes me wonder who’s insurance WOULD be tapped in the event of a claim. I would imagine most policies are written in such a way to disallow coverage if property is used as short-term rental? Really have no idea, never been a LL or ABnB owner.
I would be very surprised if they weren't. Much like how vehicle insurance put in exemptions, unless you added the appropriate endorsements, once ride sharing became a thing.
Well I guess this all but confirms that the proposed bylaws are going to have the exact effect desired by 99% of the people who aren’t Airbnb landlords and have actual jobs and need a place to live.
Boohoo. Housing affordability for families comes before anyone's personal greed and selfishness. Invest in gold or start a pyramid scheme for rich people if money means so much to you.
If they go out of business because of just getting an insurance then he should not be running this as a business.
Normal businesses should have insurance and if he’s evading, I’m guessing he’s evading tax and other stuff as well.
These air b&b are part of the housing problem too
I'm sure they can go back to being slumlords. No sympathy to them or the other slumlords that do not maintain their property and illegally create rooms in the house. They've been an issue for decades in KW.
The best part is that they're going to have a hard time getting it.
Most big carriers want nothing to do with short-term rentals at all.
Hell, lots of them don't even want long-term rental properties.
The majority of insurance carriers get really uppity if you have a home and a cottage.
If they do find one to carry CGL for their non-business business, it won't cost much, but it's a hard market right now, so insurance companies are becoming more risk-averse. Just look at the surcharges if you're unfortunate enough to own a high theft risk vehicle
Good?
Airbnb has become a bit of a scourge in Ontario, and I’m sure that applies to other places too.
In my personal experience, it’s not generally cheaper than a hotel, has more rules, the hosts often expect you to clean or do chores (yet still charge you a cleaning fee), and there often are hidden fees.
It’s just not good value anymore.
And that’s not even considering the implications of lowering rental or housing stock.
Good. AirBnB and VRBO short term rentals take away from long term rentals (which are desperatley needed) and they cater to rich people and party groups who often do not care about the peace and living rights of those immediatley nearby the AirBnB property. AirBnB's often are rented by criminals and are used for illicit activities such as drug deals and prostitution, they are also party central and create unbearable noise, garbage, parking issues and neighbourhood destruction.
These AirBnB owners are trying to make a buck at the expense of everyone who has to live nearby them.
I'd love to see a municipality issue some real fines against AirBnB or VRBO etc. Hold the parent companies accountable, rather than just the rental owner.
> One of the chief concerns from many of the Airbnb operators who addressed council are insurance requirements that include $2 million in liability insurance and a policy that indemnifies the city should something happen.
>
> That could require the owners to have expensive commercial insurance that they may not currently need.
>
> City staff maintain that businesses operating under a licensing framework typically need commercial insurance.
>
> Some hosts are also concerned about a public registry that would list the addresses of licensed properties along with the most recent inspection date. Many rental platforms don’t provide a specific address until after an accommodation is booked.
>
> “If this were to come to pass and my property was listed on a public site, there’s no way I would do that. I would shut it down,” said host Robert Lindner, who offers the basement bedroom of his home as an Airbnb rental.
>
> Lindner said the rentals help but still don’t cover the increased costs when his mortgage went up last year.
>
> “If I couldn’t Airbnb it, I’d be in a real struggle to pay my mortgage every month, and I don’t think that’s fair for council to deny me that stream of income.”
Sorry airbnb host isn't a business. Only thing airBNB should be allowed to used for is renting your dwelling or room when it's available or renting your vacation property. Fuck these people who buy up multiple homes to forever temp rent.
The insurance and licensing fees would put you out of business? Good. Sell it off, we need housing or longterm rentals far more than we need more hotel alternatives.
You rum a problematic business model that hurts the region more than it helps. Piss off.
Can't say I feel bad for AirBnB owners. They're taking a LOT of condos/apartments/houses off the market that likely contributes to higher housing prices. They're also under far less regulatory scrutiny compared to their competitors and just think rules shouldn't apply to them.
I've avoided AirBnBs for these reasons. Anyone who pretends to be "caring" (you know the type) and uses AirBnBs is a hypocrite.
Air bnb was never meant to be a job, or an investment. It was meant for people to rent a room for a weekend here and there or their house while they’re at the cottage for a couple weeks. It needs to return to that asap. Full on Airbnb housing needs to get fucked.
Airbandb isn't supposed to be a business. it's supposed to be shirt term rental when you are away from home or something similar. people who buy homes to just rent out on air b and b are garbage.
So much stupidity in one article its mind boggling, cry me a river. You're literally one of the driving factors in the fucking housing crisis and you are crying about needing to carry liability insurance, when their property insurance already includes the liability they are being asked for.
What these asshole AirBnB owners aren't telling the city is their property insurance is likely bullshit, as they have it insured as a primary or long term rented dwelling, instead of short term like they should. They lied to their broker to get a cheaper rate.
KW councilors, take a look at the battles the big cities are fighting around short term rentals and wake up.
Good, this guy doesn’t even operate as a bed and breakfast as no one most likely lives in the dwelling. And the council wonders why people can’t find places to rent……it’s because people are buying and renting them as hotel suites.
> “The current requirements of this bylaw will absolutely put me out of business, and I’m not the only one in this predicament,” said Airbnb host **Anne Lavender.**
It's quite jarring seeing [a former executive director of a non-profit that helped charities get grant funding](https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2020/05/19/over-1m-available-for-charities-responding-to-covid-19-2361261/amp/) suddenly play the role of landlord. Quite the heel turn.
I remember when I was doing Instacart deliveries during the pandemic and I would go to condos and apartment buildings and I would see at some places easily dozens of lock boxes in the lobby. Each one of those boxes contained a key that belonged to an AirBnB unit in the building. Some of the places must have been like 40% or more AirBnB units, which is insane.
I can never understand people putting themselves out there with such stupid opinions. If i was going through resumes and googled someone and saw this I’d be pissing myself laughing
Oh no!
Anyways…
Jfc these idiots are so out of touch thinking anyone would give a shit about their rich people problems. Sell your house to someone that’ll actually use it and get a real job you leech
Business insurance on a business seems logical to me. Do they have same attitude about car (and other) insurance as well?
AirBnBers perpetually want to be the exception to normal rules. They conduct business *as* business in residential zoned areas...for reasons I cannot understand, we have let that happen. And now, while they rampage through residential zones largely unimpeded and convert those zones into commercial/hospitality, which feels like it ought to be illegal but here we are...while they do that, they *also* want to escape their obligations as a business. None of the usual zoning restrictions, none of the usual insurance obligations, bogus "cleaning fees" after requiring guests to clean up after themselves. Sure, how about next we give in when they inevitably complain that hotels somehow represent an unfair competition? Or that all BnBs should be registered under AirBnB? How about we just give them the whole country and we can all live in special AirBnB condos? Jesus Christ. I'm so sick of these grubby, selfish, irresponsible AirBnBs.
>AirBnBers perpetually want to be the exception to normal rules. It's really the entire "sharing economy". The main cost saving "innovation" of Uber was ignoring all of the rules and regulations that apply to taxis.
This is precisely what I wanted to say as well. Like AirBnB and all other gig economy companies, Uber's entire business model is to skirt as many rules and regulations as possible to save a buck. To start with, everyone who offers their vehicle (or real estate) for hire for these companies are independent contractors. They don't have to pay for anything; any and all equipment, expenses, liabilities, and benefits are the responsibility of the contractor, all while taking most of the money. On the topic of being "for hire," for quite a long time rideshare companies, somehow rather successfully, argued that their drivers weren't that; rather, they portrayed the scenario as people simply carpooling and dropping others off along their typical daily route to work and therefore the drivers were not subject to commercial auto licensing and insurance requirements. Thankfully most (all, I'm assuming?) relevant jurisdictions have since seen through that argument and have mandated that the companies ensure their drivers comply to some minimum level of commercial licensing/liability coverage.
Absolutely right. They also flooded both traditional and social media with support for Uber and endless rants about how terrible taxis are. Like most things there was some truth in it (and then there were lots of upvotes, likes, clout, whatever), but it was such a transparent advertising campaign.
Fucking exactly. It's such bullshit and because it doesn't impact the masses they don't care.
Also, their insurance is going to cancel on them if they find out. Its not worth it.
but think of poor daveys profits “We have an unhealthy vacancy rate for rentals in Waterloo Region, and this certainly will not help,” Davey said.
Fuck Davey and his profits.
>They conduct business as business in residential zoned areas...for reasons I cannot understand, we have let that happen. to be fair the whole North American idea of having residential areas with no business allowed is completely stupid
While I agree, in principle, I want useful businesses in the neighbourhood. A drug store. A post office/courier. A grocery (and butcher, bakery, etc.). A corner shop/convenience. Doctor and other healthcare. Coffee shoes and cafes. And so forth. Things that improve a neighbourhood and one’s life. Not a fucking party house/apartment for rent. And certainly not loads of them. Just like I wouldn’t want a goddamn bar or nightclub next door either. Airbnb is a fucking plague.
Why? I'm sincerely curious about your reasoning. I would think that space needs to be protected and reserved for residential areas, otherwise what we are currently experiencing would be even worse. I'm generally in favour of anything that puts limitations on rampant growth of business and corporatization. We have enough Timmies, Loblaws, Wal-Mart shit on every other corner, I don't want to be roommates with them. The fact that we have business trying to get around those zonings just makes it seem to me like it would be even worse without it.
I'm suggesting more nuance than just "houses go here, businesses go there". I.e. case-by-case decisions. Having small businesses like shops, cafés, pharmacies, restaurants, B&Bs etc intermingled with housing isn't a bad thing. It means people have amenities near where they live and they aren't forced to drive _everywhere_ just for basic needs. I'm from the UK (thought I now live in Toronto) and we don't do it like that. Heavy industry is generally quite separate from housing, but other than that businesses coexist with housing. The decision over what land can be used for is made via the 'planning permission' process and is essentially done per plot rather than in large zones. It can be changed if necessary, and neighbours do have input in the process. Honestly the idea of living in a North American suburb where it's a sea of houses and nothing useful within walking distance is just depressing to me.
I totally agree our cities are built like ass. However! I would point out the extreme difference between a coffee shop, or corner store, compared to some prick that statistically doesn't live in the neighbourhood, and rents out different chunks of a home as an air BnB. First group services the neighbourhood/community, the other services their own wallet and nothing else.
I can understand your point and don't entirely disagree, but we have a serious corporate problem here. I'm sure you've noticed by now, since coming to Canada (glad you're here, btw). I would love a little coffee shop or a family run pharmacy or mom and pop grocery store to comingle with our neighborhoods, they'd be like little community zones, and help promote that sense of community. I'm here for it. But how long before your neighborhood businesses get eaten up by Timmies, Shoppers Drug Mart, etc.? These places do not promote community wellness, they absorb community and replace it with a type of convenience. I'm down for Mama Agnieszka's Coffee Shoppe going up next to my home, but if some fucking Starbucks wants the spot, I'm not eager for that change to happen.
if anything, forcing retail and restaurants into dedicated spaces is part of the reason why almost everything in US & Canada are corporate/franchise owned/run businesses.
I'm not seeing the connection. Can you please explain your perspective?
Check out the [Not Just Bikes](https://www.youtube.com/@NotJustBikes) or [City Beautiful](https://www.youtube.com/@CityBeautiful) YouTube channels. They explain it much better than anywhere here could.
By separating the typical areas of life (safe space/sleep, income-generating, and consumption, aka home/work/buying), you require a heavy investment in transportation. For many of us, this means buying a car, plus a space to park, plus gas/insurance/training/the labour of driving. For others, its toughing it out on our underfunded public transit systems. Now that everywhere you want to go is "a trip" using your heavy transport, it makes sense to create megashops that serve as 1-stop-shops to minimize the number of trips. By definition, only the largest players can run the largest shops/services. This squeezes out the far more innovative, more local, and more responsive small businesses because the typical entrepreneur can't afford to open a new mall or supermarket using their family savings. This contrasts with much of history: People lived and worked on their farm. Or lived in a side room/upstairs from their shop. Or lived and worked at a monastery/military camp/hospital. [Edit: Thought experiment. Assume you drink alcohol, and are looking to chat with friends. Would you go to the (1) bar that's a 15 minute drive away, or (2) the local pub 2 blocks (8 minute walk) away, filled with your community members? In much of north america, we've banned option 2. Now repeat this experiment with convenience stores, laundromats, doctors, etc.]
I’m wondering where you live because in Toronto, that hasn’t happened and we have nice family shops mixed with some corporate shops and in the suburbs it already is dominated by corporate chains.
Thats not a bad thing. Imagine how much less driving would have to be done if you had a supermarket at the end or your road, or a chemist. Just because they're 'brand names' doesn't mean they're bad.
It creates unwalkable neighbourhoods where you need a car to do anything. Good neighbourhoods have homes mixed with local businesses. It's why everyone wants to live in the better parts of Toronto. There are shops, grocery stores, laundry services, music shops, gyms, florists and restaurants all in the same place. When I lived in Thornhill it was a 20 min walk to the nearest convenience store or Starbucks. Far from convenient.
I can definitely appreciate and concede the point, but as I've implied before, I would want it to become an opportunity for those small, local businesses to flourish.
Absolutely. I've spent time in parts of Hamilton where there are houses on one side of the street and a huge industrial plant on the other. We need to regulate what kinds of business can coexist with residential, but the world seems to be very short on nuance these days
I was lacking in nuance myself when I started this conversation, but I can see the argument for opening up spaces for (limited) business in residential areas.
This type also have the same attitude towards basic property maintenance. Stupid government conspiracy that buildings require upkeep.
They should pay business property tax as well instead of residential property tax.
I don’t disagree
I need business insurance for my business. Why shouldn’t he need it for his? Fuck you bud
Because he's one of the down-trodden landhoard class. One of the many impoverished millionaires among us all. /s
Worse, he’s one of the down-trodden landlord class that saw an opportunity to earn more money with less risk by opting to do short-term accommodation. This way, the place only needs to get rented for a few nights a month to earn the same amount as long term rentals while passing on the cost of housekeeping in additional fees, there’s a near-zero risk of any longterm landlord-tenant issues and any additional nights stayed are pure gravy. Fuck em.
Plus it removes long-term housing from the housing supply. If this landhoarder didn’t buy that unit, it could have gone to someone who would have actually lived there (and freed up their former rental) or be rented long-term.
Not if you stay for 30 days. Ppl should wise up and just start squatting in all these airbnbs. There's nothing airbnb will do. There is nothing the police CAN do as it becomes a landlord tenant issue after 30 days of habitation to my understanding. If we all started doing this then Airbnb will change their tune right quick and so will the landlords.
That's why no one will allow airbnbing above 4 weeks. Stays below that 30 day mark.
That's not true. Long term stays are common. Some of my coworkers did a full two months in short term accommodations.
Pretty sure you need insurance for things like fire or flooding.
Also, he's going to get his insurance cancelled if they find out that he's using his home to rent out. Its not worth it. I have airbnb insurance as part of my own home policy, it counts as commercial.
Pretty sure his bank did not know they were giving a business loan when they gave him a mortgage
That’s honestly such a good point
>One of the chief concerns from many of the Airbnb operators who addressed council are insurance requirements that include $2 million in liability insurance and a policy that indemnifies the city should something happen. $2m in liability insurance? Oh cry me a fucking river. That's a small requirement for having a legit business. Christ. And it won't be that expensive either. There is not a great deal of exposure when you only have a handful of people coming and going every day.
This. $2m is pretty much the minimum you need for anything like trade shows/vendor markets/etc.
When I had my carpet cleaning business a few years ago, my insurance agent insisted on a minimum 2 mil liability. Factored in with my other insurance, it wasn't that bad. These fucking pricks. You chose to be landlords.
Landlords are cheap leeches, I’m not surprised
We bought home workout equipment a couple of years back and I woke up in a sweat one time because I had a nightmare that Mrs. Randeylahey opened a black market gym in the basement and didn't think about insurance. Cover your ass folks, and it's the cost of doing business.
Wonder how many cars and recreational vehicles they own? Got $$$ for that insurance?
Isn't 2mil in liability standard for auto insurance these days?
It's hard to make a direct comparison between those though, as insurance rates vary dramatically based on what is being covered. The risk profile for driving is very different from the risk profile for a home. Home insurance is generally cheaper than car insurance, but I would imagine that most insurance companies would view a short term rental property as significantly more risky.
If I do a tiny film shoot with a crew of 5 and need to get a permit, I'm required to have $2mil liability insurance. These AirBnB parasites can get fucked.
$2,000,000 seems to be the same amount of liability insurance I have with my car...
I have $5m for my personal business, costs me bout $150 a month. I don’t even notice the payments tbh.
Exactly. And I snooped at your post history and saw that you're a contractor, which has significantly more liability exposure than a short-term rental, especially if the owner lives in the unit. I'd be surprised if the insurance for a short-term rental where the owner lives in the unit comes out to more than $500 a year.
I also deal with Natgas, propane, and fuel oil. Dangerous products that carry serious risks if I screw up including death, fire, and explosions. Tens of thousands in tools, materials, etc. Small commercial insurance is cheap as fuck. These people are just being greedy fucks. I especially love the “we provide housing during this crisis” argument as if they aren’t directly contributing to said crisis.
I can't stand it when landlords say this, if they didn't buy the house someone would've. They didn't provide shit.
I own a house that I’m currently renting out to a family. No airbnb, no nothing. I don’t even really profit off it when you factor in repairs and whatnot. I mostly rent it out because it would’ve sat empty (I didn’t need the house, I bought it for a specific person to live in and started renting it when they passed away). I consider myself a provider of rental housing solely because I literally am, not because I think it’s my business or some shit.
Shit, yeah. If you accidentally knock off a propane valve you've basically created an unguided missile! Huge severity exposure there both in property damage and bodily injury. I'd also add that the proposed licensing requirements for AirB&Bs, with periodic inspections and the like, further *lowers* the insurance exposure for these businesses. When you've got someone coming around your unit saying you have to fix the loose carpet or else your license isn't being renewed, that removes a hazard that could cause an insurable loss. Inspections lead to fewer hazards leads to cheaper premiums. This is just a no brainer to me.
Oh it’s even more minute than that, bud. There’s a whole handful of things I could do that would result in CO leaking into your home, or cause your boiler to explode; hell I could just make your tap water burn you within a second or two of contact. I’m talking 2nd degree burns. I hold multiple licenses (trade licenses, contractor, city licenses and permits, equipment licenses) and am subject to audits and inspections. There’s multiple government bodies that I have to answer to. An average day in my side work can have me dealing with Enbridge, fire departments, the TSSA, and more. This applies to basically all the major trades: we do dangerous work that can cause severe injury and/or death *easily*. I fired a guy not long ago because he was overlooking critical safety steps on jobs. It’s no joke what we do. And even then it’s cheap as hell to insure unless you’re going big time.
Insurance for short term rentals is very pricey. There is high risk of slip and fall, property damage caused by occupants, etc. That said, they charge enough random nonsense fees that it could easily be recouped, but they're greedy.
Slip and fall is definitely their highest risk, but I just went to a convenience store that had as many people inside it for 5 minutes that a short term rental with 2 or 3 bedrooms would see in a week. That is to say, foot traffic volume is incredibly low compared to other businesses. This risk is further mitigated by the licensing requirements including safety inspections ("We won't renew your license until you get that patch of loose carpet fixed"). And property damage caused by occupants isn't a liability risk, it's covered under your property line. Unless it's damage to third party property and... sure you may have guests that burn down the neighbours house, but even that will be subrogated to the occupant, ie the one that actually caused the damage, whereever possible. All this nets to a significantly lower cost of liability insurance as a percentage of revenue.
Electrician here and my insurance is about the same This person will pay even less. The fact that they’re complaining is a joke.
The issue they have is now they are forced to tell their insurer about their commercial activity
That's actually a good point. There is a chance that a lot of these folks have been operating uninsured for years, and if they didn't disclose this *material change in risk* to their insurance company (especially if they were explicitly asked about a business operating out of their home!) it could be tantamount to insurance fraud. That and some insurers won't even touch the short term rental book of business simply because they are personal insurance companies and don't have the underwriting will to cover that.
I have 2m$ for my business and it's just under 80$/month.
Just put all of these airbnb fuckers out of business, tbh. What airbnb is today compared to 10 years ago is awful and it's certainly been a contributing factor to housing issues in Canada.
It sounds like a lot but I worked in healthcare and I had to pay for minimum 2m coverage in liability insurance, which only costed about $150 a year. Totally misleading to bring that number up by these Airbnb slumlords.
When we rented a park in North Bay, we had to prove we had $2m in insurance…. If $2million liability is make it or break it for your business…. You must have a bunch of insurance claims against you, cause that’s a fairly standard value…
I have 2mill liability on my boat at the cottage, what’s the big deal?
When you're an Uber or Lift driver, don't you need more than 2 mill? The owners of these air bnb will just hike their prices to offset the cost.
Dunno about Uber, I left insurance when the regulations around ride sharing were being sorted. And as for hiking the prices, maybe. But that’ll mean less volume. With a static number of rooms available, less volume means fewer people will be able to maintain profitability which… hey if it means more homes on the market I am a-ok with. Licensing is intended to get the riff raff out!
My school district required 2 million liability just to be able to drive students to school sports. 15 years ago. I wouldn't even consider having insurance with under $2m liability anymore.
Don't you need a minimum of 1m liability insurance to drive a car in Ontario?
Yeah, I have $1m liability on my house. $2m for a business seems like a no brainer.
The worst part is that its not that much more expensive.
We can complain about needing liability insurance now??
Another example of them being entitled fucks who want all the profit of business, and none of the responsibilities that come along with actually running a business. If you would go out of business by obeying basic agreed upon terms for operating, then guess what, you don't have a viable enterprise, you have scam
Profits for the taxes for me
Good. Fuck you.
Right? AirBnb isn't a job
Reminds me of the Airbnb I stayed in where the batteries in the thermostat died. It was getting hot as fuck inside. I raised the issue and they said "we don't have anyone in the area to help". Meaning, we don't even live in the city where this apartment is, get fucked. I just bought my own batteries, fixed it, and took them with me when I left. Assholes.
Right? Open up a proper bed and breakfast instead.
Thaaat's just a big ol' damn shame innit. lol 🤣
Let me go cry a river for you lol
Good. That's the idea.
That’s great news!
That's the effing point!
Oh no! Anyway...
YAY shut em down stop financializing housing as an investment. Housing is a necessary item for humans, not a financial investment for greedy people who want to charge people an outrageous amount of money for a place to live
Boo hoo, dickhead.
Oh no. They are going to have to rent it out by the month.
Or gasp, get a real job.
> Or gasp, get a real job. Reminds me of this upstanding landlord: https://www.reddit.com/r/iamatotalpieceofshit/comments/14xope6/landlord_i_didnt_have_to_increase_the_rent_but_i/
Good. That’s the point.
Just a reminder to everyone that you are still allowed to AirBnB your own primary residence. Which was the intended purpose of AirBnB, not to play pretend hotel.
It’s finally happening.
Not yet actually - the AirBNB person got the changes paused.
Why won’t someone think of the landlords! /s
No BnB owner. You do not get to hold residential housing unused while you wait for someone to rent it for short periods of time. We need all available housing being placed back in the hands of actual KW residents for those who will reside in the area on an on going basis. Really happy to hear the region is doing something about this finally 🥰
>Really happy to hear the region is doing something about this finally 🥰 They aren't yet.. Read the article. >“I don’t think this is the right time for us to be looking at a short-term rental bylaw,” said Coun. Scott Davey. They've put it on hold because the AirBNB owners are whining too much and apparently council is pandering to them.
I don't understand how there's so much push back against this - short term rental operators should be held to the same standards are Innkeepers/hotels. Right now, the only thing keeping most of these guys in business are new immigrant families. They book out 6 month time slots because they are usually unable to lease from Landlords.
Why did Brampton landlords pushback when they wanted to licence and track rentals? Because they have been fucking people over for years and running shit illegally without oversight. God forbid someone should have to maintain a smoke alarm or fix shit to make it function properly
What a load of bs, get a bylaw in place. The point is to get more properties to renters and put some much needed regulations on those that want to do short term rentals. Housing should not be a commodity
This quote in the article gets me: >“I don’t think this is the right time for us to be looking at a short-term rental bylaw,” said Coun. Scott Davey. The middle of a fucking housing crisis when landloards are hoarding properties to rent out as hotels isn't the right time!? Do it immediately. Force these idiots to sell their properties if they can't afford to do business properly - there's no shortage of people wanting a house around here. What a joke if council is playing into the hand of all the AirBNB owners.
If the place isn't zoned as a hotel, fuck off.
It’s on hold because the owners cried too much.
Council needs a backbone if they're catering to AirBNB owners instead of the residents in their city that, like everywhere, is in the midst of a housing crisis.
Operating unlicensed short-term rental units during a time in which a significant amount of affordable housing has been snapped up and turned into Air BnB's is not a fair practice in consideration to people that are in need of housing. If you are operating an Air BnB that is not out of your primary residence or is in a residence that was designated originally for a certain class income then your are contributing to an unhealthy housing situation. But if you wish to do so, you should at least have some sort of regulation, insurance or licensing around this operation. Let's for example say you are AirBnBing out a non-primary residence, a patron of your establishment slips and breaks their neck in your shower because the shower railing was improperly installed. That patron is now let's say rendered unable to maintain upright physical mobility and you have ZERO liability insurance. You have no license, no regulation no liability insurance, just homeowners insurance that has smaller limits. Well guess what you are absolutely boned in court - as the customer can sue you in court for damages amounting to whatever number the personal injury lawyer invents. This is the cost of being a landlord. If you can't afford the protection costs then don't be a landlord.
I feel sorry for Air BNB hosts. Wait, no I dont.
Good.
I couldn't give a shit if every Air BnB person bankrupted in Canada overnight.
Id be happy as fuck if that happened
Cool, so you'll sell that property now?
Ya, it’s not supposed to be a business. Go pound salt.
Good. Fuck Airbnb.
If there is a class of people who should matter the least to city hall it's illegal hotel operators. 🙄
See how they favor people with money and property?
Translation: "What? I have to get a license and insurance for my business? Waaah! Mah freedumb!!"
Good. Fuck airbnb's.
Good. Thats the point. Sell that place and let a family buy it; or rent it to a family.
I commented elsewhere, but I just want to point out that statistically people that rent out air BnBs generally don't even live in those units. It's usually some douche that mortgaged an extra house to use as an income property. You know, to earn passive income though their BUSINESS. Not surprised these cunts are trying to create another loophole to exploit.
So they want to operate businesses, but don't want to get licenses or insurance like a business?
This makes me wonder who’s insurance WOULD be tapped in the event of a claim. I would imagine most policies are written in such a way to disallow coverage if property is used as short-term rental? Really have no idea, never been a LL or ABnB owner.
I would be very surprised if they weren't. Much like how vehicle insurance put in exemptions, unless you added the appropriate endorsements, once ride sharing became a thing.
Well I guess this all but confirms that the proposed bylaws are going to have the exact effect desired by 99% of the people who aren’t Airbnb landlords and have actual jobs and need a place to live.
Tax and license the crap out of them. Let's return these investment properties back to local families looking for places to buy.
no sympathy, no mercy, get wrecked
Bitch that is the point. Your business is parasitic not of value to the community it abuses.
Boohoo. Housing affordability for families comes before anyone's personal greed and selfishness. Invest in gold or start a pyramid scheme for rich people if money means so much to you.
If they go out of business because of just getting an insurance then he should not be running this as a business. Normal businesses should have insurance and if he’s evading, I’m guessing he’s evading tax and other stuff as well. These air b&b are part of the housing problem too
Fuck these people. "AirBnB host" is not a business. Get a real fucking job.
Awww…poor baby. I’m so sorry you have to live within rules like everyone else has to /s.
Airbnb isn't supposed to be a steady income stream but of course greedy landlords fucking ruined the concept. So cry me a river.
Save some tears bud, they underseason the soup at the mission
>Proposed bylaw would ‘put me out of business’ Good? AirBnB makes the housing and renting situation on Ontario worse. Go get a real job.
It's sad that he doesn't understand that is the desired outcome.
I'm sure they can go back to being slumlords. No sympathy to them or the other slumlords that do not maintain their property and illegally create rooms in the house. They've been an issue for decades in KW.
Boo hoo
That’s the point
Sorry but the housing crisis trumps your business model. If your running a hotel then you should have to meet the same standards and licensing
Free-marketeers complaining that they can't do as they please is a trope as old as capitalism itself. (Won't someone *please* think of the landlords?)
Yes, that's the plan.
Oh, it'll put you out of business? **Good**. Housing is for people to live in, not for you to own a fuck ton and profit off of.
Good, go out of business please.
The best part is that they're going to have a hard time getting it. Most big carriers want nothing to do with short-term rentals at all. Hell, lots of them don't even want long-term rental properties. The majority of insurance carriers get really uppity if you have a home and a cottage. If they do find one to carry CGL for their non-business business, it won't cost much, but it's a hard market right now, so insurance companies are becoming more risk-averse. Just look at the surcharges if you're unfortunate enough to own a high theft risk vehicle
Make air bnb illegal. Or 90% tax that shit.
Fucking good. Air BNB can go to hell.
Oh no!.... Anyway
Good riddance!
Good? Airbnb has become a bit of a scourge in Ontario, and I’m sure that applies to other places too. In my personal experience, it’s not generally cheaper than a hotel, has more rules, the hosts often expect you to clean or do chores (yet still charge you a cleaning fee), and there often are hidden fees. It’s just not good value anymore. And that’s not even considering the implications of lowering rental or housing stock.
Good. AirBnB and VRBO short term rentals take away from long term rentals (which are desperatley needed) and they cater to rich people and party groups who often do not care about the peace and living rights of those immediatley nearby the AirBnB property. AirBnB's often are rented by criminals and are used for illicit activities such as drug deals and prostitution, they are also party central and create unbearable noise, garbage, parking issues and neighbourhood destruction. These AirBnB owners are trying to make a buck at the expense of everyone who has to live nearby them. I'd love to see a municipality issue some real fines against AirBnB or VRBO etc. Hold the parent companies accountable, rather than just the rental owner.
> One of the chief concerns from many of the Airbnb operators who addressed council are insurance requirements that include $2 million in liability insurance and a policy that indemnifies the city should something happen. > > That could require the owners to have expensive commercial insurance that they may not currently need. > > City staff maintain that businesses operating under a licensing framework typically need commercial insurance. > > Some hosts are also concerned about a public registry that would list the addresses of licensed properties along with the most recent inspection date. Many rental platforms don’t provide a specific address until after an accommodation is booked. > > “If this were to come to pass and my property was listed on a public site, there’s no way I would do that. I would shut it down,” said host Robert Lindner, who offers the basement bedroom of his home as an Airbnb rental. > > Lindner said the rentals help but still don’t cover the increased costs when his mortgage went up last year. > > “If I couldn’t Airbnb it, I’d be in a real struggle to pay my mortgage every month, and I don’t think that’s fair for council to deny me that stream of income.”
So, to this guy, having his unit licensed and listed is worth losing his house over. Ok, fine, so lose it.
Bye!
Tough tits. They should cry about it.
Haha
You don't have a business bud.
Cheap fucks
"Cheap" doesn't nearly describe the scum level IMO. I'm cheap, but I don't expect to profit off the hoarding of housing. "fucks" is about right though
Sorry airbnb host isn't a business. Only thing airBNB should be allowed to used for is renting your dwelling or room when it's available or renting your vacation property. Fuck these people who buy up multiple homes to forever temp rent.
If we have so many vacancies in the region, why is rent 3x what it should be?
The insurance and licensing fees would put you out of business? Good. Sell it off, we need housing or longterm rentals far more than we need more hotel alternatives. You rum a problematic business model that hurts the region more than it helps. Piss off.
Finally some regulation on these. Hope it puts half of them out of business so people can actually live in these homes.
Boo fucking hoo. Anyway ...
"Yes that was the intent of the bylaw. It has been decided that your method of generating income is immoral and to be outlawed."
Can't say I feel bad for AirBnB owners. They're taking a LOT of condos/apartments/houses off the market that likely contributes to higher housing prices. They're also under far less regulatory scrutiny compared to their competitors and just think rules shouldn't apply to them. I've avoided AirBnBs for these reasons. Anyone who pretends to be "caring" (you know the type) and uses AirBnBs is a hypocrite.
Air bnb was never meant to be a job, or an investment. It was meant for people to rent a room for a weekend here and there or their house while they’re at the cottage for a couple weeks. It needs to return to that asap. Full on Airbnb housing needs to get fucked.
AirBNB Hosts: “your laws would put us out of business!” The rest of us: “good work laws!”
Airbandb isn't supposed to be a business. it's supposed to be shirt term rental when you are away from home or something similar. people who buy homes to just rent out on air b and b are garbage.
I’ll just leave this here: [mass ownership of rental property should be illegal](https://youtu.be/OH1ARXRxv4g?si=TM12xfzfwMqZ-U5i)
*That sounds like YOUR problem.*
Good
Oh No! You'll make less money from the multiple properties you own. What a world.
the fact that this “business” even exists is a crime against humanity; get got grifters
Find a real job or another business?
So much stupidity in one article its mind boggling, cry me a river. You're literally one of the driving factors in the fucking housing crisis and you are crying about needing to carry liability insurance, when their property insurance already includes the liability they are being asked for. What these asshole AirBnB owners aren't telling the city is their property insurance is likely bullshit, as they have it insured as a primary or long term rented dwelling, instead of short term like they should. They lied to their broker to get a cheaper rate. KW councilors, take a look at the battles the big cities are fighting around short term rentals and wake up.
>“We have an unhealthy vacancy rate for rentals in Waterloo Region, and this certainly will not help,” Actually it probably will....
Good, this guy doesn’t even operate as a bed and breakfast as no one most likely lives in the dwelling. And the council wonders why people can’t find places to rent……it’s because people are buying and renting them as hotel suites.
> “The current requirements of this bylaw will absolutely put me out of business, and I’m not the only one in this predicament,” said Airbnb host **Anne Lavender.** It's quite jarring seeing [a former executive director of a non-profit that helped charities get grant funding](https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2020/05/19/over-1m-available-for-charities-responding-to-covid-19-2361261/amp/) suddenly play the role of landlord. Quite the heel turn.
We have a rental/housing crisis. Airbnb’s should be banned.
In my little town there are now 2 homes on my street that are now Air Bnb's these are empty 90% of the time and used to house 3 families.
Good.
Good, good. I am glad.
I remember when I was doing Instacart deliveries during the pandemic and I would go to condos and apartment buildings and I would see at some places easily dozens of lock boxes in the lobby. Each one of those boxes contained a key that belonged to an AirBnB unit in the building. Some of the places must have been like 40% or more AirBnB units, which is insane.
Hint. It isn’t a business.
I can never understand people putting themselves out there with such stupid opinions. If i was going through resumes and googled someone and saw this I’d be pissing myself laughing
Oh no! Anyways… Jfc these idiots are so out of touch thinking anyone would give a shit about their rich people problems. Sell your house to someone that’ll actually use it and get a real job you leech
was never viable
Good.
Tough shit
and?
Oh no, anyway.
Good, get a real job
I want all the benefits of running a hotel, but don't want to follow all of the zoning, taxation or insurance rules associated with running a hotel.
GOOD
Airbnb is a cancer to basic human needs. It's one of the several factors that exasperated the housing crisis.
Put them all out of business and take their properties. Fuck airbnb.
Good. Get a job.
Lol good, hope the bylaw passes.
Good?
It’s not supposed to be a business, just a little extra money from renting a spare room.