The City of West Kelowna could soon be increasing fines for short-term rentals that don91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t comply with local bylaws.
Richard and Debby Gill, residents of West Kelowna, brought up the issue at a city council meeting on Tuesday night.
Richard said he found a total of 374 short-term rentals in West Kelowna listed online with verified physical adresses, however 120 were found to be in non-compliance with existing regulations by not listing their rent locations.
READ MORE: Kelowna finally ready to allow short-term rentals
Increasing fines for repeat offenders is one simple solution to cracking down on the problem, Richard notes.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœWe want the bylaw updated to include the advertising violation, increase tickets from $500 to a $1000 and apply a $10,000 infraction fee for repeat offenders.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
Richard also said that 62 files were opened by the city around short-term rental operators in 2018 91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ” particularly around excessive noise, garbage and parking complaints.
Councillor Doug Findlater highlighted that if the regulations change, landlords would just rent out their homes in other ways.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœThere are many cities that feel they (short-term rentals) affect the calculation of the vacancy rate. If the houses weren91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t listed for short-term rentals, they91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™d be listed for rentals in another case.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
During the debate, Councillor Jayson Filkie took a more positive approach on the issue.
91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵœI don91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™t think all short-term rentals are bad. I know that because I91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™ve been to a lot of these places. A lot of people are using the rentals as a revenue stream or for when they91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™re going away.91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ
At the end of the discussion, councillors agreed to put forth a motion by Rick de Jong to investigate and assemble a report on Airbnb91ÂãÁÄÊÓƵ™s operating in West Kelowna over a six-month period by city staff. The report is scheduled to be presented back to council next spring.