Toronto Sun Life Financial Tower & Harbour Plaza Residences | 236.51m | 67s | Menkes | Sweeny &Co

There are condos around that are quite strict about their short term rental units. My building shuts them down as soon as they find them. Fines are levied if they don't get the picture.

Finding them is getting really hard. Some in my building have taken to meeting clients a couple blocks away and do not post their exact/correct location. Security actually stop everyone with a suitcase going through the lobby who was given access or a key. There's even one guy who registers the guest in an official manner with building management as a "cousin" staying for a few days. I would never stay at such a vague listing but many do. Heck, one poor fellow was renting out his unit and he didn't even know it; his girlfriend was renting it out when he was away.

As with most people breaking the rules, only the obvious ones get caught before there is a major problem (bad guest causes big problems).
 
Finding them is getting really hard. Some in my building have taken to meeting clients a couple blocks away and do not post their exact/correct location. Security actually stop everyone with a suitcase going through the lobby who was given access or a key. There's even one guy who registers the guest in an official manner with building management as a "cousin" staying for a few days. I would never stay at such a vague listing but many do. Heck, one poor fellow was renting out his unit and he didn't even know it; his girlfriend was renting it out when he was away.

Now that's a job for mystery shoppers - ferreting out these units.

AoD
 
Now that's a job for mystery shoppers - ferreting out these units.

That would be a good way of solving it. Of course, you'd need several condo boards in the area working together on it because from interior shots it could be any number of new buildings on the street.
 
That would be a good way of solving it. Of course, you'd need several condo boards in the area working together on it because from interior shots it could be any number of new buildings on the street.

You almost need a federation of condo associations to undertake these type of work. Come to think of it, why isn't there one already?

AoD
 
Finding them is getting really hard. Some in my building have taken to meeting clients a couple blocks away and do not post their exact/correct location. Security actually stop everyone with a suitcase going through the lobby who was given access or a key. There's even one guy who registers the guest in an official manner with building management as a "cousin" staying for a few days. I would never stay at such a vague listing but many do. Heck, one poor fellow was renting out his unit and he didn't even know it; his girlfriend was renting it out when he was away.

As with most people breaking the rules, only the obvious ones get caught before there is a major problem (bad guest causes big problems).

If it's just left up to the condo associations, attempts to block are likely going to fail. There are a lot of resident owners and long term renters that get involved too, occasionally going through airbnb's listings trying to make sure there aren't any listings for their building.
 
As far as I recall the proposed new rules will require written permission from the condo management in order to register the place with the city and pay fee. I assume that the city may want to change the zoning from residential to commercial as this in fact becomes source of income for the owner.
 
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Why the negativity surrounding airbnb? I'm honestly curious. I have stayed in many and generally prefer them over a hotel.
Is it the fear that they will be rowdy or trash the place?
I can understand not wanting that to happen, but I think most people are well mannered. Maybe that is not the case.
You create a profile (Hosts and renters) and give feed back and ratings etc. Smart hosts rent out to people who have good feed back. And vice versa.
 
The negativity is certainly justified and the situation inherently problematic if you are an owner/longterm resident and the unit next door to you is being used as a hotel room for strangers- regardless of how 'well-mannered' these guests are.

Also AirBnB drives up rents by reducing rental/condo inventory in an area. So even if you don't live in the area you shouldn't like AirBnB as it drives up your rent by virtue of its existence.
 
Why the negativity surrounding airbnb? I'm honestly curious. I have stayed in many and generally prefer them over a hotel.
Is it the fear that they will be rowdy or trash the place?
I can understand not wanting that to happen, but I think most people are well mannered. Maybe that is not the case.
You create a profile (Hosts and renters) and give feed back and ratings etc. Smart hosts rent out to people who have good feed back. And vice versa.

The BnBers in our condo have been quite a nuisance, at the expense of any resident who actually has to live in the building, as opposed to the absentee landlords who profit mightily on AirBNB. The absentee landlords do not live in our building -so they're not concerned about the guests' ratings.

They've vandalized common areas, trashed amenities spaces and taken over the pool/gym area 24/7. You often see drunken hooliganism in the elevators (spilled beer and shot beer cans is quite common), and transient strangers are being led in all the time. The condo board isn't a hotel management company, and just isn't equipped or properly funded to deal with this mess.
 
A lot of the downtown AirBnBs aren't let out to typical clean, kind tourists, but rather as predrinking spots /places to crash for 905'ers coming downtown to go to the clubs. those are the problem causers.
 

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