Prince Edward County announced its proposed system for licensing Airbnb’s at a packed public meeting on April 16th.
Last October, Prince Edward County Council approved the initial measures needed to regulate Airbnb’s and directed staff to research and present a proposal for licensing by the end of March.
Some of the key features of the licensing proposal:
- The license costs will have two components: a per property fee and a per bedroom fee.
- Fees will be substantially lower for short-term rentals which are a primary residence, as compared to so-called “whole home” rentals.
- Properties must pass an inspection to get a license: “whole home” rentals need an inspection every 2 years while “primary residence” type Airbnb’s will need an inspection every 4 years.
- Annual property fees will be lower during the non-inspection years, reflecting the County’s lower cost.
- There will be significant penalties for violations of the licensing rules.
Now that Prince Edward County announced its proposed system for licensing Airbnb’s, municipal staff will welcome comments during the rest of April. The licensing proposal with any revisions will be presented to an initial Council meeting sometime in May, with ratification at a following Council meeting, likely in June.
The County will start taking applications for short-term accommodation licenses this summer but there will be a grace period with no enforcement until December 31, 2019.
Copies of the licensing proposal can be found on the County’s web site.
CountyLive.ca also had very good coverage of the meeting.
Top image credit: Myvector
Treat Hull spent three decades as a management consultant and marketing executive before moving to the County and taking up real estate. He is broker/owner of Treat Hull & Associates Ltd., a Prince Edward County brokerage which takes no listings and represents only buyers.
