August 17, 2016 - The borough of Plateau Mont-Royal does not trifle with illegal apartment rentals. It recently hired detectives to track down offenders renting their units in the short term using sites such as Airbnb.
The firm Quali-T Detectives has demonstrated the effectiveness of this initiative. More particularly, it was able to stop this illegal activity in which a citizen indulged. He rented two apartments on Lanaudière and Garnier streets.
An agent gathered sufficient evidence in the Garnier Street case. He first recorded a phone conversation without the knowledge of the offender. During this conversation, the landlord told him where to fetch the key giving access to the unit that the detective occupied from June 3 to June 5, 2016.
To catch these persons red handed, one must prove that the latter are engaged in illegal rentals. Detecting their ads on an exchange site is not enough. It must be proven that short-term commercial rental activities occurred.
In the case of the Lanaudière and Garnier Street landlord offender, Plateau Mont Royal filed an application for an injunction before the Superior Court. This demand asked a judge to order the respondent, to cease his illegal rental activities.
The Airbnb type rentals have increased tenfold in recent years on the Plateau Mont-Royal, which explains why its elected officials adopted a resolution , February last , authorizing the borough to institute legal proceedings to eradicate the practice where prohibited. This decision ensues from a number of complaints filed by outraged neighbors, who suffer incessant back and forth in their immovable.
We remind you that short-term rentals (hosting) is permitted only on high traffic thoroughfare of the Plateau Mont-Royal, for example, Saint-Laurent Boulevard or Saint-Denis Street. But in practice, this bylaw is constantly violated. Only for yesterday, the Airbnb website posted more than 300 rooms or apartments for rent on the Plateau. These rentals were scheduled for the upcoming weekend.
Montreal, August 17, 2016
Source: La Presse
