Condo owners in the Tours des Canadiens go so far as to hide clients in a car to sneak them into their Airbnb, even though it has been illegal since 2018.
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“Every week, there are people who try to rent their condo. Some go so far as to hide customers and their suitcases in their car to make them go through the garage, but we see them, ”says François Guité, of the Celico real estate group.
His company manages Tour des Canadiens 1 (TDC1). In the past, the numerous parties that took place in units for rent on Airbnb forced the syndicate of this condominium to ban short-term rentals.
The mess of revelers in this tower had made headlines many times. The building was known to be a place to gather visitors after a show or even a hockey game at the Bell Centre.
“Since 2018, it has been illegal to rent a condo for less than 31 days. The settlement has reduced Airbnb’s problems in the Tower by at least 80%, but there will always be some, ”says Mr. Guité.
Salty fines
The three Tours des Canadiens are located in the Ville-Marie borough in Montreal.
Yet, according to municipal bylaws and provincial law, these three buildings cannot rent short-term accommodations on platforms like Airbnb.
Mr. Guité assures that the TDC1 condominium syndicate is merciless to owners who break their rule.
“We give fines of around $1,000 a day for this kind of offence,” explains François Guité. We have been excessively strict since 2018. We monitor all our cameras and the doormen check that each person is in order.
Tourists who dare to book are also eagerly awaited.
“As soon as they arrive with their suitcases, they are asked to leave to go to the hotel. Airbnb reimburses customers without problem when this happens, ”he notes.
Up to $355 per night
According to checks by Journalseveral classified ads still offer rooms for rent in these downtown buildings.
Screenshot of the Airbnb website
Screenshot of the Airbnb website
“Modern apartment in the heart of downtown Montreal!” reads one of these ads. The host also rents his unit in the TDC1 for the sum of $355 per night.
François Guité admits that several co-owners will continue this trade, even if it is illegal, since Airbnb has become very profitable.
“What more do you want us to do? I can’t stop people from putting ads on these sites,” he says.