City encourages Vancouverites to consider renting out their homes during the World Cup

With hotel spaces tight, the City of Vancouver says more people are expressing interest in renting out their homes to fans.

When tournament staff and tourists descend on Vancouver for the World Cup next June and July, they will need somewhere to stay.

It’s no secret Vancouver has a severe shortage of hotel room space. So, the city is encouraging Vancouverites to look into listing their primary residences on short-term rental sites like Airbnb during the nearly month-long event.

And it’s not just property owners who can become a short-term rental hosts.

“The basic rule is that if you live there, you can rent it,” said the city’s chief licence inspector Sarah Hicks.

“If you’re a renter, you need your landlord’s permission. And if you’re in a strata building, then you need your strata’s permission as well.”

Residents can even leave town during the World Cup and rent out their entire place while they are away.

“We don’t have specific limits on the number of nights that you can rent your place out. Ultimately, it still has to be your principal residence. So if you’re living there and taking a vacation, that absolutely works within the program,” said Hicks.

“If you’re looking to just rent your location over the World Cup time period over the summer, that’s totally OK.”

There is a significant up-front cost for new hosts. They will need provincial and municipal licences even if they only plan to rent their homes during the World Cup. The City of Vancouver charges $1,060 a year plus a $74 registration fee.

“Our fees are prorated based off the time that you purchase your license. So if somebody is purchasing their license in April, they’re not going to be paying the entire year’s fee,” said Hicks.

But if hosts wait until next May or June to sign up to save on licensing fees, they risk missing out on World Cup visitors who book further in advance. And they are not allowed to market or list the unit until it’s fully licensed.

With downtown hotel rooms during the World Cup asking up to $2,000 a night, Vancouverites who choose to rent out a room, a basement suite or their entire home have potential to cash in.

“It’s definitely a good opportunity for folks to consider sharing their home,” said Hicks.

But the city acknowledges the promise of easy money will likely attract short-term rental scammers.

“I think there’s always some bad actors who try to take advantage of these types of situations,” said Hicks.

CTV News has been investigating fake long-term tenants who illegally list furnished downtown condos on short-term rental sites, a fraud that will likely be even more profitable during the World Cup.

“It is really important in these circumstances … where landlords are finding their units online and they haven’t provided permission, to give us a call. We can get into those listings and work on that compliance right away,” said Hicks.

There is pressure to ensure the system works, because if not enough residents rent out their homes, an accommodation shortage could hurt Vancouver’s reputation when it once again welcomes the world.

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