‘Nuisance’ Airbnb units spur review of short-term rental rules in Brampton

Multiple shootings, disruptions and complaints have the city looking at ways of pulling the licenses of problematic short-term rental units operating on websites like Airbnb.

“They get kicked off of one site but then somebody else comes in to take it, they know what they’re doing,” said Brampton City Coun. Michael Palleschi of a home in his area that’s been a headache for residents and police.

He says there have been three shootings at the short-term rental in recent years, and Coun. Paul Vicente said at a meeting last month he also has a problem property in his wards that is causing a “constant disruption to the community.”

While the majority of short-term renters and properties operate without issue, there have been multiple incidents linked to Airbnb rentals in Brampton in recent years.

In 2020, a Brampton short-term rental was the scene of a shooting where four people were injured. Later that year a Brampton rental was among several locations suspended by Airbnb in a crackdown on party houses.

Then in 2023, suspects linked to a Montreal gang were arrested after 22 rounds were fired into an Airbnb on Brickyard Way in Brampton.

With residents and councillors struggling with short-term rentals, council asked city staff last month to come back with a breakdown of how Brampton can hold property owners responsible.

A report going to council on Wednesday shows that the City Clerk already has the power to revoke or suspend the business license of a short-term rental, but there are hoops to jump through.

First, a complaint needs to be filed with Brampton’s Enforcement and By-law Services office about a “nuisance” at a licensed short-term rental.

City staff will then contact the host, complainant and property owner to inform them of the review which could include Peel Regional Police, Peel Public Health, and Fire and Emergency Services among others.

Once all the evidence is gathered the clerk’s office “will decide if it is in the public’s interest to suspend or revoke the license,” the report reads.

Suspensions come with a maximum length of 14 days and an appeal can then be filed to the City Clerk within 10 days, according to the report. Any further penalties would come after a hearing by the Brampton Appeal Tribunal.

Licences can be revoke or suspend if the holder is operating contrary to public interest, violating the license terms or found in non-compliance.

“A licensee whose licence has been revoked is not entitled to make a new application for the same or similar type of licence for a period of at least 12 months from the date of the refusal or revocation,” the report reads.

The report will go to Brampton City Council on Wednesday and could lead to changes or tweaks in how the city deals with nuisance short-term rentals, as Vicente said owners and hosts “operate their units in a way that does not cause constant disruption to the community.”