Last December, the Répertoire des établissements d’hébergement touristique enregistrés (register of registered tourist accommodation establishments) was launched. This new online tool was created by the ministère du Tourisme (department of tourism) to crack down on illegal tourist rentals and encourage compliance with the law, especially safety regulations. Before booking a place, make sure it’s legal!
Is the place registered?
Before renting a place, make sure that it’s legally available for rent. To do this, check if the registration number listed in the rental ad appears in the Répertoire des établissements d’hébergement touristique enregistrés (French only).
Short-term rentals to tourists must be registered as “tourist accommodation”. These places must display their registration certificate near the main entrance and include their registration number in any advertisement or publicity, such as on platforms like Airbnb or Vrbo.
If the place doesn’t have a registration certificate, the person renting it out may not have the legal right to do so!
If the person is a tenant rather than the owner, renting to tourists may be considered subletting or a commercial lease. Both of these require the landlord’s permission.
Even if the person owns the unit, they may not be allowed to rent it. Some condo association have by-laws that prohibit short-term rentals.
You may find yourself out on the street if the person advertising the place does not have the right to rent it!
Too good to be true?
A place may look great in online pictures. But you may wish to do additional research, like looking at the comments section, to see if it’s really as good as it appears online.
The person renting the place must also ensure that it’s in proper condition when you arrive so that you can enjoy it as you would expect to.
If the place does not match its online description or if it’s in poor condition when you arrive, you can ask for compensation. You can start by trying to reach an agreement with the person. If that doesn’t work, you could consider taking them to court.
Make yourself at home (and act accordingly)
Behave as if you were at home. That is, do not disturb your neighbours or prevent them from enjoying their own units in any way.
When you leave, make sure the place is in the same condition as when you arrived. If you cause any damage to the unit during your stay, you could be held responsible for the costs involved.
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Stricter Rules in Montreal? In January 2025, Mayor Valérie Plante’s administration announced plans to tighten the rules on short-term rentals in Montreal. The city aims to ease the housing crisis and bring thousands of units back to the local market. The new by-law is planned to take effect on June 10, 2025. With some exceptions, it would ban short-term rentals of primary residences year-round, except from June 10 to September 10. |