During what Orest Katolyk calls the “wild west” of short-term rentals — the time before regulations were put in place — bylaw officers in London, Ont., would have to rent properties listed on websites like Airbnb to check for infractions.
“We actually rented a shed several years ago that was near Western University, and it was being rented out as a kind of overnight stay for $35 a night,” said Katolyk, director of municipal compliance for the City of London.
The city had been fielding complaints from neighbours throughout the school year. Renting the property was a necessary step that allowed them to prosecute the case.
In recent years, municipal
