Vancouver Councillors Demand Action from Airbnb Over Illegal Listings

URGENT UPDATE: Vancouver city councillors are pressing Airbnb for answers following alarming reports of illegal listings by long-term tenants. Investigations by CTV News reveal multiple condo owners, including Hossein Tavakoli and Silbi Kim, have discovered their properties listed on the platform without their consent.

Just announced: Councillor Tavakoli uncovered the issue when a guest arrived at his downtown Vancouver condo, expecting to meet his long-term tenant. He reported the incident in August, igniting a troubling trend as other property owners came forward with similar stories. “It’s clearly a widespread problem,” said Green Party Councillor Pete Fry.

Councillor Fry expressed his dismay at Airbnb’s inaction. Despite the city’s memorandum of understanding with the platform, which mandates that landlords must authorize listings and that the host’s residence must be primary, many fraudulent listings remain active. “I’m quite disappointed to learn that Airbnb is not taking down these listings,” Fry stated.

Councillor Peter Meiszner echoed these concerns, stressing the importance of knowing who occupies rental properties. “Not knowing who is living in your property is very concerning,” he said, confirming he would pursue discussions with Airbnb and the city manager.

As part of the regulations, Airbnb hosts are required to display a municipal and provincial registration number. However, Tavakoli’s unit featured a fake exemption claim—something impossible for a downtown Vancouver condo. “It would be nice if our partners at Airbnb ensured that listings have accurate business licenses,” Fry remarked.

In a media briefing, Premier David Eby acknowledged the ongoing issues with illegal listings and assured that the province is working on stricter regulations for short-term rental companies. “We are in a multi-phase process with short-term rental companies around regulation in the province,” Eby said.

The urgency of this matter is escalating, as affected owners and city officials push for immediate reforms. As Airbnb faces scrutiny, property owners demand accountability and assurance that their investments are protected from misuse.

Stay tuned for further updates as this story develops. The implications of these illegal listings could reshape rental regulations across Vancouver and beyond, making this a critical issue for homeowners and tenants alike.