New Twitter account in Vancouver calls out 'illegal' AirBnb properties
A new Twitter account based in Vancouver has a mission to call out properties in the city that are operating illegal short-term rentals.
The account, which uses the handle @VISTRO, says the “City of Vancouver won’t go after Airbnb. We will.”
Quite simply, the account, which was created just this month, looks for unlicensed short-term rental properties being offered on Airbnb and reports them directly to the municipal government.
And while the account is still new and growing (25 tweets have been posted, and 287 people follow the account at the time of this writing) it appears well on its purpose.
Some examples:
#VISTRO @CityofVancouver @CanRevAgency I’d like to report an illegal Airbnb: 1316 ARBUTUS ST https://t.co/IBeFRuzD0w
— VISTRO (@VISTRO11) October 30, 2017
#VISTRO @CityofVancouver @CanRevAgency I’d like to report an illegal Airbnb: 2152 West 3rd Ave https://t.co/oe7kiRYVqY
— VISTRO (@VISTRO11) October 30, 2017
#VISTRO @CityofVancouver @CanRevAgency I’d like to report an illegal Airbnb: 82 West 18th https://t.co/LjN4wycU63
— VISTRO (@VISTRO11) October 30, 2017
It remains to be seen what, if any sort of, effect this account will have on the owners of these properties.
All of this comes as Vancouver City Council is deliberating a new policy that will allow and regulate short-term rentals, which is a room or home rented out for less than 30 days at a time.