Residents in an Upper Mission neighbourhood of Kelowna, B.C., are pleading with the city to help shut down what they call a problem short-term rental home.
“I’ll be frank with you, I’m fed up,” said Dave Montpetit, who lives on Viewcrest Court. “Parties going on, we had a tour bus show up and drop people off, we had abusive tenants in the house that were renting it, they were swearing and intimidating and yelling at the neighbours.”
Earlier this month, there was another disturbing incident as Montpetit took his dog for an early-morning walk.
“I heard loud music followed by moaning and groaning,” Montpetit said. “There were people having sex in the pool, utterly shocked.”
Montpetit is far from alone as numerous residents on the street told Global News they are fed up.
“I have kids, and some of the stuff that goes on, like vulgar language, the partying, you know, obviously the sex on the street, you know, up in the pool,” said Trevor Bigelow, another concerned resident. “It’s just constant.”
Called Infiniti Villa, the home has been operating as a short-term rental for three years.
It’s listed on numerous platforms at more than $2,000 a night during peak season.
Residents were hopeful B.C.’s new legislation that stipulates the owner must live on the premises to rent would help shut down the operation, but that hasn’t happened.
“We know there is no owner there,” said Montpetit. “They reside in Vancouver.”
The land title shows the registered owners as having a Vancouver mailing address, although according to the website that may not reflect where they actually live.
No one at the Kelowna home answered the door Monday.
Residents are at their wits’ end and calling on the city to step in and do something.
“I’ve called the cops multiple times. I’ve called bylaw multiple times,” said Bigelow.
The city’s business licensing branch said the applicant has met the requirements for a licence but did not elaborate on how the home can continue operating in the wake of complaints over the years.
“Bottom line is we want this Airbnb gone permanently,” Montpetit said. “We just want to go back to a peaceful street where we feel safe.”