GST/HST in Ontario Canada

[Gary287]

We just registered for an HST # in Ontario, I then provided my tax info to Airbnb. 

Now when we preview our listing as a guest, it is not showing any taxes being collected, which I'm confused by, as I was told that Airbnb will still be collecting the taxes on our behalf. I was expecting that they would now collect the taxes, on top of our listing and remit it to us, and we would be responsible for paying the HST. 

I had a chat with an Airbnb support specialist and this is what he said:

**[Private conversation removed in line with the Community Center Guidelines]

I'm looking for some answers on this question, before I start getting bookings, as I cannot afford to take a 13% hit on our listing. 

My listing is here if anyone else would like to look at it and see if they're getting quoted with the taxes included. https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/17491239?guests=1&adults=1&s=67&unique_share_id=0f19cb8c-de55-4340-a4d7-...

Thanks for any help

[Pat271]

@Gary287  I am not seeing your taxes included when I attempt to book as guest.

I don’t know if Ontario is any different, but for my properties I had to enable Airbnb Professional Tools, and then I was able to add various taxes under a section in my listing, and now the total taxes show up as a line item when the guest books. The taxes are collected as part of the guest’s total and remitted to me, and I remit all of the taxes the guest paid to the government every month.

In reading the link that CS provided to you above, I interpret it as saying that they will no longer collect and send taxes to the government now that you’re registered, so you’ll have to set up the collection the way I described above.

[Barbara3016]

Hi there, I am also having the same issue. How did you enable the Professional Tools? 

Thanks in advance,

Barbara

[Pat271]

@Barbara3016 @Lisa7028  You can set up Professional tools by clicking your profile picture and going to Account/Professional Hosting Tools, and clicking the Manage link.

[Lisa7028]

It seems the professional tools are only if someone has more than one listing

[Barbara3016]

Hi Gary, I see that the taxes are now being charged on your listing. Is your tax info still saved on your account? I provided my tax info but I don't see the HST being charged, can you let me know how you were able to resolve your issue?

Thanks!

Barbara

[Lisa7028]

Yes I see the hst added on your listing. Where did you add it on your listing?  I am just hoping that when I do add hst that it doesn’t turn some guests away because they also pay the Airbnb fee.  🙄

[Michael2548]

In the same boat here.

We actually got audited because of this. If you are an HST registrant, and have an HST number, your are NOT ALLOWED to have anyone else collect your HST oh your behalf - heard this directly from the CRA. If you are HST registered, then it is YOUR JOB to collect and remit HST. 

But in order to prove that you have collected and remitted HST, you need to produce invoices that shows you have done so. Currently the guest invoices have no HST line item and no ability to add it. Oh but conveniently they added an occupancy tax line for 2023, which is 13% of THEIR guest service fee. So they are being complaint with CAD/Ontario tax law, but not giving hosts the ability to do the same.

The net result is no matter how much you up your price to try and include HST, without an invoice that says you have done so, the government will demand 13% on whatever your gross earnings are.

Was on the phone w Airbnb for an hour, all they said is that "they are working on it". Insanity.

From what I can tell, professional tools doesn't solve for this in ontario. 

[Natascha89]

Have you been able to solve this issue? 
having the same question and Airbnb support is useless.

[Tom4051]

I have a new listing after a 5 year hiatus.  
I see HST getting added on by Airbnb when I look at the listing as a guest. 

in my town it seems half have Taxes added to the listing in the breakdown but half don’t.  

if a listing does not have taxes listed in the breakdown does that mean the host is responsible for taking 13% of their gross for the listing and submitting it to the government?  And how did that host manage to get the tax line removed from the Airbnb listing?

on another note, I didn’t think you have to charge hst if you do under 30.000$ in sales or something