Occupancy tax - retroactive collecting?

[David-and-Trang0]

I was notified late in 2018 that Marin County had come to an agreement with ABB to collect a 10% Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT). However there was a 4-5 month time frame when ABB did NOT collect these TOT taxes and now the county wants me to pay for that amount with penalty of course. I'm guessing it's too late to chase after all those guests for the 10% amount (around June to late October last year). I just went ahead and paid for the TOT with penalty and interest just so I would not accrue anymore penalties however it's a good chunk of change ($1500). I'm guessing I'm screwed? Or can I try to request fees even though so many months have passed?

[Donna240]

@David-and-Trang0 To paraphrase you "You're screwed". I seriously doubt that anyone will pay you retroactively. they booked at one price, it was accepted and that's that. I am in the same boat with another company, only they have collected the taxes all along, for the past 3 years and I have been trying to sort it out ever since. they say they pay monthly, the tasx department says nothing has been added to my TOT account, and demand payment. Office of STR can do nothing because they do not collect taxs. The city tax department says I should sort it out with STR, STR says i should sort it out with the platform. I finally got the platform to give me the tax account number they send the taxes to. It belongs to the platform and stays there, possibly being unapplied to any property. I've paid over $4500 so far and it stil is not settled, although the platform says they're trying to help me. 

The catch is the city opened a tax account with a web company that is not a QWC, qualified web company and unless they are, they are not allowed to pay on my behalf or collect on my behalf...catch 22.  I'm telling you all of this is case you keep your TOT account. Do not list bookings you get from Airbnb, or you will be double paying taxes forever. If Airbnb is your only listing platform, cancel your TOT account.