Hello! It was suggested I share my story. I started doing furnished rentals, in Toronto, back in 2016. For seven years, I offered both STR and MTR (medium-term) rentals. I obtained my STR license from the city of Toronto in December 2020. At the time, they asked me to describe my property and told me I qualified under the "up to three bedrooms, unlimited nights" category. Fast-forward to late 2023. I got an email telling me my license was going to be revoked because I went over the 180 night limit. Sadly, the phone conversation when they told me I could do unlimited nights was never recorded. However, the real problem was, they would not let me do medium-term rentals anymore. And the city has zero jurisdiction over the MTR category. Due to the way the bylaw was worded at the time, I could not be advertised on a booking platform of any kind in Toronto. Long story short, I am a senior, my furnished rentals income was a significant part of my retirement plan, and I am now struggling and at risk of losing my home where I was doing the rental. Given that they have now changed the bylaw again, so there can be only one dwelling unit per principal residence, I am no longer looking to do furnished rentals. (I also note that the 2025 version of the by-law - surprise, surprise! - omits to mention restrictions on advertising unregistered operators, and there is no longer any mention of the 12-month loss of licence) Dealing with the city has been difficult, punitive, and the bylaw is draconian. I'd be very interested in hearing how other hosts have been affected by some of the bylaw provisions and what they may have done to deal with license revocation. Deborah
