Minneapolis mails 731 warning letters to Airbnb scofflaws

The city of Minneapolis has mailed 731 letters to residents who list their homes as short-term rentals on sites such as Airbnb, warning them that if they do not either remove the listing or pay a registration fee, they could face a $500 fine.

The city is giving homeowners six weeks to comply with an ordinance passed in October that requires people who rent out their homes and the online platforms that advertise the properties to apply for municipal licenses and renew them each year. More than 3,000 properties in the city are listed on online rental platforms.

For those who rent out a room in their home but continue to live in it, no registration is required.

Those who rent out their whole home when they’re away must pay $46 per year for a license and may be subject to inspections. Those who rent out a home they don’t live in must get the same type of rental license required for a conventional landlord, and those licenses start at $70 per year.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-mails-731-letters-to-airbnb-scofflaws/475014673/