LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — There are more than 700 registered short term rentals in the Lexington area and likely another 400 operating without a license.
There is now a tipline to report issues.
"This allows for citizens to call and make complaints about all manner of violations under the ordinance, for us to be able to know where those are and investigate and potentially cite them," said Director of Revenue Wesley Hollbrook.
He said the tipline will help streamline the process of receiving complaints to every department involved to hopefully get them resolved sooner.
Notifications will be sent to property owners so they are aware of concerns regarding activities of their properties.
Examples of violations of the short-term rental ordinance include parties that exceed the occupancy of the property or if you violate the noise ordinance after 11 p.m.
Holbrook said you could also be cited if a felony is committed on the property. You could be cited for that, or if you're operating without a license, you could be cited up to $500 a day.
He said the online portal also allows people to provide evidence.
“This way there’s a tool that allows us to collect photos and videos that the complainants can attach that way, so we can use that to issue a citation or just part of our evidence gathering process,” said Hollbrook.
LEX18 reached out to Airbnb for comment. A spokesperson said:
“We applaud the city for investing in new resources that allow hosts to quickly address concerns. The hotline complements existing Airbnb resources to promote responsible tourism, such as our reservation screening technology, dedicated anti-party defenses, and Neighborhood Hood Support Line.”
- Vincent Frillici, Public Policy Manager at Airbnb
The online portal can be accessed here.
