News British Columbia Accomodation

[Beerman]

Just received news that the BC government is going to implement new taxes for accommodation across BC from Oct 1 2018. The detail is important to anyone planning a trip there this coming season. See details in the link.

http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/taxes/sales-taxes/publications/notice-2018-004-pst-mrdt-accommodaton-providers.pdf

Your Accom provider will identify the guests that have balance payment due-dates after October 1st, 2018 and will be contacting them before that date.

You should receive an email from your Accom provider as well advising you to pay the balance prior to October 1, 2018 in order to avoid the additional tax.


This is the direction the online booking site has given to Owners:
Contact Your Guests Directly

· This increase is not controlled by The online booking site or yourself, the Provincial government is the cause. Make guests aware that no matter what website they book with, the tax applies to all short-term rental payments after October 1st, 2018.

· Let them know if they sign into their online booking site guest account, they can click on the "Pay" button on their reservation at any time to make the balance payment.

· Make them aware that if the payment occurs on or after October 1st, 2018, the additional taxes will be applied.

· If they need help with this process, the online booking site support team can provide assistance in having the balance paid.

 

[Schnitzelnschnapps]

Thanks for sharing! I was cursing having to pay for our Jan holiday months in advance. Now I'm cheering.

 

[gareth_oau]

I will be going through all my bookings over the weekend to see what can be accelerated

 

[blowfin]

So If I'm reading things right, is that an %11 increase in the cost of accommodation in BC?
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/taxes/sales-taxes/publications/pst-120-accommodation.pdf

 

[SnowRabbit]

Haven't we always paid tax on accommodation in BC.
Just looked at an invoice from my 2017 trip and I was charged 15% tax. Not sure if that was provincial or federal.

 

[Legs Akimbo]

I think that hotels, B&Bs etc have always paid it. This seems to be extending the tax to AirB&B and the like.

 

[Beerman]

From what I understand, it is designed to now encompass all accommodation, inc backpackers, Motor homes, Club houses etc. Some of these may have been flying below the radar for this type of tax. It appears to be more a tourist based tax, as no long term accommodation (27 days or more) is required to pay the new tax .

Next they'll be taxing Bus shelters.............

 

[gareth_oau]

Just book for more than 30 days and you avoid the tax

 

[Born2ski]

Looks like it's a change designed to catch owner direct accommodation (Airbnb etc). The government must have their cut of everything you do.

 

[Crystal]

what if you bypass the owner direct and Air B&B websites and talk direct to the owner...... no tax to be paid

 

[BilbyBill]

Just book for more than 30 days and you avoid the tax

Now 27 days instead of one month. Also a few more types of accommodation are included in the tax.

 

[sly_karma]

This tax is part of the provincial govt's ongoing attempts to relieve the rental housing crisis in BC. They're going after short term rentals (Air BnB, VRBO etc) as well as speculators who buy homes and don't live in them or rent them long term. There is also some major funding going into both purchase and construction of low income housing units. For the past year we've had the NDP in power (roughly equivalent to Aussie Labor party). So we have the disincentive model (add taxes until something changes), which I suppose might be better than the 'let the market decide' apathy of the previous 16 years of the centre right party.