In an update to a Speakers Corner story CityNews first brought you late last year, a Richmond Hill couple, who are Airbnb hosts, are breathing a sigh of relief after getting an eviction order for a guest who stopped paying and refused to check out. The couple, who spoke out back in November under condition of anonymity, had been battling to get the guest removed after they checked in last May and stopped making payments through the Airbnb platform shortly after.The guest had booked a one-year, long-term stay through the online rental agency agreeing to have Airbnb deduct their payment month-to-month to stay in a basement apartment. Three months in, the payments kept getting rejected by the credit card on file and despite pressure from Airbnb, who tried to help resolve the issue for the couple, the guest refused to check out. The couple who signed a non-disclosure agreement with Airbnb, could not speak about the update but according to Landlord Tenant Board (LTB) hearing documents, obtained by CityNews, the guest was ordered to pay up and get current on the amount owed or be evicted by a set deadline. They failed to meet that and were evicted in mid-January. According to the LTB documents, the amount owed was $12,000 in back rent. As we previously reported, Airbnb stays are not typically covered by the LTB but this story had a twist. The hosts had the guests sign a residential tenant agreement in addition to the agreement the guest made when they booked through the Airbnb platform. The couple, who up until that point had only allowed short-term stays, wanted added protection given the length of this guest’s stay. The question remains whether that additional rental lease helped or delayed the couple in being able to get the non-paying guests removed. “I definitely think it delayed this case,” said Paralegal Teri Landriault, who works with landlords but was not involved in this couple’s case. She said while the lease did help to get an eviction, it also gave the guest more time to stay. “When you have a case with LTB, it’s not always a quick process. I think in this case, had these landlords simply gone by the Airbnb contract, they would have had the tenant out much quicker. It is my understanding with those cases that if you don’t pay, you don’t stay.” But Landriault cautions long-term stays, whether covered by a lease or online booking platforms, can get tricky. “I would say if you’re an Airbnb host and find yourself with a similar problem, seek legal counsel,” she said. “Personally, I would avoid a long-term stay as a vacation rental because it starts to blur the line. And when you blur that line, you’re offering those guests protection as tenants, which could leave you as a landlord holding the bag, such as in this case.” If you have an issue, story or question you’d like us to look into, contact us.