Short-Term Accommodation providers are considered landlords with specific responsibilities and property requirements under the Ontario Fire Code Regulations for ensuring the fire safety of persons who rent your home or part of your home whether this is on a short term or long-term basis.
Indoors
Smoke Alarms
Every home in Ontario must have a working smoke alarm on every storey and outside all sleeping areas.Landlord Responsibilities:
- Ensure working smoke alarms are installed and maintained.
- Test smoke alarms annually and when the battery is replaced, changes are made to the electric circuit or a change in tenancy occurs. Records must be kept on the premises.
- Provide smoke alarm manufacturer’s maintenance instructions to tenants.
Best Practices:
- Install a smoke alarm in every bedroom of the home.
- Test smoke alarms monthly or in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
- Replace batteries in smoke alarms once per year or when the low-battery warning sounds.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Any house containing a fuel burning appliance, fireplace or an attached garage requires a carbon monoxide (CO) alarm installed adjacent to each sleeping area in the house. (Fuel-burning appliances include furnaces, hot water heaters, gas or wood fireplaces, portable fuel-burning heaters and generators, barbeques, stoves and vehicles.)
Landlord Responsibilities:
- Ensure working carbon monoxide alarms are installed and maintained.
- Test CO alarms annually and when the battery is replaced, changes are made to the electric circuit or a change in tenancy occurs. Records must be kept on the premises.
- Provide CO alarm manufacturer’s maintenance instructions to tenants.
Best Practices:
- Install a CO alarm on every storey of the home.
- Test CO alarm monthly or in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
- Replace batteries in CO alarms once per year or whenever the low-battery warning sounds.
Fire Extinguishers
Portable fire extinguishers with a minimum 2A-5BC rating shall be made available, visibly mounted on each floor area including the kitchen and shall be inspected and tagged annually.
Exit Plan
Landlords are to instruct occupants on the emergency procedures to be followed when a fire alarm sounds. Keep all escape routes clear of obstructions and easily accessible.
Candles
Ensure candles are in a sturdy fire-proof holder and away from anything that can burn or cause them to tip over. When you leave the room always blow them out.
Smoking
Smoking materials are the #1 cause of fire deaths. Follow these simple smoking safety tips to prevent a smoking-related fire:
- Be alert! Never smoke in bed, when drinking or taking medication or other drugs that can cause drowsiness.
- Always use large, deep ashtrays on a sturdy table.
- Before you throw out butts and ashes, make sure they are out. Dousing butts and ashes in water or sand is the best way to do this.
- Check under furniture cushions and in other places people smoke for cigarette butts that may have fallen out of sight.
- Never smoke in a home where oxygen is being used.
- Keep matches and lighters up high, out of children's sight and reach.
- When possible, smoke outdoors.
- Install a photoelectric smoke alarm above your favourite place to smoke. If you have a fire, you will get the early warning you need to escape.
Other Tips
- Use extension cords safely and not under carpets or obstructing walkways.
- Store gasoline-powered equipment outside of the house.
- Ensure containers for flammable liquids, solvent, adhesives and pressurized aerosol cans are approved and stored according to manufacturer recommendations.
- Keep furnace rooms free of clutter and ensure 1 meter clear area around each piece of service equipment.
- Ensure furnace filter has been replaced in the past year.
- Ensure fireplace chimney has been inspected and cleaned in the past year.
- Clean the dryer lint trap before each use and the whole dryer vent at least yearly.
Outdoors
- If a FIRE BAN is in effect, then no person shall start a fire or permit a fire to continue to burn, EXCEPT in a portable stove or BBQ.
- All campfires are to be no larger than 1m x 1m.
- Please check our website for active Burn Bans.
- For more information please see our Open Air Burning By-law or contact Erin Tyers at 613-856-2226 or etyres@greaternapanee.com.
Other Things to Consider
Accessibility
The Province of Ontario has established mandatory accessibility standards through the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) that identify, remove and prevent barriers for people with disabilities. The regulations include customer service requirements, employment and workplace standards for businesses with one or more employees.
Dogs
Guests who bring dogs should be mindful that their dog is in an unfamiliar territory. The dog may bark incessantly, dig or wander off the property if not leashed.
- Guests should always clean up after the dog when it leaves waste.
- The risk of wildlife interactions is very real.
- Dogs are not allowed on any public beach in the Town.
- Dogs found running at large are subject to seizure and impound with all fines and fees payable by the owner.
Septic Systems
Your guests may not be familiar with using a septic system. To ensure the health of your septic system and protect the local groundwater ensure the system is inspected regularly and pumped when necessary. Occupants should:
- Never put greases down the drain
- Never flush cigarette butts, paper towels, sanitary napkins, tampons, condoms, disposable diapers, plastics or similar non-biodegradables down the drains.
- Dispose of chemicals and fuels at appropriate waste sites.
- Use excessively use water as septic systems need time to work.
- Avoid caustic drain openers and cleaners.
- Do not park or drive over the leaching bed area.
If you have an inquiry regarding septic/sewage systems please contact Development Services at pvienneau@greaternapanee.com.
Marketing Your Short Term Accommodation
There are a variety of strategies you can use to market your business. Select methods that resonate with the guests you wish to attract. Suggestions include:
- Utilize a listing channel such as Airbnb or HomeAway.
- Have a professional quality website with lots of photos.
- Be active on Social Media.
- List on free classified ads sites.
- Explore SEO and content marketing possibilities.
- Connect with local businesses.
- Develop referral and/or repeat customer incentives.
- Partner with other providers on print/media opportunities.
For more information please see our Economic Development page.
Helpful Marketing Resources - Destination Ontario Tourism
Local Attractions and Experiences
Please visit the Naturally L&A website for a list of businesses, attractions, and experiences.
Neighbours and Community
Benefits of Short-Term Accommodations
Positive Economic Impact
Short term accommodations can have a positive economic impact on the local economy as guests spend money on local amenities such as attractions, experiences, restaurants and retail establishments.
Increased Publicity
Short term accommodations attract individuals from varied backgrounds who may not be accessible through the traditional accommodation channels. Increases in publicity can lead to increased interest in investing and/or relocating to the area.
Regular Property Maintenance
Short term accommodations are a marketable commodity with high guest expectations. There is increased pressure on operators to keep properties well-maintained and updated.
Community Concerns
It is important to remember that our Town receives thousands of visitors each year and the overwhelming majority of them do so with regard to all. Nevertheless, here are some of the common concerns raised by our community.
Noise Disruptions
It can be very upsetting to have the quiet solitude of our Town unnecessarily disturbed. The Town takes violations of the noise by-law very seriously. Individual first-time violators of our noise by-law face fines of up to $5,000.
Fireworks
If you are celebrating using fireworks, ensure there isn't a Fire Ban in place, and you are being safe. Please be mindful of your neighbours and the time of day.
Garbage
Strewing and dumping of garbage (including at Waste Site gates during non-operating hours) is unacceptable and impacts our local ecology. When dumping occurs, our Town works quickly to locate the culprit and prevent further recurrences. Our Public Works department does extensive outreach to residents and guests to ensure waste can be properly disposed of. Public Works is continually evaluating solutions that may improve the waste disposal experience for renters and guests.
