A longtime downtown tenant says she is at her wit's end dealing with what she calls the endless parade of Airbnb renters in her building.
And there doesn't appear to be anything that can be done about it for now.
The Gazette first spoke to Manon Wascher about the situation at her apartment building where she's lived for about 30 years - reporting that as many as a quarter of the 230 apartments are listed with the online short-term housing platform.
"There is no tourist season in this building- it's always tourist season. I never anticipated living in a hotel," Wascher told CJAD 800.
Wascher said the constant stream of Airbnb renters is wrecking her once peaceful life, noticing more and more tourists going in and out with their suitcases and partying all the time in her building.
"It's been growing slowly over the past few years and reaching a fever pitch now," said Wascher.
"Often we have elevators out of service, we have machines breaking, we have locks breaking. The noise level is usually quite high, things get messy, things get dirty, and it seems that people if they're in vacation mode, they behave quite differently from people living here who are day-to-day work and life."
Wascher's building is on Guy St. Airbnb rentals are only allowed on part of Ste Catherine St. in the Ville Marie borough. More provincial inspectors are coming but only in May.
"We are pretty limited in terms of what we can do. We truly need the provincial government to be active in that area so we can also become useful," said city councillor for Peter-McGill district Cathy Wong, who is preparing a list of complaints and addresses for the Revenu Quebec inspectors.
CJAD 800 is awaiting a response from CAPREIT, the owner of the property.
Wascher said she may not be able to wait for action.
"It seems to be getting worse so I'm still hoping. And if push comes to shove, I'll be gone," said Wascher.
"This is our home and we're living legally. Why shouldn't the illegal people be out of here instead of us?"