Collier County changing rules for short-term rentals

Reporter: Annette Montgomery Writer: Drew Hill
Published: Updated:
short term rental in Collier
Credit: WINK News

Collier County is looking to change the rules for short-term rentals. This is in hopes that it will solve noise issues.

Collier County Commissioners believe forcing every rental owner to pay a $50 registration fee and to provide a 24/7 contact is an excellent way to keep homes from turning into party houses.  They want owners to police their tenants.

Naples Park has a lot of rental properties, but those who do live there year-round like the changes. Steve Styles lives in Naples Park. “Every other house is a bed and breakfast now. There are two different types of people. There are residents and then there’s party people,” said Styles.

There is noise where there are signs, renters, neighbors, and even vacation rental owners agree.

“One time, I heard an altercation break out between some tenants, and they got very vocal and cussing words and things like that, and that was a little unnerving because I didn’t know if police would be involved because again,” said Styles. “He was screaming at the top of [his] lungs, and it was every word in the book.”

When there are renters, there is also trash. Melissa Ferraro also lives in Naples Park.  “A lot of renters who are coming in and out will often leave their trash in piles next to the road and it can sit there for days,” Ferraro said.

Noise and trash are two reasons why, starting in 2022, Collier County Commissioners will require vacation rental owners, like Eddie Desousa, to pay a $50 registration fee. They also will have to provide 24/7 contact information. The county wants that contact information in case there’s a problem with a short-term rental. “We should have some rules to control some of the issues you’re describing like noise, people having parties late at night, and some other issues,” Desoussa said.

Collier County leaders hope that all rental owners are willing to agree to the new terms. If a rental owner fails to register property, they can be fined up to $500 per violation per day.

These rules will go into effect starting on January 3, 2022. They’ll apply to all vacation and short-term rentals 6 months or less in Collier County, outside city limits.

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