Over the next couple of weeks, the City of Bedford will mail a notice to owners of short-term rental properties in Bedford notifying them they are required to register their property with the City. This effort comes after the City Council recently adopted a short-term rental ordinance (Chapter 26, Article V) that establishes standards and processes for the regulation of these types of properties. A short-term rental property is identified as a residence/home that is
rented out to patrons for a period of less than 30 days at a time, such as Airbnb’s or vrbos.
The short-term rental program is intended to protect and preserve the integrity of our neighborhoods and overall community by regulating the terms under which a residence may be rented. These terms include a required annual property inspection and assuring property owners are registering for State-required Hotel Occupancy Tax payments.
The short-term rental program also addresses the following:
Terms to receive an approved permit (parking plan, local contact, liability insurance, etc.) for the short-term rental property
Occupancy limits
Ensures life safety matters are addressed at the residence
Requires annual fire inspection, repeat inspection, and change in ownership inspection
Establishes policy if property does not comply with regulations it is considered a zoning violation
Establishes permit and inspection/re-inspection fees, and penalties
The annual property inspection will check the property’s exterior, any accessory structures (such as a shed or carport), all interior rooms, electrical, plumbing, heating/air condition, appliances, and life safety matters (fire and carbon monoxide detectors). In addition, the inspection will ensure the home contains an occupant notification packet, which provides renters critical information about the rules of the home and applicable local ordinances.
Once an owner receives the notice to register from the City, they will have 30-days to complete their property registration on the City’s online portal, pay the $200 registration fee and $60 inspection fee, and request a property inspection by City Staff. The notice will also include a property checklist to guide the owner through the inspection process, outlining all areas of the property that will be inspected. If you are an owner of a short-term rental, there is no need to pursue registration prior to receiving notice from the City.
Annual short-term rental registrations will be processed through the City’s online permitting system, which can be found at
https://bedfordtx.viewpointcloud.com, where short-term rental owners can easily create an account (in just a few simple steps) and submit their annual registration.
Please note, City staff monitors short-term rental booking sites to identify properties in Bedford. Through these sites, City staff has identified approximately 40 short-term rental properties operating in Bedford and these property owners will receive a notice.