New monitoring contract approved for short-term rentals in Madison

The City of Madison now has a way to keep short-term rentals (STR) within the city limits in compliance with local laws, after approving a contract with Deckard Technologies to monitor these rental units.

The $8,000 contract utilizes the firm’s Rentalscape software to monitor the properties and supply a complaint form.

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What are the rules surrounding short-term rentals in Madison?

The Madison City Council approved short-term rentals within city limits June 22, but did so with several restrictions and guidelines attached. Those guidelines are precisely what Deckard Technologies has been tasked with enforcing. A short-term rental is defined as a fully furnished residential property rented to guests for brief periods (usually less than 30 days). These include Airbnb and VRBO properties.

Guidelines include:

• STR owners must obtain a special permit and renew it annually (at a cost of $350).
• A maximum of 190 STR’s are allowed to operate in the city with said permit.
• Hosts must alert neighbors that they are renting their residences.
• If a rental receives three complaints in a year, the city can suspend its permit.
• If a STR is located in an HOA neighborhood, they will need permission from the HOA to operate as a rental.
• Each STR unit must have a local point of contact.

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