In recent years, there has been a proliferation of vacation rentals in the Las Vegas area. The rentals can be found on web sites and phone apps such as VRBO, airbnb, and HomeAway. While these short term rentals can be a great alternative to a hotel, they can also be a nuisance to the neighbors.
Recently, a Canadian investor bought a large property in my neighborhood and set it up as a vacation rental. There was concern by many of my neighbors about the potential nuisance this could bring to the neighborhood. Unfortunately, about a week ago there was a renter who was very loud, with the noise continuing until 4 a.m. My neighbor approached me to ask what they could do about this situation. Initially, I suggested that they contact the property manager to complain about it. Then I began to research the law to see what other options my neighbor might have in regard to the nuisance.
The City of Las Vegas has its own set of rules with respect to short term vacation rentals. However, many people, myself included, live in unincorporated Clark County. Unfortunately, Clark County has not yet enacted any specific rules regarding short terms rentals. There is only one applicable rule which is that the County precludes any rentals of residential properties for periods of less than thirty days.
Therefore, virtually all vacation rentals in Clark County are not in compliance with county ordinances because the rental periods are normally under thirty days. You can report a violation of the ordinance at http://dsnet.co.clark.nv.us/CCComplaintsubmission/ Just click under “Neighborhood Nuisance” and there will be a section for “Daily, Weekly, Monthly rentals.” Please note that you will need to register on the Clark County website in order to make the complaint.
Another option is to consider whether there are any noise ordinances that they may be violating. Of course, many people call the police to complain. However, often times this does not provide relief. If Clark County were to take this on directly by passing ordinances specific to vacation rentals, enforcement would become easier for the police.
In sum, the best way to handle a nuisance issue with a vacation rental in your neighborhood is to 1. Pleasantly ask them to quiet down; 2. Complain to the property manager and/or owner; and 3. File a complaint with Clark County complaining of noise and/or an improper short term rental.
Click the link below to see a similar article we wrote about property rights in Clark County.