Quebec’s rental board has sided with a property owner in a case involving a tenant and Airbnb.

In a decision issued last month, a condo tenant has been told to stop advertising his rented condo in the Le V building on Rene-Levesque Blvd. in downtown Montreal.

The all-inclusive units in the heart of the city rent for about $2,000 per month, leading some tenants to take to Airbnb to capitalize.

“It's a pretty easy way to make a quick buck on the side. They don't really think about the laws and regulations that come with it,” said Tristan Pungartnik of Summit Property Management, which manages the building.

For almost two years Le V has had an issue with tenant Quan Sheng Li, who has been subleasing his unit on Airbnb.

Quan's condo was booked for 80 per cent of July, August and September and none of the sublets had been approved by the landlord.

“You have the right, according to the law, to sublease your dwelling, but you have to get the authorization of your landlord to do so, but he didn't,” said Ted Wright of the Westmount Legal Clinic, who often works on tenants’ rights issues.

Le V wants to cancel its lease with Quan; last month it won a partial victory at the rental board.

“The commissioner ordered the tenant to stop immediately to sublease his dwelling. If not, if he doesn't do so, so he gives the landlord the authorization to do so - to change the lock,” said Pungartnik.

Le V said it has no issue with subleases so long as people respect the law and the rules.

“There's a process to follow. They have to advise us. We have 15 days to accept or refuse and if we refuse we have to have a valid reason,” said Pungartnik.

Quan isn't the only tenant subletting through Airbnb. The building management is cracking down.

Pungartnik said there were red flags with Quan immediately.

“When someone asks you for four keys or someone asks to block long-distance phone calls, which are included here now, we know those are red flags for someone who's looking to potentially rent short-term on sites like Airbnb,” he said.

Quan refused CTV’s request for an interview, saying the rental board hearing to cancel his lease has yet to be held.

That hearing takes place Sept. 26.