AirBnB, VRBO and Furnished Finders offer a wide assortment of overnight get-aways for sun-seeking Northerners and traveling businesses people.

For the property owners this can be great way to earn some extra cash.

But, short-term rentals can also be a real thorn to some neighbors who take issue with trash being left out on incorrect days among an assortment of problems.

In the past, people have clamored asking their local governments to ban short-term rentals. But Florida law prevents local governments from doing that.

What local governments may do is adopt regulations requiring registration and setting up some basic parameters that addresses some neighborhood complaints.

And that’s just what Okeechobee County did recently.

Residents and homeowners who rent out their properties under 30 days at a time will be required to have their properties registered annually and inspected. The county can also issue a maximum occupancy limit based on the size of the unit.

All vacation rentals must have functioning smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms. The owner of the property or a designated person must be available anytime day or night by telephone. And they must be promptly available to handle any issues that arise, among other things.

Violators face having their certificate of registration revoked.

The decision to regulate vacation rentals was unanimous.

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