The punch operation took place in a quiet area of Biarritz, near the ocean, where nothing usually disturbs the ambient tranquility. Monday, June 19, in the morning, about twenty activists from Alda, an association for the defense of access to housing, took over a tourist accommodation and unfurled banners on the balconies and the front of the house with the slogan “Herrian bizi nahi dugu” (“We want to live in the country” in Basque).
Another entry, “Rape [de la] compensation = 50,000 euros fine”refers to the principle of compensation for tourist accommodation, which entered into force on 1er March in the Basque Country Community, and which provides that accommodation transformed into furnished tourist accommodation must be compensated by the transformation of a business or office into housing. This compensation thus makes it possible to reconstitute the “loss” of a dwelling by creating another dwelling. The measure is binding since the premises must be of at least equivalent surface area and located in the same municipality.
The association entered without incident the furnished tourist accommodation, on the first floor of the building Les Marguerites. She had rented the accommodation, legally, for three days and at the price of 450 euros, via the Gites.fr rental platform, and is considering a “unlimited occupancy”time to get results. “The problem with these Daisies is that the owner had no right to rent them for short-term rentals.assures Malika Peyraut, one of the leaders of the Alda movement. In the past, the complex was inhabited all year round, then it became furnished tourist accommodation. The housing on the ground floor then became a year-round dwelling again, this is not the case for the first floor, which is therefore illegal, for lack of satisfying the obligation of compensation. »
“Pedagogical action”
In full launch of the high tourist season, the militants of Alda then went to the meeting of the neighbors to explain their action, leaflets with the support. Another grievance is alleged against the company that owns the small building: according to the association, it would rent the first floor on the Booking.com and Gites.fr platforms under an incorrect registration number. However, illegal ads can be subject to financial penalties for rental companies but also platforms.
A telephone dialogue initiated with the owner quickly turns short: the latter argues for an approach to the town hall before hanging up. Alda, for its part, has a ready-made argument: if the registration of the tourist accommodation is not valid, its activists can then stay longer than the three days planned, and switch to a classic lease, i.e. a duration of three years. !
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