The mayor of Paris is stepping up its fight against the abuse of certain rental companies on platforms like Airbnb, thanks to record fines. These financial penalties are up from previous years.
Airbnb is already in the sights of the National Assembly and the Senate, but this is not enough to restore a fair balance between tourist rental and accommodation for locals in large cities. In Paris, where the problem is taking on uncontrollable proportions, the town hall had even imagined completely banning the platform in 2019. The consequence of the multiplication of short-term rentals is rather negative, since rents in the city have been skyrocketing for a few years. To limit this impact, the town hall of Paris distributes fines to rental companies who do not respect the rules.
Record fines for landlords
The rental of an Airbnb is strictly regulated in Paris: no more than 120 days per year, and the rented property must be the main residence of the owner. He must also pay a special declaration to the town hall for his property to be registered. Despite this, many are not respecting the rules in certain popular neighborhoods. It must be said that a short-term rental can pay off big. The town hall has therefore hardened the tone.
The media France info contacted the town hall. In 2021, fines imposed on outlaw owners averaged 20,000 euros. This year, this average is 31,000 euros. The approach here is clear: to dissuade owners from continuing to operate illegally, as explained by Ian Brossat, deputy mayor of Paris. So far, financial penalties have proven to be an effective means of limiting violations.
A considerable financial impact
The advantage of these fines is also to generate quite significant revenue for the town hall. Since 2021, the total revenue from these fines has brought in 6.5 million euros. An amount to which must be added that of the fines imposed on platforms that do not respect the rules. The total sum therefore reaches 10 million euros. This global approach, targeting both owners and rental platforms, shows that the Paris City Hall is not deaf to the problem and is trying to maintain control of the tourist rental market.
The development of Airbnb in the early days of the platform represented an advantage for cities, since the accommodations attracted tourists who did not necessarily have the means to stay in a hotel. Unfortunately, over the years, some owners have been able to exploit this rental system to the end, even if it means breaking the law. Short-term rentals have emerged exponentially in some places, causing rents to soar and making it impossible for locals to find proper accommodation. In Paris, the town hall reacts and raises the tone. Better late than never.
Source : France info
14