Many lessors who put a property up for seasonal rental must pay an annual flat rate of 224 euros to Sacem. Since January, many hosts have been contacted on this subject, which has provoked multiple reactions.
Many owners offering properties for seasonal rental have explained that since January they have received a letter from Sacem (Society of Authors, Composers and Music Publishers) asking them to pay 223.97 euros per year. The reason: they provide “a means of dissemination – radio, television, CD player”. This is not a scam but with a completely legal approach, reports The Parisian.
“As soon as protected works are distributed in premises offered for sale, such as a seasonal rental, there is an act of communication to the public subject to copyright”, indeed indicated Jean-Félix Choukroun, director Sacem Customer Service. The organization offers seasonal accommodation providers to pay the same package as hotels. In case of non-payment, the fine can go up to 300,000 euros. Conversely, if the accommodation registers itself online, a 20% discount is offered.
A “disguised tax”
Thus, for some donors, Sacem’s approach is a “disguised tax” which would compensate for the future abolition of the TV license fee. “Because of a television, I am hit in the same way as a large hotel group which has dozens and dozens of rooms, it’s totally disproportionate and unfair ! “said one of them, who would have the intention to close his lodging.
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Conversely, some hoteliers felt that the payment of this contribution by rental companies made it possible to “restore the balance”. When questioned, the National Union for the Promotion and Development of Vacation Rental (UNPLV), which represents platforms such as Airbnb or Abritel, simply attested to the legality of the approach.