The Airbnb platform was created in 2008 in San Francisco, California. Since then, she has faced changes in the rules, especially in France, where cities with high pressure on real estate intend to combat illegal tourist rentals.
In this context, the American platform announced on July 1 that unregistered advertising in the French capital is now banned. The decision, which already affects the new Parisian advertising from April 1 and will apply to Bordeaux in late July. By the end of the year, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Strasbourg and Toulouse will be affected. This new rule complements the limit of 120 nights per year, which is a condition for the ability to offer real estate located in France for rent on Airbnb. In addition, a change of use must be requested at the town hall.
According to Airbnb.fr: “The Digital Republic Act and the ELAN Act allow certain municipalities to establish a registration procedure for all furnished tourist accommodation. This simple, fast and free procedure allows you to obtain a registration number on the City Hall website and then report it in your advertising on Airbnb”. Only then can you rent a Paris apartment.
Airbnb will pay a fine of 8 million euros to the city of Paris
The date of July 1 also coincides with the victory of the city of Paris in the court of Paris in the proceedings initiated in 2019. Airbnb was ordered to pay a fine of more than 8 million euros. In fact, the mayor’s office accused the platform of storing 1,010 ads from 2017, which did not have a registration number. “Non-compliance with the requirements of the tourist code” and “uncivilized attitude” of the platform in the city, where there is an obvious lack of housing.
Airbnb reserves the right to appeal, considering the decision “questionable.” Referring to the law, which has been in force since 2017, the Paris City Council, for its part, reminded that cities that want to do so can request a registration number from that date, thus requiring the platforms to remove the disputed advertisement. 400 Parisian homeowners were also fined for illegal rent. For the city of Paris at stake is about 9 million euros.