The legal troubles of the M6 host have repercussions on the real estate network that bears his name. A dozen agencies plan to leave the franchise. What about Burgundy?
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In Burgundy, a dozen real estate agencies spread over the territory bear the name of Stéphane Plaza. They are nearly 660 in France, and are part of a network launched in 2015 by the famous host. It is 51% owned by the M6 television channel.
At the beginning of January, 18 months suspended prison sentence and 10,000 euros fine were required against the television man judged for domestic violence. The decision of the Paris Criminal Court was deliberated on February 18, but the trial weakens the empire of the country’s most media real estate agent.
A lawyer specializing in real estate law in Montpellier, Me Sarah Laassir told AFP to have “Discussions with a dozen Stéphane Plaza franchisees” wanting to “Get out of the franchise”confirming information from France Inter.
Several dozen franchisees want to leave the network and have engaged the pre-contentious process, that is to say letters of formal notice, without referral to the court for the moment.
-Me Valentin SimonnetLawyer at the Paris Bar
These franchisees feel injured and consider it now difficult to use the image of Stéphane Plaza. “What they want today is to go out smoothly and to be able to put another brand because they face refusals of mandates, sellers who ask them to remove the panels for sale ‘Stéphane Plaza ‘”, explains Sarah Laassir, lawyer specializing in real estate law and franchise law, in charge of these files.
A “for sale” sign from a Plaza Immobilier agency (Illustration Image)
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© JEAN-LUC FLEMAL / MAXPPP
Is this tendency to want to leave the franchise generalized? The rare agencies that wanted to initiate the conversation with us first put forward the current market crisis.
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What is reflected through the few exchanges that we have been able to have about the case is that it does not have any impact on their daily activity. An agent spoke that customers “know how to do the share of things. If they come to see us, it is for our know-how. “
A majority of franchisees in the Burgundy region did not wish to speak on the subject, more or less polished our requests for interview. On the group side, for the moment, we are assured “that no communication will be made before February 18”date of rendering of the trial judgment and that “The Stéphane Plaza Immobilier network does not wish to express themselves on the subject.”
