“Rental from September to June”. Behind this phrase mentioned in the rental offers lies an illegal practice. In recent years, tourist rentals have experienced unprecedented growth with the development of the Airbnb platform. Liliane Guillerm, president of the Landes branch of the National Housing Confederation (CNL), notes that this process has nevertheless become common. “In certain tense areas, you find one dwelling in 1,000 that is rentable all year round. »
Until last July and a decision by the Council of State, owners benefited from a tax loophole allowing them to pay less taxes by renting their property on Airbnb rather than year-round. At the same time, these fraudulent leases continued to multiply due to the “lack of control”.
Liliane Guillerm, president of the National Housing Confederation 40.
Isabelle Louvier / SO
With around a hundred calls per month, the association supports tenants who are victims of these rental contracts. “This summer, we allowed a woman to stay in accommodation located in the south of Landes,” she emphasizes. In these cases, the lease is automatically renewed for the year and few owners venture into legal action.
Towards better regulation?
Some owners practice another type of fraud: fraudulent leave for sale or recovery. “Recently, a tenant received a formal repossession request. However, the accommodation was re-let the same evening with an increase in the rent, and it was converted into furnished tourist accommodation,” denounces Liliane Guillerm.
Faced with this housing crisis, the adoption of the bill aimed at regulating the furnished market on November 7, 2024 (supported by the Béarnais deputy Iñaki Echaniz and the Renaissance deputy for Finistère Annaïg Le Meur) could lead to a rebalancing between the share of seasonal housing and that of long-term housing. “This law would allow town halls to have a toolbox to set up, for example, tourist rental quotas. »
