“It’s time to regulate this, we have to say stop”

It's a turn of the screw against fraudsters: the Paris Council unanimously voted on Thursday for new measures to regulate the rental of furnished tourist accommodation in the capital. In Montmartre, some residents are warning of the local consequences of the success of platforms like Airbnb.

On the Place des Abbesses, one of the busiest places in Montmartre, you can hear all the languages ​​spoken in the aisles of the Christmas market. We also regularly see tourists passing by, who more or less easily climb the cobbled streets of the hill with their suitcases on wheels.

“With the development of platforms like Airbnb, Montmartre risks becoming a simple postcard, a museum“, estimates Pierre, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years. “It's time to regulate this, we have to say stop“, he reacts, while the Paris Council has just strengthened its legal arsenal against furnished tourist accommodation.

“I am lucky to live in a building of 15 apartments, with 13 owners present in their homes. So we are very vigilant. But in the Marais, it completely dried up the rental supply. There is also the risk of nuisance for residents, finding themselves with a gang of partygoers next to their home. As a good egoist, I don't want the same thing to happen in Montmartre“, smiles the Parisian.

“Here there are all nationalities, he explains. There is high-end tourism, we are starting to have a lot of slightly 'chic' shops, macarons for example. As a resident of the neighborhood, it's horrible but it doesn't matter. There are also many families, coming from various countries. And finally religious tourism with the Sacred Heart, it is a particularity. And it's not too massive, the guides are often accompanied by 10-15 people. Another specificity: tourists are there all year round, not just for Christmas or Easter.“

“It is good to legislate in the face of the phenomenon, judge Dominique, another resident. It really has become a business. So much for temporary relief, I can see the benefit. But the fact that this type of rental has become institutionalized, I find it harmful for people's lives, locally. There are rising prices, people looking to rent and not finding anything. And even beyond the financial aspect: humanly, politically, it causes harm.“

Nathan is the owner. “I am in a comfortable position. For people looking for accommodation, I understand that it is complicated, Airbnb closes doors and makes the neighborhood a little elitist. It has to be regulated, there has to be a framework. I don't notice any inflation in rents but it's a little more complicated to look for an apartment, there are fewer properties to rent in the long term. I imagine it is also linked to the interest rate crisis“, he believes.

But Le Parisien also defends the logic behind rentals of furnished tourist accommodation: “I have never rented my property via this type of platform but this is the case for quite a few friends, who pay for their vacations like this. Depending on the surface area of ​​the apartment, it rents between 150 and 300 euros per night.“

Beyond real estate, is Montmartre at risk of losing its charm in the face of tourism and the weight of platforms like Airbnb? “On this side of the hill, near the Place des Abbesses and Pigalle, there are more tourist shops. But beyond that, the village spirit is preserved with local shops. The mass tourist influx is concentrated, with a route up to the Sacré-Cœur and around the Place du Tertre“, he replies.

On the side of Paris town hall, Jacques Baudrier (PCF), the deputy in charge of housing, highlights the adoption of measures “much more effective“. From January 1, 2025, the town hall will lower the rental ceiling for the main residence from 120 to 90 days, following a law passed on November 19 in the National Assembly, which provides new tools to municipalities facing the explosion of furnished tourist accommodation.

“There is a before and an after, we finally have a real arsenal after 10 years of battlesrejoices Jacques Baudrier. There are around 25,000 furnished tourist accommodations rented illegally in Paris, mainly via Airbnb. And that represents a billion euros of revenue per year in the capital, which is the world's leading tourist destination. They are often multi-owners who have 5, 10 or 15 homes, and who rent them all year round.“

The transpartisan law adopted in November notably evolves jurisprudence “ubiquitous“on the rules on proof of change of residential use, summarizes the deputy.”This development will allow us to win 10 times more trials, even if everything depends on the number of hearings we have, he comments. That will save our lawyers time. There is also the doubling of fines from 50,000 to 100,000 euros per accommodation. Enough to calm fraudsters, it’s a deterrent.“

“Limiting the frequency with which Parisians can rent their main residence will only penalize families who rely on the income from renting their homes to improve their purchasing power.“, responds Airbnb in a press release. Clément Eurly, its CEO, estimates on franceinfo that “it will have no positive impact on housing“. He calls for “think about another regulatory framework” pour “lfree up accommodation“in the capital and”allow tourists and families to enjoy Paris through affordable tourism“.