“Stéphane Plaza” franchisees want to leave the real estate agency network, with sales at half mast and clients refusing to work with them due to accusations of domestic violence against the M6 host.
Save whoever can. As a result of the accusations against Stéphane Plaza, dozens of real estate agencies in the TV host's network want to leave the ship. They claim to be strangled by a situation that has become unbearable since the star presenter of M6 is being prosecuted for domestic violence.
This is the case of Mathieu, a franchisee in the North for 7 years. Having the Stéphane Plaza Immobilier logo stuck on his agency should have been an asset at the start, but since the end of the summer “on the ground it's penalizing us”, he assures RMC. “There are clients who no longer want us to represent their house. We receive recommendations who tell us 'we are going to stop the sale'. Since September, we have withdrawn 8”.
Plaza affair: franchisees want to leave the facilitator's real estate network
Bank refusals, attacks…
Not to mention, he adds, the recruitment difficulties, the customers who refuse the installation of a sign with the name Stéphane Plaza on their facade, and those who simply no longer come.
Even a historic franchisee, who wishes to remain anonymous, can't take it anymore:
“We have to hide. We dislodged our car because while going to deposit checks at the bank I was attacked by someone who said to me 'you are not ashamed to drive in this car '. I had banking refusals at my bank who told me 'it's a risky brand, we can't follow you'”, she assures.
“I am asked for 50,000 euros (to go out of the network)”
Getting off the grid becomes vital for her. But it's not that simple: “I'm asked for 50,000 euros and once I've paid them off, I'm not allowed to operate under another brand for a year. I have to die.” she despairs.
And files like this, from the Stéphane Plaza network, lawyer specializing in real estate law Sarah Laassir assures RMC that she has received around fifteen so far.
Launched in 2015, the Stéphane Plaza Immobilier network has more than 600 agencies and is 51% owned by the M6 group. 18 months suspended prison sentence and a fine of 10,000 euros were requested against the star host of M6 at his trial for domestic violence. The verdict is expected on February 18.
Martin Bourdin (with GD)
