France: Following the conclusion of its IPO in DecemberAirbnb continues to tighten its control over short-term rentals by excluding members who have not registered with their local authorities, this time in cities in France.
The tighter restrictions will apply to popular tourist destinations across France that have a strong Airbnb presence, such as Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux, with other cities to follow.
From now on, Airbnb hosts in the country will have to display their official registration number on all their listings. Those who do not comply will be subject to additional measures that may be imposed by the home-sharing platform, including blocking all bookings for the foreseeable future.
According to current regulations, hosts in Paris are allowed to rent their accommodation on short-term rental platforms such as Airbnb for a maximum of 120 days per calendar year.
Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris since 2014, voiced her criticism of Airbnb, telling the French weekly, The Sunday Journalof his displeasure was with Parisians who “treat shared accommodation like a business, rather than those who only rent for a few days a year”.
Last year she announced its intention to hold a referendum on the short-term rental operations of Airbnb and other platforms in the city as part of its six-year plan to lead the post-Covid recovery. By organizing the non-binding referendum, the Franco-Spanish politician aimed to free up more residential accommodation in the capital, as she believed that many Paris residents were excluded from the rental market.
In the previous February, Paris sued the platform for posting 1,000 illegal rental ads in his citywhich would have cost the company more than 12.5 million euros, angering Hidalgo.
The French Ministry of Housing followed suit, urging these sites to work more closely with local authorities to avoid a repeat of the legal action, including the sharing of data and information.
However, the southern city of Nice just this week announced a ban on holiday rentals in the region during the February holidays, until February 20 at the earliest. Its mayor, Christian Estrosi, said the decision was taken to avoid a “large influx of people at risk” potentially carrying the Covid-19 virus and transmitting it to its citizens, and added that he wanted to enforce the ban across the entire department in the coming weeks.
The ban was challenged by the National Union for the Promotion of Holiday Rentals [UNPLV]who described it as “incoherent, unfounded and discriminatory”, according to The connection.
French Prime Minister Jean Castex said travel will still be allowed during the February holidays despite continued positive Covid-19 cases: “We have chosen not to limit travel between regions, however, more than ever, we must avoid any relaxation. ”
It will still be possible to book vacation rental accommodation in Nice this month via platforms such as Airbnb, but property owners and tenants will face penalties if caught doing so. Hotel stays are not prohibited by Estrosi policy.
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