With new French law means I may have to close

[Malcolm238]

In the last couple of days, the French have pass a law to do with all rentals. I can understand that more long term retals are needed, but a part of the law covers how well insulated the rental is and from 2025 all listings need a grade of F.

My chalet is open for guests in the warmer seasons, April to the end of October, it is wooden with with 44mm walls and 25mm roof, it is not going to make the grade.

I don't make a lot of money on the rental and I can't afford to upgrade it, so I may have to close.

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Malcolm238 that is strange because similar laws apply in the UK but only to long term rentals. Short term rentals are exempt as the host is paying the bills. Are you sure the French laws apply to short term rentals?

[Malcolm238]

@Mike-And-Jane0  Yes to short term rentals. The French gov think that if it is only applied to long term rentals, then the landlords will change them to short term. Cities like Paris have too many short term and not enough long term.

[Joelle43]

Hello @Malcolm238 

I come as a bearer of good news😊 The legal requirement for STR listings to be classified between the rating of A to D is ONLY for new listings coming onto the market.  You can check this information on the net.

For existing listings, we have until 2034 to improve on the insulation of our listings so you can breath a sigh of relief for a bit longer😉

All the best
Joëlle

[Malcolm238]

Hi  @Joelle43 , you are correct for 2034,

 but,

"The law also makes furnished tourist accommodation subject to the same DPE requirements as standard lettings, in order to prevent landlords who have been banned from letting out their "energy sieve" from resorting to letting out on platforms to avoid these rules and the work made necessary by the condition of their accommodation.
As a result, you will need to have an DPE of at least
F in 2025
and E in 2028
before you can rent out your property."
 
So for 2025 I need a grade of F.

Sorry Joëlle, the good news does not apply to me and others, unless you know something different? 

All the best to you too,

Malcolm

[Rebecca]

Hello @Malcolm238, 

Thank you for bringing this news up! I had not heard of it before nor had I heard of the similar law here in the UK that @Mike-And-Jane0 referred to, we learn new things every day. @Joelle43 shared some interesting insights that may help put your mind at ease. Did you get a chance to read the information she shared?

Let us know how you get on. 😊

[Malcolm238]

Hi @Rebecca ,

@Joelle43 didn't have the whole thing, so I am not put at ease.

I am just hoping that it is not all put in stone yet and there are more things to come out so I can rent out next year.

Thank you Rebecca.

Malcolm

[Joelle43 · Accepted solution]

Hello @Malcolm238 

If you are already renting a "meublé de tourisme" through a booking platform then my interpretation is that the legal obligation of providing a rental with a DPE of F does not apply to us.

There is a distinction between a "meublé de tourisme" also known as "meublé touristique" and a "location courte durée" (LCD).  All "meublé de tourisme" are a "Location de Courte Durée" but not all LCD's are a "meuble de tourisme".  Different regulations apply.  

If you read the link below that comes from an official government site, ( I needed to read it many times)  I have understood that an existing listing classified as a "meublé de tourisme" where the owner rents out to tourists for short periods (max 3 months) is not affected by these new regulations until 2034.  I see this repeated twice in the link.

https://www.economie.gouv.fr/cedef/passoires-energetiques-meubles-touristiques-dpe

Most town halls require hosts to register their property to obtain a registration number.  Is this the case for you?  If so, have you declared it as a "meublé de tourisme" or something else?  I presume guests have to pay a tourist tax?

Things are moving VERY fast in France concerning rentals on many levels so it's important to take the latest information available.  There are many different categories for renting properties in France and the new laws apply differently depending on how you rent out your property - furnished, non furnished, to tourists, if its your primary home or your secondary home.

The tax implications are also something that needs looking into as changes are afoot there also and yes you're right changes are always possible.  If I find further information carved in stone I'll let you know but this link is a good start.

Best regards
Joëlle

[Malcolm238]

Thank you @Joelle43 , I will have a good look at this and let you know.

Regards,

Malcolm

[Malcolm238]

Hello @Rebecca 

Things are looking good, @Joelle43  has found more info for me and it looks like I can open my chalet to guests next year.

So I am feeling much better.

All the best,

Malcolm

[Mike-And-Jane0]

@Malcolm238 I understand that you only host seasonally but I would worry that the authorities may see this as a new rental each year and you would lose your grandfathered rights. Perhaps @Joelle43 as our resident expert could comment.

[Joelle43]

Hello @Malcolm238 

A host on the French CC has created a post today on the new directives for the "meublés de tourisme" that I thought you might like to read:

https://community.withairbnb.com/t5/Cercle-des-hôtes/Nouvelle-loi-Airbnb-voté/m-p/2014765#M22439

All the best
Joëlle

[Malcolm238]

Hello @Joelle43 

Thank you, that is very good, because that means I can continue with my let next year.

All the best,

Malcolm

[Joelle43]

Hello @Malcolm238 

Glad you found it useful😊  I don't see a registration number on your listing  - is that because your local town hall doesn't require you to have one?  If so, that looks like it's going to be compulsory for all listings next year.  

Noticed that your calendar is completely closed for the next year?  Have you maybe decided to snooze it?  Having said this, I can book your chalet from May 2026 - calendar open!  Normal?

To answer @Mike-And-Jane0 question, if you have declared your place as a "meublé de tourisme" to the authorities - local and tax office,  you don't have to rent it out year round to keep this status but you do have to make sure that it is properly declared?  Is the chalet declared as a secondary home?

[Malcolm238]

Hello @Joelle43 

I will talk to the Mayor about the registration number, thank you.

I closed for next year just incase I could not rent, when I get a chance I will open it. Thank you for telling me about May 2026, normal yes, we let out from April to October, but this is going to change in 2026, I plan to open only in the Summer months.

The chalet has been declared as a "meublé de tourisme" and it has been declared as a secondary home.

I appreciate your help @Joelle43