Paris-Cobblestone rentals- bad experience

The "broken refrigerator" might be a legit excuse, as refrigerators do fail in excessively hot conditions. But it might also be a fake excuse to cover the impossibility of renting the unit due to the crackdown of Paris municipal authorities on short-term rentals like those. Few of those are fully legal.

I don’t know if Rick still recommends this company but based on the number of bad reviews, I’ve read of the last couple years he probably needs to investigate if he does.

As for les Frenchies sadly it appears their current model is recommendation means “we got paid”. Their original stuff was actually useful. Their current stuff is shilling

I am always cynical at the 'broken' reason for last minute cancelation -- it usually means a family member or friend decided they wanted the place, or they found they could rent it for more to someone else. I have read several stories of people who had last minute cancellations and walked by and saw the unit in full use -- so maybe, but also maybe they ran into rental enforcement or had other uses for the place. It is one of the hazards of the exploitive rental market that popped up with AirBNB.

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+1 for Janet’s response. Broken refrigerator, my left foot.

it usually means a family member or friend decided they wanted the place, or they found they could rent it for more to someone else.

I'm with Janet. (She got here 1st with that thought.)

Fridges can be replaced in 24 hours even in France during vacation periods.

I had a similar experience with Cobblestone in 2021. But with good results.
Our trip was going to be a family one. My son was studying in Paris, and my mother and brother were going to join me, my wife and daughter for a week in Paris. We got an appartment big enough for all of us through Cobblestone. It was in the 8th near Saint Philippe du Roule. Of course at that time we were more worried about having all our health documents in order.

A week before we were due to arrive we got an email from Cobblestone saying that there had been a leak into the appartment from the apartment above and it wouldn´t be ready for us on arrival. They seemed apologetic and offered us some options like canceling, help looking for another apartment, or a new one next to the Teatro del Chatelet. My brother and I discussed it and we went with the new apartment. Although it was a bit smaller, we still fit comfortably, and the new location was great for my mother as things were a lot closer.

So for us it worked out, but I´ve been back since, and for one reason or another, I haven´t used Cobblestone again.

A leak from an apartment above is way too complicated to fix quickly…because this is rules-based France. First both residents amicably fill out a form that goes to both insurance companies for the insurers to work it out. If it’s a renter above or even an owner, they may refuse to answer the door and fill out the paper. And who’s responsible? Owner if it’s furnished, renter if unfurnished, building co-properties if inside the walls. How do you get two insurance companies off their duffs to get this done: weekly call, stops at the offices. Unless Coblestone owns the apartment above also, there’s no way it’s fixed quickly.
Personal experience. Our neighbors’ bath started leaking in August. Our ceiling was finally repainted by their insurance in March. LOL, LOL, LOL.
The insurance adjuster who came to look at our damage told us some interesting stories about leaks in buildings. If there’s a leak in a hotel, it can be handled the same day.

But if the actual leak is stopped, then you have cosmetic damage which may not bar using the place -- unless you are the leaky apartment and have no shower now.

With the refrigerator thing. Easy to replace or to provide a small refrigerator temporarily. The place we rent in the fall had the microwave go out -- not as serious as the refrigerator, but annoying -- they just provided one while awaiting the parts to repair the built in.

As Elizabeth has pointed out, refrigerators are easily and quickly replaced, particularly when rental revenue is affected. Just walk into Darty or Boulanger and it will be replaced in less than a day. No way to know what really happened: legal apartments are not going to be threatened by city action, or maybe the owner got a better offer from someone else. Either way, Cobblestone is not doing their due diligence.

If Rick Steves actually still recommends Cobblestone, perhaps it's time for a revaluation. As far as les Frenchies, I rarely agree with what they have to say; overly dramatic and obviously concerned with referral revenue.

Given the rules in Paris about short term rentals, it's a Jesse James market. I follow Les Frenchies too, and they have a youtube out about how risky it is to rent a short term rentals.