Place to stay in Paris, 2 weeks, early this October

Paris is Really cracking down on rentals. I have rented apartments in the past and have decided not to do it again just because of that.. Supposedly if you look on Airbnb and it has the 16 digit code it’s safe, but my next apartment is at Citadines apartment hotels because it’s just not worth the risk anymore.

You won’t get in trouble, but what you may discover is your rental has been shut down right before you get there. As has happened to the apartment you were looking at before. It was obviously not a legal rental because that statement about only being allowed to rent the Parisians is pretty telling

I used to rent apartments exclusively for my visits but I'm not doing it for my September trip. The apartment situation is just too unstable - I don't feel comfortable renting at this point. I have used Cobblestone and Vacations in Paris. Both have some legal rentals with the proper registration number but they are pretty booked for fall. I called both of them last week when I become fairly certain our trip was a go but they didn't have many apartments left for September so I'm sticking with my hotel rooms.

Many hotels have larger rooms so perhaps that might work for you. We ended up booking two connected rooms at the Hotel du Levant. We get two rooms and two bathrooms and it's about 420 square feet. No kitchen, of course.

Supposedly if you look on Airbnb and it has the 16 digit code it’s safe,

I think the numbers are 13 digits and all (in Paris) should begin with 75. Let me illustrate how secure they are: 75 09978930872. I can make up a lot of numbers. There is really only one guarantee - if a listing has no number, it is not legal.

Even if the registration number is legitimately generated, and it only takes 3-4 minutes for the on line application, until the city is able to follow up, which they will eventually do, there is no guarantee that the apartment is legally registered. For example, secondary or vacation homes may not be rented short term but if an owner wants to keep earning money for renting one, he can register it in minutes and hope the city does not find out.

Even if an apartment is legal to rent and legally registered, there is no way for a visitor to know, unless he rents it within the first 4 months of the year, if the apartment has already been rented for the 120 day annual maximum number of days.

The policing of short term rentals is just beginning again after the city recently won, in the court of appeals, the right to enforce the law. Unless the apartment you want to rent is obviously someone´s primary residence, available when he is away, approach it with caution.

I have yet to hear of anyone getting kicked out of a rental because of this.

Of course, you have not heard of someone being kicked out because that is not what happens. When inspectors visit, and they have unfettered access to rentals, they will not force you out. They contact the owner, who is forced to remove illegally offered short term rentals from the marketplace. City inspectors insure any further rental activity is halted, the apartment owner fined up to 50,000€. It is not the current rental occupant who loses, it is the future occupants who lose their reservations, some on very short notice. I have seen many posts of visitors who have had to scramble last minute to replace lost accommodations.

What is notably different this year is the end to the various court cases which had all but halted enforcement. The cases, both in the EU courts and in the French appellate courts, have all been decided in the government's favor.

We could see very substantial changes to the availability of short term rentals in Paris as the summer continues.

Search for "apart-hotels" which are hotels but have apartment-like space including kitchens. We have reserved here for our December trip: Residence & Spa Le Prince Regent.
I have had luck using booking.com to search but then reserving directly with the facility.

Sharon, here is a company I am using in Nov/Dec. The entire building are rental units & they have elevators. https://www.apartmentsdulouvre.com

I have also used https://cobblestoneparis.com in the past as well.

“I have seen many posts of visitors who have had to scramble last minute to replace lost accommodations.”

Tocard, where have you seen these posts? I’ve never seen one on this forum.

Sharon...my sister and I are staying at a REGISTERED Airbnb in October. There are some dates available for September. Here is a link to the place we are staying https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/18514934?source_impression_id=p3_1624038799_wcZkdxkPTNPgG4UC&guests=1&adults=1
the owner also has another apartment that is on Airbnb as well that is just as chic!

You don't say what agency you dealt with so I hope it is not the one that I am suggesting, which is Paris Autrement. They specialize in rentals in Le Marais. Here is one with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.