How do you know if the apartment you rented is a legal rental in Paris?

Hawaii also has a problem with illegal rentals. I notice that more and more people are including their tax ID numbers in their listings there to help "prove" it is a legal listing. Perhaps something similar might help with Paris listings.

Hi Pat,

I agree with you, it is very difficult and while Paris has been highlighted recently, the same applies to most of Europe. Arbnb and similar services are not seen as anything other than a means of advertising and therefore people who offer accommodation are expected to be fully in compliance with the local regulations in respect of residence permits, taxation, building rules etc.

It is very subjective, but my first filter is that the person offering the accommodation should be a national of the country, an EU citizen or a EEA citizen. Why? because they are the only ones who have an absolute right to run a business of any kind other that working as an employee.

Next they should be willing to accept payment via credit card or if you live in Europe via SEPA payment. Why? because it leaves an audit trail and people who are not in compliance with their tax obligations prefer cash because it leaves no trail.

And then a general bit of googling - reviews, blog entries etc.... if someone is a is operating illegally they will try to keep a low profile.

Of course it is all subjective but what can you do????

Hi all, I touched base with a fellow TA DE in Paris and asked what their experience was on the issue and what advice they might have. Here's what was shared:

Airbnb has stated that they currently list 40 000 apartments in Paris. A recent article in Le Figaro quoted the mayors office as estimating that 80% of these represent apartments rented illegally..

Basically, legally rented apartments offered for a duration of fewer than 12 months fall into two broad categories:

1. Individuals may offer their primary residences for an annual rental period not to exceed 4 months. Vacation apartments or secondary homes do not meet the requirement of being primary residences.

2. An apartment owner may register his unit with the Marie of the arrondissement, in which his property is located.as rental property. Each Marie, of which there are 20 in Paris, is required to keep a list of approved apartments. To my knowledge, none of the Maries has formulated such a lists as of yet.

To have an apartment approved for short term rental requires a laundry list of steps and requirements. It is expected that few of the rather large number of currently available apartments will ultimately ever be approved.

Last week, the Mayor''s task force made a 3 day sweep through the Maris closing 30 apartments the first day. Other sweeps are planned in the Latin Quarter and Montmartre. It should be noted that current renters are never displaced but those arriving when the current renters depart may find that the accommodations they thought they had, are no longer available.

Anyone wanting to rent an apartment short term in Paris in the upcoming months should watch the news carefully and maintain contact with their landlords. The situation is very dynamic right now as the short term rental landscape is changing.

It clearly is a fluid situation in Paris. It's interesting about the Maries and the formal forthcoming registrations. If they can make that work other cities may also go that route. Maybe you ask your property owner if they have registered...

Pam

So if 80% are illegal then I can rent 10 and sleep in 2 of them legally?

Seriously though, this is why antidotal recommendations for VRBO and the like really don't have much value. In the end you aren't dealing with VRBO you are dealing with on of 40,000 Parisians; 32,000 of which are breaking the law. I would guess that the odds of hitting on a legal arrangement would be best when renting from a large management company rather than an individual owner. A little research will reveal which apartments are being managed and which are not. The company has more to loose if operating illegally than do those rented by individuals. I would suggest that no matter where you are renting that those professionally managed will be more likely to be of a uniform quality than those by individuals.

I just finished my first experience with a rental apartment and have mixed feelings. I rented a Home Away listing in Paris which was managed by "Johan" who claimed to be the owner of many rental apartments in Europe. Everything was very professional and it was obvious that he has many properties based on reviews and the standardized communications we had. As to the legalities of the situation I have no idea and I even question if there is an actual person named Johan. They went to great lengths to not disclose the actual address only giving an address which was really only the corner of the street and not an apartment. When the greeter met us she walked us two doors down the the building which could mean they are avoiding authorities OR avoiding renters from annoying the tenants which I totally understand.
Beyond social and legal aspects that are talked about in this and other threads I have one main issue with apartment rentals. After seeing recent legislation brought about by homeowners who object to short term rentals and the many admonishments about noise and disturbing the neighbors by our greeter and information packet... I felt a bit awkward about enjoying an apartment where I was probably not wanted. While I feel my wife and I went to great lengths to be perfect renters (not wearing shoes in the apartment, whispering in the hallways...) I still didn't want to come face to face with any of the residents.
Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed our stay and after weeks of hotels the apartment was an enjoyable alternative, yet I still have mixed emotions.

"How do you know if the apartment you rented is a legal rental in Paris?"

pat-with language barriers, complicated French laws, privacy issues and the difficulty a neophyte/foreigner would have just getting basic true information, I'm not so sure that ownership can be easily ascertained, and I think without that your question is tough to answer. So, we rely on reviews and word of mouth. I think the landscape will be quite different in a couple of years when this has shaken out some more, but personally I would not know where to start to get at this truth.

I suppose one could try the Duluc Detective Agency , like Gil Pender's obnoxious almost father in law did!

Richard, I spend a lot of time in rental apartments and have never been held to those restrictions. The neighbors make the sort of noises you would expect and everyone lives in relative harmony. Sorry for your experience. It really doesn't have to be that way. People "live" in their homes just as you and I do here in the states. Nothing more, nothing less.

James, the noise doesn't come from the long term rentals. The noise and disruption come from the short term rentals. And, it's easy to see why. They are there primarily on vacation. They are partying every night and sleeping late in the AM. This is the reverse of the average working person. Also, they don't know how to handle the garbage. There have been total horror stories in NYC of a couple renting an apartment and then holding a weekend bash for all their friends. The NYC property owner doesn't have much recourse has the rental was probably illegal--so it's hard to feel sorry for the owner. It is easy to feel sorry for the neighbors! Also, if you're in a hotel and the people next door are being a bit too rowdy too late into the evening--in my opinion anything after midnight is fair game, others have an earlier time frame--you can call the front desk and generally action is taken. As a last resort the hotel can call the police. The only option of neighbors in a short term rental would be to call the police and nobody really wants to do that. They just want to go to sleep so that they can get up and go to work.

I think that if I were renting an apartment I would ask about the new laws. I would ask if they had registered with the Marie in their district. If they don't respond reasonably to that query, then they are either illegal or totally clueless. I am not sure I want to rent from either. :)

Pam

Pam

Pamela, I spend 30+ days a year in a short term rental. Next to that short term rental is yet another short term rental, and three flights up is yet one more short term rental. I haven't experienced the sort of disruption you describe. I have been in a couple of those short term rentals immediately after the guests have left and I have been amazed at how clean they have left the places. I have been amazed at how little damage has ever been inflicted on the apartments. My experience having some relationship with approximately 120 short term renters each year is that they are generally well behaved, clean, respectable people; but I am certain that there are exceptions. Despite possibly 200 different renters in this one small apartment block each year I have heard no complaints from the locals. In fact I am generally greeted with polite greetings by the locals.

Now tourists in France may be different and Americans may be different (most of my experiences involve European tourists), but I would argue that the French are moving out of the center of Paris for reasons other than the impact short term rentals.

Well, if the people who rent out on airbnb do their due diligence they can also leave reviews for the people doing the renting...I know if someone is new, that the owner of the rental won't know if they are crazy party animals, and I'm very proud of my good reviews from the hosts on airbnb - I hope I'm not in the minority in that I respect a persons abode, neighbours and surroundings.

I did notice that the private room I booked - the owner (who will be present) asked that shoes not be worn in the apartment - both from a cleanliness and noise standpoint...I don't wear shoes at home in my own house (I wear slippers) so it's not an issue for me.

We stayed in a rental last summer.. the floors in the hallway were tile.. and at or about 6 am we were woken to the loud noise of suitcases being dragged across the tile floors.. can never be sure.. but assume they were short term renters leaving their rental... If I was a resident in that building.. that would have really po'd me off...

And yes.. you can often hear noises from around you in a building.. but I don't think the residents who pay taxes etc.. have as much patience with the noises coming from foreigners who are illegally renting.. and apparently one of the main ways illegal rentals get exposed is in fact by neighbors complaining to city ..

I stayed in an apartment in 2012.. and in that case it was a small building with only 5 or 6 units.. all of which were owned by the person who rented to us.. and he said he owned the entire building.. so in that case.. since everyone was a renter.. I had no issues with it.. but as I said.. last year we were definitely in a building with regular long time residents.

In NYC you get Americans, Europeans, Asians, South Americans, Canadians, Australians and others from the Pacific area. You really can't pin the issue on one group. Although Australians are the ones that post most often, or so it seems, with questions about AirBnB and other vacation rentals. I suspect that Paris and London have the same mix. I wonder what happens in Tokyo?

Pam

Odd, just not my experience. I just returned from two weeks in a rental in Europe and I had three interactions with the locals living in the apartment block. Two "good morning's" (in English) and one "thank you" when I held a door. That's fairly typical of my experiences. I have head people stomping up the stairs late at night, but I am pretty sure they lived there. I also heard and witnessed a young lady tossing everything her husband or boyfriend owned down the stairs (including furniture). Absolutely sure they were locals. When so many live that close together I always assumed they were use to the consequences of the life style. As for no shoes, in some cultures, even the European culture where I was staying, shoes are generally not worn inside; although I think this is a dying practice. I guess it could have risen out of the need to control noise, but I always assumed it was for cleanliness.

So now we are at a crossroads: do we avoid ALL AirBnB type rentals, playing it safe with aparthotels and hotels, assuming the owner may not be truthful if asked about the legality of the rental? Or do we do our share of research and hope for the best? It would be terrible to miss out on a fantastic rental that is legit but it would be far more terrible to reserve an apartment only to arrive and find oneself homeless. AirBnB assures me that would never be the case (they would put me in a hotel if need be), but who wants that hassle? Such a quandary ...

I think it's fair to say a lot of folks would rather look away because it doesn't benefit them to really know the truth about their rental. The Airnb concept is really cool in theory, but it presents an opening for some unscrupulous people to flout the law and make huge profit renting out their (often multiple) properties. When the externalities/costs to third-party owners don't get figured into the equation, these bystanders have to bear the cost of constant turnover of nearby units to short-term renters. I wonder how much can a private person really police the behavior of their renters unless they physically live in the building and simply share their home - this was how Airbnb was touted to be like in the beginning. Now, it has evolved well beyond a "sharing economy" - it's often used as a money-making ruse run by real estate agents and other property owners. I was looking at hotels in Nashville, TN the other day and noticed a condo owner with multiple properties was charging well over $250-300 per night - this would not only cover the monthly mortgage but well above. In my own condo, short-term (less than 6 month) rentals are not allowed at all. That hasn't stopped one management company (actually, a trust of some sort) from using them as corporate housing using very flexible terms. It would be great if everyone would just play nice so this could be a win-win for everyone, but there's a lot of evidence out there that this is not the case in some markets and some properties. The NY Times has written extensively about problem rentals in Manhattan and other boroughs...they are a likely place for Airbnb to launch due to the outrageous hotel prices in NY. In its favor, I think Airbnb has enables some folks to travel to very expensive cities and pay "affordable" lodging rates.

Given the ethical issues with Airbnb, I would personally be comfortable more with those where the owner is both present and living on the property and they are simply sharing their house with me for a short period of time (likely just a few days). I know that's not ideal for everyone; it's only my way to deal with Airbnb in a way that I'm 100% ethically OK with. Other arrangements definitely fall in a grey area for me...Airbnb is very lightly regulated for now and it's apparent that people are taking advantage of this.

If you take an Uber car to an Airbnb you are going straight to hell.

“The Airnb … just an intermediary for some unscrupulous people to flout the law and make huge profit renting out their (often multiple) properties.”

And your objection to making a profit or owning multiple properties is what? Through the process of ownership and profiting you have an incredible number of units to choose from. As for flouting the law, no one supports that.

“When the externalities/costs to third-party owners don't get figured into the equation, these bystanders have to bear the cost of constant turnover of nearby units to short-term renters.”

I have never met or come in contact with a permanent occupant who had a complaint about the short term renters in his building. I have met permanent residents who have welcomed guests to the town they are proud of. But I am certain that there are those who have issues with holiday renters in their building and I am certain that there are inconsiderate people renting those holiday apartments. It may even be a significant problem in some places. All of the apartment blocks that I am familiar with have an association that sets the rules for the apartment building. I would imagine that if they wanted to they could outlaw holiday rentals. Sometimes the association will classify those apartments as commercial and levy a higher commons fee, providing more income for the apartment association to do upkeep and repairs. It can be a win – win deal.

“I wonder how much can a private person really police the behavior of their renters unless they physically live in the building and simply share their home - this was how Airbnb was touted to be like in the beginning. Now, it has evolved well beyond a "sharing economy" - it's often used as a money-making ruse run by real estate agents and other property owners.”

“ruse” implies some sort of hidden agenda. Its no “ruse”, its exactly what it is; a profit making business. As for policing the guests? If it’s a problem the apartment association can put an end to it.

“I was looking at hotels in Nashville, TN the other day and noticed a condo owner with multiple properties was charging well over $250-300 per night - this would not only cover the monthly mortgage but well above.”

And if someone is willing to pay that much than that is the value of the rental. Good for him.

“In my own condo, short-term (less than 6 month) rentals are not allowed at all. That hasn't stopped one management company (actually, a trust of some sort) from using them as corporate housing using very flexible terms.”

If they are meeting the letter of the condo rules, the problem would be? Petition your association change the rules if need be..

“It would be great if everyone would just play nice so this could be a win-win for everyone, but there's a lot of evidence out there that this is not the case in some markets and some properties.”

Define “play nice”? Not be profitable? Buy an apartment and then give it away at a loss so more people can afford to share in your private property?

“Given the ethical issues with Airbnb”

I would agree that knowingly renting illegal apartments is an ethical issue that all the renting marketing companies should address or be liable for.

James, the issue is about people who do this illegally. If the condo association or coop board or home association is fine with this and has rules that meet the needs of the community, then there is no problem with these rentals. The issue is with the illegal rentals and these illegal rentals are everywhere. And so if you are making pots of money illegally you deserve to be called out. If you are making pots of money legally then fine, go at it.

My understanding is that AirBNB was established to take advantage of the "sharing economy." Let's look at the definition. From Wikipedia:

A sharing economy takes a variety of forms, often leveraging information technology to empower individuals, corporations, non-profits and government with information that enables distribution, sharing and reuse of excess capacity in goods and services.1 A common premise is that when information about goods is shared (typically via an online marketplace), the value of those goods may increase, for the business, for individuals, *and for the community***.[3]

The illegal property owners are clearly not operating in the spirit of value for the community if the community is upset. And many in the community are upset. If you look at AirBnB's own marketing copy they talk about belonging anywhere in the world and talk about "their community." Well, it's tough to belong when your neighbors don't want you. When Agnes talks about "playing nice" I believe that is what she is suggesting, not rent an apartment at a loss. AirBNB with the inference that BNB stands for Bed and Breakfast rests upon that tradition. That tradition is not buying up tons of apartment rentals and getting into real estate. It implies, a small operation where you know your host. I'm not saying that people can't buy up tons of apartments and then rent them, but let's call a spade a spade and admit that they are in the hotel business.

As far as I can tell the only way to resolve this is for government to set up a registration process. That makes sure that the rules are followed and that there is recourse for those who misbehave. B&B's are regulated, hotels are regulated, why are these not regulated? Why should they get a free pass? We have regulations, rules and laws because we living in community and they help keep the community running well and the majority of the people happy.

@James - I was referring to strictly to folks who knowingly or seemingly innocently ignore condo association rules and rent out their condos through AirBnb. Sometimes these folks are not even the owners, which is truly brazen. Condo rules which forbid short-term or commercial rentals are spelled out clearly in Association Bylaws, and it seems like some absentee owners don't bother to read the Bylaws or even know what's going on in their units (I was the Condo President for many years, so I experienced this firsthand). Of course, one set of guests probably won't inflict much, if any damage, but what about constant guests, one after another, going on for years? The bottom line is the owner needs to exercise responsibility. In my condo, it is very hard to get enough votes to change Bylaws to further crack down on illicit rentals (or to obtain more assessments from them) due to all the absentee owners - change happens quite slowly.

My comments were not a rant against capitalism or profit making - there are clearly benefits to increasing the market of potential rental properties provided that local laws and condo rules are complied with. I am not sure I would classify a person renting out a place they own as "a business" unless they are registered as such and comply with whatever business regulations accrue. Many Airbnb rentals are informal person-to-person exchanges...nothing wrong with that. I think it would be naive to think that all sorts of out-of-state (or country) property owners, flippers, trusts, and others haven't gotten into the game of the hospitality business - the question is "are they qualified to do so and do they offer some semblance of protections for themselves and their guests?" Airnbnb has insurance folded in but they're smart to stay clear of any legal issues and offload those to the actual actors in the marketplaces. Does anyone think Airbnb cares if the postings are legal or illegal (they are starting to because it's blemishing their name)? They're not ultimately responsible. The unit owners are, and some are clearly not in compliance with the law. I can only speak to the laws of my condo and local area. Just because things work swimmingly in one place does not negate the experiences of others. The key is to build in incentives/rules that prevent adverse outcomes to all parties involved.

These articles are extreme examples, but not outrageous in a place like NYC. By the way, I am not against Airbnb in concept (home sharing/swapping is a great idea) but some practices are unfortunate, to say the least.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/30/magazine/the-business-tycoons-of-airbnb.html?_r=0
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/01/your-money/a-warning-for-airbnb-hosts-who-may-be-breaking-the-law.html

Agnes, I guess we aren’t too far apart. I absolutely agree that those breaking laws or condo contracts are despicable.

But I would say that any exchange of money for product or service is a business. But I agree that it is probable that many of those who use services like Aribnb don’t consider themselves a business much less behave in an ethical businesslike manner. That’s why I feel better suggesting that everything else being equal you might get a better experience dealing with a Management Company the represents may apartment owners. They have a business reputation to protect and they are more likely to have the resources to provide a good experience. I guess my biggest disagreement would be the impact of the holiday renters on an apartment block. You might be correct, but I just haven’t seen it. Maybe I just go to friendlier places that attract a better crowd of tourists?

where I live I have to pay TAXES on the income property I own.. why wouldn't other countries have same expectations of their citizens.

Own and rent properties .. but avoiding paying taxes in income.. what makes that person any better then the guy selling from the back of his truck ?

Illegal rentals are a problem for several reasons.. but from a governments point of view I bet they see a problem that lot of "income"( taxes) is not being paid.. not paying taxes is not fair to those who do.. and its illegal isn't it?

"How do you know if the apartment you rented is a legal rental in Paris?"

Short answer: you don't. Unless you speak French and know where to go (individual mairies) to ask, there is no clear-cut way to find out if a Paris rental is legitimate.

Almost all of the responses to this post have discussed the moral, ethical, and legal responsibilities of owners/managers. That really does not answer the question for the potential renter. Myself, and this is just personal opinion, I prefer to see it as "innocent until proven guilty". I will continue to assume that an apartment rental on Airbnb, VRBO, Homeaway, etc is legal unless shown or told otherwise and proceed accordingly. I will do my normal research, verifying that the owner is who they say they are including calling the phone number listed on the website and asking them if their apartment is legal (I know that's not proof of anything), paying attention to all the reviews and especially the most recent ones. It's all you can do. If you're not comfortable with that or if you think it's not ethical or moral, then use a hotel or 'official' b&b, no one is going to force you to rent an apartment or home anywhere.

I agree with those who note that it's the local governments' responsibility to deal with the issue, not the individual renter. If and when there is a way to find out for sure about the legality of a rental, then the renter will share in the responsibility.

James, I understand where you're coming from and all the points you made resonate. The only disagreement may be the character of the guests - I find that people can be quite unpredictable, so I would expect to find a few bad apples here and there. It's not even that they're bad apples really, as much as the question of "do owner residents' and vacationers' behavior (especially regarding noise and treatment of common areas) largely complement, or conflict with each other"? And is any (above and beyond) wear-and-tear on common areas made by the guests accounted for? If Airbnb's guest vetting process works, I'm all for it. The renter and guest reviews are supposed to minimize bad behavior on both ends. I would imagine that owners who don't want to cause trouble from their unknown guests would make efforts to vet their guests (as much as one can online, anyway).

I have no idea how an owner's homeowner insurance would treat short-term guests (with no lease) and any damages while they are residing in the unit. Maybe it's not a big deal - I just don't know since I haven't rented out my place.

AirBnB is not doing anything particularly new. VRBO has been around for 30 years at this point. What they have done is really increase the scale of person to person rentals.

I live in/near a popular regional beach destination in Florida. Moved down here in 1998, and our apartment building was in a mixed ares of short term and long term rentals. So I've seen and heard the problems you can get with short timers who don't realize that a lot of us have to get up at 6:00am to go to work in the morning. When we bought a house in 2001, anything in an area that allowed short term rentals was right off the table for consideration. And we did select an area where short term is not allowed by both deed restriction (we're not an HOA community, but that still provides some protection) and local zoning. I'd definitely be upset to see an AirBnB listing in my neighborhood when there are plenty of other parts of the county that have been zoned for short term rental used since about the mid-1970s.

A story about bad, really bad, renters of an AirBnB house in Calgary, Alberta, was recently in the headlines in Canada. The house in Calgary was rented to supposedly"vetted" people, who proceeded to totally wreck the house. An unending house party took place, and the owners returned after two weeks to find their home a garbage strewn, semen soaked hovel full of destroyed furniture and disgusting filth.

AirBnB has, I believe, paid the more than $150,000 it has taken to repair, clean and otherwise put the house back into pre- party order. The renters are still being sought. Does that not put fear in your hearts?

A quick Google will probably give you the whole story.

Ah, Norma, I didn't find the Canadian ones, but I found two from NYC and then an article on three more horror stories.

Thought it was a guy attending a wedding in NYC.

Thought it was family guy in NYC.

And three more.

Whew....The identity theft is the worst aspect. Don't leave your passport and birth certificate in your house or apartment when you rent it out....

Pam

Regarding short-term and holiday renter misbehavior, James E. says he hasn't seen it --
I suggest browsing the AirBnB listings for New Orleans and Honolulu and considering the implications of the various tips and comments that made it past the system's censoring algorithms.

When I started making inquiries to renters in both those cities, I immediately started receiving offers from outside the AirBnB channel (which is already against their rules) to make special deals that would be settled 'just between us' if I posted a token offer within the channel, with the renter knowing it was coming. This is a way for the renter to use AirBnB but not give up as big a cut.
So, this new idea, being exploited by Uber and AirBnB and many others, really does have a slippery-slope problem in fact, not just in potential. It encourages corner-cutting.

i have a friend in Rome who's really frustrated with the AirBnB (or whatever) rentals in her building for the reasons that Pamela mentioned -- people don't throw out the garbage correctly, which creates a sanitary/hygiene hasard; people leaving doors propped open, which creates a safety hasard; and people forgetting the code and thus buzzing all the neighbors to get in the building at all hours of the day and night.

I suppose my entry here will prompt yet another response from James that he's never encountered this type of behavior. We get that, James. But plenty of others have and have concerns about their neighbors renting out to strangers and the traffic in and out of the building.

Kim, I haven't encountered such behavior. I do have some friends that own condos on the beach that they rent out as a business. These are trashed totally every year and every year they are rebuilt and re-rented. I would hate to be a neighbor in one of those buildings - except for the fact that the value of the places skyrocketed due to the income potential of the units. You would think that the residents would band together and rewrite the Condo Rules? But since we were in the RS's Europe Forum I didn't bring it up.

While it hasn't been my personal experience I concede that disruptive short term renters are at least as common as Parisian pickpockets. I am blessed in not have had contact with either. But my luck may change.

Kim, I haven't encountered such behavior. I do have some friends that own condos on the beach that they rent out as a business. These are trashed totally every year and every year they are rebuilt and re-rented. I would hate to be a neighbor in one of those buildings - except for the fact that the value of the places skyrocketed due to the income potential of the units. You would think that the residents would band together and rewrite the Condo Rules? But since we were in the RS's Europe Forum I didn't bring it up.

While it hasn't been my personal experience I concede that disruptive short term renters are at least as common as Parisian pickpockets. I am blessed in not have had contact with either. But my luck may change.

avirosemail, I will definitely avoid New Orleans and Honolulu. Thanks for the tip. But again, like the horror stories of NYC, this is the RS Europe forum isn't it?

More seriously, sticking to Europe Tourist Destinations; there are all sorts of issues facing housing owners in the inner cities. Morals and consideration of others is becoming less and less of a priority in the lives of many. The tourist zones are becoming too expensive for many of the long term residents to live in and that is causing upheaval in the neighborhoods. Crowds of roaming drunk English stag party groups have become annoying (but I believe rarely destructive). On the flip side tourism has raised the property values to a point where many people living on fixed incomes, if willing to relocate to the suburbs can live better lives than would have been otherwise possible. If you chose to live in the heart of Rome or Amsterdam or Old Town Prague you should have certain expectations of what you will experience. I have noticed, or at least it is my less than perfectly informed belief, that Europeans make better short term tenants; possibly because they live in similar situation in their own country and are more sensitive to their impacts on the community in the apartment building.

I believe that part of the reason the the French authorities are cracking down is similar to what is happening in NYC re cost of living in the city centre (Manhattan here). And the condo or other building rules seem to be irrelevant to the people renting out these apartments, so changing them is not necessarily going to change the situation. They need to elect a stronger board and then prosecute owners--none of which is easily done.

Granted Manhattan is probably a worse case scenario, but I'm sure that Paris and London are not far behind, if not right there with us. But the cost of an apartment in NYC is absurd--one bedroom with a 1980's kitchen and bathroom, no storage other than a bike room outside the apartment, granted with a doorman--is $3,300. And on a busy street where the horns start up at 7AM or earlier because the traffic backs up. Certainly, developers are driving up these prices, but it doesn't help when the buildings with affordable housing convert to essentially short term housing. And, no I don't want to live in the suburbs and commute and hour plus each way to work!

I commend all city mayors who are addressing this issue wherever they are on the globe!

Pam

Pamela, I acknowledge your argument and I think I understand where you are coming from and I am not unsympathetic to your feelings. I also whole heartedly support condo associations prosecuting those who do not abide by the rules and I whole heartedly support any movement to put representatives in office that will shape the community in a manner consistent to the desires of that community.