fuzzbucket

You might enjoy yourself in the Republique neighborhood, especially if you like to go out a lot. It won't be the Paris most people imagine, because it's a working-class neighborhood and there aren't any of the usual attractions close by - except for Canal Saint Martin.

Do some research on the 11th arrondissement for things to do and places to go - sounds like you're young enough to enjoy this area.

You should book directly with Adagio on this website. http://www.adagio-city.com/gb/home/index.shtml

For both Citadines and Adagio, you might check Postal Codes 75012 (Bastille) and 75004 (Marais) as well. These are good neighborhoods with plenty to keep you occupied.

AirBnB knows no shame, and has a genius for a marketing manager.
I would worry most about Paris, but you might check on the other forums before you book in other countries.

janisj

>>Is it just Paris i need to be mindful of with apartments, will also be visiting, Italy, Greece, Switzerland, Germany and Czech Republic? <<

short term rentals are fine in many/most places. Paris is a different matter.

>>Airbnb are advertising on Australian tv atm, "don't go to Paris, live there" encouraging people to book apartments etc! <<

Same thing in the States -- IMO that is such a deceptive ad.

Sarastro

Berlin has outright banned airbnb.

Paris is considering stronger measures against their advertising of illegal apartments as are other European cities with chronic housing shortages.

juleslove

fuzzbucket - thank you, I will check out that link and see what's available.

Does it mean that even if apartments are on websites like booking.com, they may still be illegal?

Sarastro

<i>Does it mean that even if apartments are on websites like booking.com, they may still be illegal?</i>

Unless you are looking at an apartment which is clearly someone's primary residence, rented only while his is away on vacation himself, no matter the listing agency, it is very likely a black market apartment.

Some, possibly all, of the Paris Perfect listings are fully approved by the city for short term rental. I don't know of any other agency upon which you can rely for legal apartment rentals.

colonna

I'm not sure what it means to be on the list of legal apartments that Sarastro was kind enough to provide.

For example, for several years I stayed in an apartment in the Marais, in a complex with several very obvious vacation rentals. I know now my place was illegal: Parisian owner living elsewhere, cash payments. But I saw other apartments in the same building (for much higher rents) on agency websites.

So that building is on the city's OK list. Does that mean all the apartments are now ok? Because all I can find is a list of buildings.

kerouac

No, that is one of the problems. Some addresses have up to a dozen vacation apartments but often no more than one or two of them are legal. The municipal website will need to furnish more details for people to be able to verify, such as "3rd floor left" "stairway B, 2nd floor."

Sarastro

Presently, with little more than 100 apartments officially approved for short term rentals, there is little danger that there are a lot of addresses containing both legal and illegal apartment rentals. Right now, you're probably safe in assuming that if you find your rental address on the mayor's list, your rental is probably a legal one.

In the future, the situation could become confusing, particularly in the Marais where there is a very high concentration of short term rentals.

lifes2short

Re: speculation above that "possibly all" Paris Perfect apartments are approved for short term rental---the PP unit that we rented 6 years ago is still listed among their available properties. The mairie's registry, however, shows nothing on that street among its approved units. Make of this what you will.

iris1745

Our 3 bedroom apartment in the 4th last year had mostly permanent name tags on the door. Ours did not.

We only passed a few residents on our 4 night stay and they were very pleasant.

fuzzbucket

It's typical of French residents to be polite to strangers, but they will definitely talk about you behind closed doors - and you probably wouldn't like what you heard about those whom they feel do not have the right to be in the building.

Sarastro

One shouldn't be mislead by casual politeness displayed on the exterior with genuine destine hidden within.

fuzzbucket

sarastro - destine = disdain, non?

iris1745

I attempt to treat everyone with respect.

<sarastro-destine=disdain, non?>

Not my problem!!!

Whathello

Pas le mien non plus.

En fait, plus je lis cette discussion, plus je me dis :
- si t'entraves que dalle à la loi française, je m'en tape;
- si t'as pas le pognon pour te payer un apart' correct, c'est pas mon problème non plus, je tafe pour avoir du flouze et je me paye mes vacances, merci
- si t'es pas concerné par la légalité, j'en ai rien à battre non plus que tu retrouves puant le goret après 15 heures de vol à faire le pied de grue pour trouver une solution;
- si tu veux vivre comme un local : apprends sa langue, ses lois, ses habitudes, sinon fais comme tout bon touriste : tu vas à l'hôtel !

Sur ce, bonnes vacances dans le beau pays de France !

kerouac

I think we should stop all of these threads warning people about the danger of illegal rentals.

Let them find out the hard way.

MonicaRichards

juleslove, what I'd be afraid of in the situation you mention where the person wants no money and no contract and cancel at any time, is that you'll arrive in France and they'll say "well, that apartment isn't available but you can have this one" that is unacceptable or more expensive or whatever. We had someone do that in Verona in Opera season, who doesn't want a contract and a deposit during opera season? We found someone who seemed much more legit and told the first guy we'd found other accommodations.

Whathello

'Let them find out the hard way.'

Good (and concise) translation of my rant.

iris1745

Kerouac; What is 'let them find the hard way?' What percentage of people face 'the hard way?

I'll answer that, virtually no one, PERIOD.

As for you Pariswat, I would sit down with anyone, face to face, over a glass of wine no matter what you may think of me.

Rant on PW

Whathello

Toujours ok pour un verre de rouge.

During one-2 years I was on TA, I've never seen one thread about problems with Airbnb or apartments.
Now I see 4 in 2 weeks.
So ratio is : 4/0 = infinite. Statistically, that is a gigantic increase.

Mais finalement, je m'en fous comme de ma première culotte, (ou comme de l'an 40).

(And I don't think anything bad of you ! Firstly because I don't think there is anyhting bad to think of you, second because it would be foolish to think something of somebody on a forum - some exceptions for sure, but we're talking about normal people here ;-))

So, yes Iris, whenever you come to Paris, let us have a glass of wine. I don't know why but I think we'll get along.