Looking for Paris Rental Apt.

Old Dec 12th, 2017, 03:04 PM
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Looking for Paris Rental Apt.

There's no shortage of apartments to rent in Paris. But just when I find one that seems perfect for a one-week stay for two of us, I read the reviews and well, you think twice. Has anyone stayed in an apartment, preferably a 1-bedroom, that you would recommend? Comfort is more a priority over location. This is for mid-May and already some of the apartments I would have chosen are booked. Thanks for your suggestions.
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 03:11 PM
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There is a HUGE shortage of LEGAL apartments. If you don't see the city registration number on the listing, it will be an illegal rental. There are a few legal listings, but the vast majority are not.
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 03:32 PM
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Take a look at OneFineStay.com — they vet all the apartments they accept into their program
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 03:49 PM
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They may 'vet' them, but that doesn't make them legal . . .
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 03:49 PM
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I did look at the Agency website you recommended, Travelhorizons, but I do not see where they list the Paris registration numbers that assure one that the rental conforms to the law. Where is that shown?
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 04:49 PM
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I haven't used this agency, because I am looking for a two bedroom, not a one bedroom, but it is the only one I have found so far that seems to have registration numbers.
http://www.chezroberts.net/

I have seen a few on homeaway with registration numbers, but not many!
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Old Dec 12th, 2017, 07:23 PM
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Thank you all.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 03:34 AM
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The city of Paris has just ordered all of the rental agencies to remove every ad that does not have a registration number displayed -- for example, this means about 40,000 of the 50,000 Airbnb listings.

So far this was just an "informal" order, but a court order looms in the near future.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 04:36 AM
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What is a"legal" apartment. Sounds like an attempt by the city to artificially reduce the availability of apartments and increase prices. Typical European socialism.
I just rented an apartment in Paris in May and did no pay attention to this issue. I expect no problems
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 05:05 AM
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"Sounds like an attempt by the city to artificially reduce the availability of apartments and increase prices."

No, exactly the opposite. It is an attempt to prevent apartments being rented to short-term visitors at high prices instead of on long leases to actual Parisians at reasonable prices. Long live socialism! (NOT Communism/Marxism etc.) It will also allow apartment dwellers to enjoy their buildings as they used to, without a changing cast of strangers traipsing in and out.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 05:14 AM
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It is interesting that the chezroberts apartments do show a French registration number, but they state all their apartments are owned by Australians. Also, the two I looked at show being booked the majority of 2018, with a week here or there unbooked.

This makes things even harder for me to figure out. As I understood it, to be legal, the unit had to be the owner's primary residence (not a secondary residence). So these Australians need to be living in the units on the chezroberts website to even qualify for a registration number right?

Then the issue about the calendars; the units appear to be available all year long with calendars showing when each unit is already booked. How can they be available all year long (and booked for the majority of the year) when the rule limits them to 4 months per year?

Confused.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 06:02 AM
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list of registered apartments.

https://opendata.paris.fr/explore/da...r-les-meubles/
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 06:04 AM
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@1994, as I read the mairie de paris site on this subject, you can also apply as a commercial "hotel" if you want to offer an unoccupied apartment year round: the conditions are different, but you will get a registration number if you meet those conditions.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 06:10 AM
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I think that chezroberts is an interesting example. They only have 4 apartments, none of which appears to be someone´s primary residence, each having the rather austere interior of a full time vacation apartment.

Their only contact number in Paris is someone´s (possible Tony´s) mobile phone. The only fixed line number on their website shows a 03 prefix and is clearly not in Paris.

Notice on their booking page there is no specific line entry for the required payment of the taxe de séjour. Legitimate agencies will include the this tax on their payment forms.

The website URL is registered to someone in Toronto, and they openly admit that their apartments are owned by Australians. There would be nothing illegal with an Australian purchasing an apartment in Paris and leasing it out for the 120 maximum period but he must live in the apartment full time or for the remaining 245 days of the year. Pied-à-terre apartments are specifically excluded from the provision allowing owners to rent out their homes.

Two possible explanations for the listed registration numbers: they are either fabricated or the owners lied on their applications as issuance is only based upon the name and address of the individual paying the taxe d´habitation. However, misleading or incorrect statements are now all part of a documentation trail that can be used at a later date for enforcement action.

There are a number of warning signs questioning the legitimacy of this business. Eventually the city will likely catch up with them. Chez Robert is, on the whole, a tiny operator who will be able to skirt the law for a while.

The city of Paris just shot its first salvo in the war against illegal apartments by demanding sites such as Airbnb remove any listing not displaying a registration number. The city has threaten court action if companies do not comply with the law.

The focus on the large platforms will keep the city busy for some time to come. Chez Robert will probably escape their attention for now.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 06:17 AM
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menachem - The list to which you have linked shows only the addresses of those apartments which have been given special licenses by the city, to operate as full time vacation rentals. It is very expensive to have an apartment so approved which is why there is only 125 of them in the entire city.

Registering one´s primary residence allowing the owner to rent his home for up to 120 annually is something completely different.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 06:23 AM
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Sarastro: aha. otoh I did see an apartment that might be one of Chezroberts' listings.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 06:24 AM
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ps: that link was linked from the paris gov info page on (also) registration of the 120 days shortlets.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 06:27 AM
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RJD: good luck. This crack down has been in the works for ages.

Thousand (MAN thousands) of properties are being pulled. You should hope yours isn't one of the.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 06:27 AM
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Thanks for the clarification Sarastro. I thought I had understood the requirements properly. Using the site menachem posted, there is one apt. on rue saint martin (apt. #1 on the chez roberts site) on the list. So, perhaps it is a legitimately registered apartment, but that goes against the other data on that site - available all year, owned by a foreigner.

This is what I was wondering about a couple of months ago. How is a person going to be able to confirm a registration number is legitimate (not fake)? The chezroberts website adds to the dilemma.

We can use the govt website to check a street name, but it doesn't show the actual registration number, so if there are multiple units on a particular address, we'll just have to assume the one we are looking at is legit.
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Old Dec 13th, 2017, 08:10 AM
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If the French government had outright banned all short term rentals in Paris, as has been done by other countries in other cities, there would be no confusion.

The government made several concessions which has, at the very least, cause great confusion. Simply put, the government allows three types of short term rentals:

1. Those given specific authority to operate as full time, commercial businesses. There are 125 of them currently and they are listed in menachem´s link. It is complicated and very expensive for owners to obtain such approval.

2. Most ground floor apartments have no restrictions to renting short term. I assume owners are still required to registered these apartments with the city.

3. The bulk of the legal apartments will be those offered by homeowner residents who may rent their apartments up to 120 days annually.

It is possible that Chez Robert is a small operator listing 4 of the 125 available commercially operated apartments available in Paris. Any number of companies/individuals could potentially list some if not all of the 125 units. Listing would only be contingent upon an agreement between the owner/investor and the agent.

Apartment registration is new and has only been mandatory for all listings for two weeks. As a lot of money is involved here, I am sure that there will be dishonest people attempting to skirt the law and continue renting their illegally offered properties. We´ll just need to wait a bit and see how this develops.
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