I have stayed at LaTour twice and staying in another of their apartments next month. I, personally, would not hesitate to make my deposit. You will want to move in to LaTour permanently.

Maybe the City would be interested in providing guidance, like a certification of some kind that the agencies can advertise or show to any prospective renters.

If they're collecting taxes from certain agencies, the Mayor's office presumably won't bother them.

It's a shakedown, to collect hotel taxes. If AirBnB was a French startup, none of this would be happening.

There has been a more recent thread on this topic with some strongly worded advice and/or suggestions. I would find that thread if I were currently interested in this topic.

This was the most recent thread I've found on the topic. I know Paris Perfect has other apartments they could move me to, but my needs are very specific because of my kids: air conditioning, 2 bedrooms, in the 7th (11 year old daughter has heart set on Eiffel tower view). And several of their apartments have age restrictions. I'm concerned I would end up in a different arrondissement with no AC in July, and only one bedroom.

On the other hand, I really don't want to shell out the money for a suite at an expensive hotel in that area. It's very hard to find hotel accommodations for a family- either a suite for more than I want to pay, or booking 2 connecting rooms, which also adds up.

Does anyone have experience with Paris Perfect providing documentation that they have authorization from the city to rent?

<i>Does anyone have experience with Paris Perfect providing documentation that they have authorization from the city to rent?</i>

You have misunderstood the law. It is the <b>apartment owner</b> who must apply to the city for a permit to operate short term vacation rentals (periods of less than one year), not an agency advertising rentals.

As long as Paris Perfect doesn´t actually own any of the apartments they rent and collects the required <i>taxe de séjour</i>, the same tax hotels pay, Paris Perfect or any other agency like them is not in violation of the law.

The risk to the renter is that illegal apartments can be withdrawn from the market at any time by the mayors task force, leaving a renter little time to replace their accommodations.

The mayor´s office has announced additional crackdowns for the Latin Quarter and Montmartre. As long as the building´s owners association has not reported this apartment in the 7th, I´d probably stay there this year. Next year may be different.

I'm looking at July 2016. Thoughts?

The Mayor's office is not fooling around. If you want to book an apartment through any agency, you certainly may - but no one can guarantee the outcome. Not in 2015, 2016 or beyond.

Frankly, you might as well stop asking for people's opinions, since none of that will enter into the equation.

The facts remain that the residents of the building have the final say-so about who is allowed (or not) to rent short-term.

Most of the coop boards do not permit it (the residents must vote to approve this on a unanimous basis). Even though a full-time resident has the right to let out the place he lives in for a period of a 3 - 4 months a year, the coop board has the right to decide the length of time of each stay. The owners who ignore the rules end up in court.

Though many people have been getting away with renting short-term in the past, it is the residents' complaints which are responsible for the Mayor's crackdown.

An agency has nothing at all to do with any of this. All an agency does is accept money from the owner - both for advertising on their website as well as often taking a percentage of the rental fees. Some agencies also charge the renter a fee, just for providing a contract. This is just throwing away money, since it guarantees absolutely nothing.

So, if you want to rent, go ahead. But if your rental is not available, you would have a hard time trying to find something comparable at the last minute - especially with air-conditioning, 2 bedrooms and a view of the Eiffel Tower.

Frankly, it might be worth it to decrease the length of your stay by a day, or decide where you could economize elsewhere, and book a hotel which will give you at least most of what you're looking for and will be there when you arrive. A view of the Eiffel Tower is only worth it as long as you are in your room. I don't see justifying the prices that these places command, since most people prefer to spend their time enjoying themselves soaking up the atmosphere in the streets of Paris.

There is a small risk.
If you can part with this mney, why not.
My only rec would be to minimize the downpayment - you're talking one year ahead ! And if the owner is putting pressure, just run away - did the owner guaranteed you that he is legit ? (in which case he must have applied to the mairie - Sarastro knows it better than me.

Other possibilities : appartments belonging to hotels, citadines, hotels...

Please do not make the mistake of thinking that Paris Perfect is perfect!! They are not at all and if there is a problem with a/c or other mechanical issues it may not be possible to remedy during your stay. This is true with any accommodations. All you need to do is some googling to see PP has issues just as most rental companies do...my experience with them in advance of booking led me to not close the deal and find another agency...and frankly they too no doubt have apts that are not legal in the eyes of the law.

>><i>There has been a more recent thread on this topic with some strongly worded advice and/or suggestions. I would find that thread if I were currently interested in this topic.</i><<

Unfortunately I <i>think</i> that thread has been pulled (maybe it got a little too strongly worded?? )

I did a cursory search and went back a little over a week and didn't locate it -- doesn't mean it isn't there, I just couldn't find it. Maybe pariswat, or manouche or someone else who posted to it knows for sure and can post a link. Would be sad if that thread was nuked and the really REALLY stooooooppid/nasty one about tipping maids in Paris is allowed to fester :(

Happy to oblige :-)

Here the most recent one
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...l-in-paris.cfm

an this one
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...s-in-paris.cfm

Thanks to all of you for your help. PP emailed me this morning and stated my deposit is due in 2 days or else they will cancel it, as someone else is interested in the apt.


They said "most" of their owners have complied with rules and taxes, and that they are legal, and I am in safe hands.

I asked them if the property I am renting is one of the "most"?

I told them I need something stating that they will give me a refund if they cancel and cannot find me another comparable apartment, with 2 bedrooms, AC, and a view of the Tower in the 7th. I'm waiting to get their reply before I would pay.

If they agree in writing to a refund, I will book a suite at a hotel as a backup, that I can cancel at no charge.

We've rented apts from Paris Perfect three times in the past, and have one rented for this upcoming October. In contrast to Lois2's second-hand information - Paris Perfect has been perfect for us. Any problems like a burned out light bulb has been fixed immediately. Several years ago, a poster here told of a story where PP had to cancel her upcoming rental at the last minute because the owner of the building was going to do a major renovation to the building and things were going to be a mess. PP instead put her into their "premium" apt - the one Lance Armstrong stayed in - at no added cost to her.

Stu Dudley

Ok thanks Stu. That makes me feel better!

Things have dramatically changed here with respect to apartment rentals and we are not talking about problems with burned out light bulbs.

The truth is that most vacation apartments in Paris are effectively black market operations, operating under the radar of regulators. People should at least understand that. Some won´t care, some will be sufficiently concerned to make contingency plans, and some will move to legal apartment-like accommodations such as Citadine or Adagio.

Well of course, I care, and I don't want to rent something that is illegal. Which is why I'm asking questions of PP. If they give me something in writing stating they are within the law, and a statement that they will refund my deposit if they cancel, then I feel I'm doing my part. I certainly don't want to contribute to a black market operation, and I'll have a hotel reservation as a backup. That's assuming that I get the documentation I've requested from Paris Perfect.

Of course if the hotel industry would make more accommodations for families that don't require either booking 2 rooms or an expensive suite, then I wouldn't have this dilemma in the first place.

It's difficult to travel to Europe with children because of the hotel room restrictions.

The hotel industry <b>has</b> made accommodations for families who want apartments. Besides the previously mentioned Adagio and Citadines, there are also chains like Fraser Suites, Suite Home and plenty of independent places that Google will tell you all about within 2 seconds if you bother to check.

I have bothered to check. Quite extensively, actually. And they are mostly one bedroom apartments or else not in the location I want.

If I'm going to spend a considerable amount of money, I don't feel I should have to compromise on what I want. So those properties don't meet my needs.

Okay then, we'll just tear down those old residential buildings in the center and build something to your liking.