Steps to follow, rules, taxes, pitfalls to avoid, concierge services… how to rent your accommodation through Airbnb in Montpellier

Boxes installed in the city center of Montpellier to allow tenants to collect keys using a code. Midi Libre - JEAN-MICHEL MART

Louer son logement en prenant des précautions. Midi Libre - L. D.

l'essentiel Beaucoup de Montpelliérains sont tentés par la location ponctuelle de leur logement pendant leurs vacances. Une manière d’arrondir les fins de mois pendant son absence. Encore faut-il savoir comment procéder…

"En attendant de déménager, j’ai décidé de proposer mon logement à la location."This young Montpellier woman hopes to collect some money while she "squat" with his parents before being able to move into his new apartment at the start of the school year. "That will pay for my installation." Like Elisa, many think that AirBnB can put a little butter in the spinach… A tempting solution, but you still have to be able to do it. Here is a list of steps to follow and tips to stay legal and avoid problems.

1. Registration number in Montpellier and limited number of days

With the housing crisis and the difficulty of finding accommodation in Montpellier, the Metropolis has decided to take measures. Like certain large cities, it has implemented a regulatory system since 2021. This is why people who want to rent their accommodation for tourism must declare it at the town hall and thus obtain a registration number made up of 13 characters which will be requested for any registration on AirBnB or other platform.

The number of rental days is limited to 120 days per year for the main residence.

2. Change of use

For people who would like to rent their main residence for more than 120 days per year as a furnished tourist rental or only their second home for a few days, they must also make a change of use. This requires obtaining prior authorization issued by the mayor.

Tourist taxes

The tourist tax is obligatory. It is a tax allocated to travelers which is allocated to the attractive and tourist development of the territory. All people who offer a property à tourist rental must collect it to pay it back to the the community. It must therefore be added to the invoice amount.

The tourist tax has increased by 34% in H&rault this year. It is fixed at Montpellier between 1.15 euros and 6.62 euros per person per night depending on the type of rental.

The platforms are responsible for collecting them and transferring them directly to the municipalities, for greater convenience. The metropolis has set up a simulator on its website.

3. Check the condominium regulations

Please note that some condominiums prohibit the rental of furnished tourist accommodation. It is therefore necessary to check the condominium regulations. If the authorization is not mentioned, the agreement of the condominium association is required. If the mention exclusive residence is noted, a seasonal rental will not be possible either. And if tourist rentals cause noise pollution, this may also be prohibited and incur the liability of the owner.

4. What about tenants for subletting

Tenants can sublet their accommodation but they must obtain the owner's consent beforehand. And the amount requested for seasonal rental must not exceed the rent entered in the lease (per m2 since subletting a room is possible).

5. Standards to be respected

It is essential that the accommodation available for rental complies with the standards set by decree. It must be decent and thus meet several criteria to ensure the health and safety of the tenant.

Heavy sanctions

It is recommended to respect the rules. If so, this can be expensive.

For a lack of registration number, the offender is liable to a fine of up to 5,000 euros.

For non-collection of the tourist tax, the fine can reach 2,500 euros.

As for non-compliance with the change of use procedure, the offender may incur a fine of up to 50,000 euros

For false declarations, this is an offense that can be punished by one year in prison and a fine of 80,000 euros.

6. Registering on a platform

Registering on a platform is quite easy. You have to create a profile with a photo and then put photos of the accommodation with the ad that specifies the conditions and the available equipment. It is advisable to translate the description at least into English.

It will be necessary to set the dates of availability, the price on the calendar and ensure the inbox is set up to communicate with potential rental companies.

Booking, Abritel… different platforms and commissions

There are several platforms allowing you to rent your accommodation. The best known being Airbnb with commission fees of 3% and 14% for travelers.

Booking covers commission fees entirely, ranging from 15% to 50%. 20%, with assistance deemed reliable and available all the time. The companyé Abritel, which specializes in family-friendly stays, takes 8% commissions. Other platforms also allow you to rent your property.

7. Insurance

Beyond the insurance offers offered by the platforms, it is important to check that the home insurance already taken out covers what is necessary to protect the home and travelers.

8. Policy form for foreign customer

To accommodate a foreign person, the lessor must have an individual police form completed and signed by the traveler. The name and first names must be provided, the date and place of birth, nationality, usual address, telephone and email details as well as the arrival and departure dates. Subsequently, the lessor must keep it for six months and must hand it over to law enforcement upon request.

9. Tax declarations

The income thus earned must be declared to the tax administration. The amount will be completed in the Industrial and Commercial Profits (BIC) category in the income declaration.

Jade, Sarah and Ornella carefully select tenants. Midi Libre - L.D.

Concierge: the good idea for delegating

“We wanted to change careers, we put suggestions in a box and that's how we got the idea’ ;eacute;e to create our WelcHome34 concierge service.” Sarah Sayagh smiles as she recounts the anecdote, but with her partner Jonathan Martial, they finally had a disagreement.

It was six years ago, at the beginning of the deployment of Airbnb-type rentals in Montpellier. “Initially we offered our services via a platform and very quickly we formed a platform. our little network.”

So they took the plunge and created their site a few months later: “And thereà it was an avalanche of requests: we put together a series of requests. our company.”

Today, they have six self-employed janitors who work through their company and two employees on the side. administrative team Jade and Ornella to manage around 70 short-term rental accommodations in Montpellier, but also in Palavas, Carnon, Le Crès and Castelnau.

“We have a lot of customers who don't live here. They can't take care of it. And with us they opt for tranquility…”

The service advantage

The advantage of using a concierge service is to avoid the hassle of managing and maintaining the apartment.

With the complete formula offered, the owner is freed from all costs. of all tasks related to rental: from support to shaping your ad, taking reservations up to the point of booking. handing over the keys and cleaning everything can be taken into account.

“We adapt the announcement with our requirements, we manage reservations, check-in and check-out out”, explains Sarah. “And we attach ourselves à select the profiles of tenants while remaining vigilant about the expectations of owners”, completes Jade.

With the option of cleaning and quality linen hotel in addition. Of course, the service has a cost: 19% for the owner and the cleaning at the expense of the tenant. But this allows you to delegate to others. a professional this management is not always very pleasant. And to have peace of mind. Especially in summer, when activity is high. is the most important.

Some tips for welcoming the traveler

A little attention is always appreciated.. Midi Libre - L.D.

To be a quality host and especially to be well rated on the platform and therefore well referenced, it is best to think of everything when welcoming a traveler. It is unnecessary to specify that cleaning must be done impeccably, cleanliness being an essential criterion. Like security equipment: smoke detectors, fire extinguisher… You must also remember to lock up your own belongings while leaving empty cupboards for the tenant.

And for the practical side, don't forget essentials like bath towels, sheets but also soap, salt, oil, household products and coffee.

It's also nice to leave a note and why not a small gift like a local specialty… Then everyone can add their personal touch. Every attention is always greatly appreciated and always leaves a memory.

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