How do i know if flat listing respects french rent control rules?

WE LOOK WHAT RENTAL CONTROLS ARE, HOW THEY ARE APPLIED AND HOW TO CHECK IF THEY ARE APPLICABLE TO ADVERTISED PROPERTIES READER QUESTION: I AM LOOKING TO RENT AN APARTMENT IN PARIS AND I AM

AWARE THE CITY HAS INTRODUCED RENT CONTROLS. BUT HOW DO I KNOW IF THE LISTINGS I AM LOOKING AT RESPECT THESE? Rents in Paris are regulated by calculating for each property a _loyer de

référence_ (reference rent) based on its location, the year it was built and whether it is furnished. Landlords are allowed to charge up to 20% more than this reference rent. In certain

cases, they can add a further supplement if the property has particular characteristics in terms of location or comfort, such as a direct view of a famous monument or a large balcony. A

small balcony, proximity to a metro station, or a fully-equipped kitchen, for example, would not be sufficient to meet the criteria. WHEN SUPPLEMENTS CANNOT BE CHARGED There are also factors

that make it impossible to charge a supplement. These include windows overlooked by buildings less than 10 metres away, a badly-oriented main living area, and signs of moisture on the

walls. Similar rules also apply in the _‘Plaine commune_’ and ‘_Est Ensemble_’ administrative zones on the outskirts of Paris, as well as Lille and Hellemmes and Lomme, Lyon and

Villeurbanne, Montpellier and Bordeaux. Go HERE to estimate the reference rent. Select the city in question, then _1re mise en location_. Since April 2022, estate agents are obliged to

include rent control details when advertising a property: the reference rent, this reference plus 20% (known as the _loyer majoré_), and the supplement if it exists. In July, this

requirement was extended to landlords who rent out their property on listings websites such as Leboncoin without going through an intermediary. However, a study by consumer organisation CLCV

published in November found that only 39% of estate agent listings and 45% of private listings included this information. CLCV consulted 1,100 listings across five websites for Paris, Lyon

and Lille. Other studies have shown that just 69% of listings in Paris respect rent control rules. If you have already signed a lease – at some point in the last three years – and discover

that your landlord is overcharging you, you can inform the Paris mairie here. LANDLORD FINES At the beginning of the year, the mairie took over the responsibility for receiving complaints

from the _préfecture de police_, allowing it to issue the landlord with a fine and put them on notice to modify the lease and refund excess rent to the tenant. Fines can be up to €5,000 for

an individual, or €15,000 for a business or other organisation. You can also contact the _Commission départementale de conciliation_ (mediator) to request that your rent be lowered. Your

Adil departmental housing information agency should be able to help you with the process. RELATED ARTICLES RESIDENTS’ ANGER AFTER FRENCH COURT SUSPENDS SHORT-TERM RENTALS RULE WHAT IS A

‘PROTECTED TENANT’ IN FRANCE AND HOW DO YOU BECOME ONE?