The rental of furnished tourist accommodation, a sector in exponential growth and with attractive returns, also benefits from a tax loophole… which the government has been promising for years to tackle. An extract from “Additional investigation” on Airbnb, the platform that knows how to defend its interests very well.
“I find it difficult to understand the very favorable taxation that applies today to Airbnb, declared an offensive Minister of the Economy last June. So we will reform this tax system, and I will make proposals.” promised Bruno Le Maire on BFMTV.
Owners of furnished tourist accommodation, offered for rental via platforms such as Airbnb, benefit from a one of the most advantageous reductions in France: -71%, compared to only -30% for income from traditional long-term rentals. Already in 2022, an interministerial report proposed tackling this tax loophole. The last three Housing Ministers have also increased their proactive announcements, but have not touched this tax. No more than the current government, despite its repeated promises…
Particularly effective lobbying
According to a source within Airbnb who agreed to speak to “Complement d’investigation” on condition of anonymity, the tourism platform has perfect control over lobbying to defend its interests with parliamentarians.
“Public affairs officials go to parliament all the time, to Paris, to Brussels, to the government. The team (…) eats with elected officials to get amendments voted on, they write amendments, they rework amendments. “
An internal source at Airbnbin “Additional investigation”
And when the taxation of furnished tourist accommodation was examined in the National Assembly, last October, between two amendments, the one least unfavorable to Airbnb was voted on. This text which proposed to increase the famous tax rebate from 71 to 60% was carried notably by François Jolivet, a deputy from the Horizons group who employs as an advisor… a former Airbnb lobbyist. According to the socialist deputy Iñaki Echaniz, who wonders why, “in the middle of the housing crisis, we are not favoring long-term housing”, this 11% drop will not have “no effect, whether symbolic or practical.” He himself was part of a coalition of more than 300 deputies from all sides who defended a much more radical proposal: lowering this tax advantage from 71 to 40%.
But in the end, in this debate, it was the government which had the last word. By using article 49.3 to have his budget adopted, he rejected all the amendments on the new taxation of furnished tourist accommodation… And once again, he committed to reducing this reduction from which their owners benefit… by next spring.
Extract from “Airbnb: no more roof over your head!”, a document published in “Additional investigation” on the 11th January 2024.
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