The city of Paris has provided a satisfactory assessment of its strategy to enforce the law on rent control. Since the implementation of an online reporting platform in January, it has received 1,181 alerts from tenants. Compared to the previous years, where only 120 alerts were recorded, this is a significant increase. The platform was created to simplify the process for tenants and encourage them to report to the authorities if their rights are violated.
Despite opposition from proponents of liberal approaches, rent control has been practiced for the past four years in 18 municipalities in Île-de-France and several major cities such as Lyon, Bordeaux, and Lille. This system allows for a maximum increase of 20% in rent between two tenants.
However, the compliance of landlords with the law is not always guaranteed. A study conducted in 2022 by the Abbé Pierre Foundation estimated that 31% of rents were higher than the authorized amounts.
To improve efficiency, the city of Paris has taken over control and sanctions since January 1, 2023. “A number of abuses were persisting,” explains Ian Brossat, Deputy (PCF) to the Mayor of Paris, in charge of housing and emergency accommodation.
The most affected properties are small units. The platform’s operation is simple: a tenant who feels violated goes to the City of Paris website and fills out a reporting form. The municipality then takes care of the process. The team, composed of Agnès Guerin-Battesti and two agents from the City, reviews the case within two to three months.
Since its launch, the platform has received ten times more reports than the state in three years. “There are not more abuses, but more people taking action,” emphasizes the deputy.
Not all types of housing are affected by these violations. “The districts most affected are the 18th, 21st, and 15th arrondissements, as they have a large population and a significant private housing market,” specifies Ian Brossat.
Nearly half (47%) of the cases have already been reviewed, and 61% of them have been found to be in violation. The remaining cases either do not show violations or concern a supplementary rent that falls outside the city’s jurisdiction.
This supplementary rent can be justified by exceptional characteristics of the property. However, this vague notion also allows for escaping regulation. “It is often a way to bypass the law. Some landlords justify it by proximity to the metro and shops, which is absurd since there are shops everywhere in the city. It can go up to 150 or 200 euros per month for a equipped kitchen. It seems essential to have additional safeguards,” says the deputy, who has requested from the housing minister the possibility for local authorities to judge the relevance of a supplementary rent.
In many cases, sending an initial warning letter from the city is enough to get the landlord to adjust the rent and reimburse any overpayments. If they refuse to comply with the law, the municipality sends them a formal notice. The final step is an information letter prior to issuing a fine.
Out of the 183 formal notices sent to landlords, over two-thirds concern a monthly excess of more than 100 euros. “So far, five fines have been issued, three of which reached the maximum amount of 5,000 euros. This was the case for a landlord who rented a 15 m2 apartment in the 16th arrondissement for 900 euros, while the reference rent is 583 euros,” illustrates Ian Brossat. In total, 100,000 euros have been reimbursed to affected tenants.
While convinced of the usefulness of rent control, Ian Brossat acknowledges “a certain number of shortcomings” that he hopes to address in his new role as a senator. According to him, “expecting tenants to report violations assumes that they are aware of the law,” which is not always the case. “Some don’t even sign a lease,” adds Agnès Guerin-Battesti. While waiting for legislative improvements, the city is preparing a plan to remind tenants of their rights, especially as the Olympics approach.
