Paris to launch legal action against Airbnb over ‘rental law breaches'

Paris is set to launch legal action against Airbnb after claiming that listings were posted in violation of its short-term rental laws, the city's mayor has said.

Mayor Anne Hidalgo told the Journal du Dimanche newspaper that action had been launched over 1,000 postings, in a move that could cost the booking platform €12.5m (£11m).

Home owners in the French capital can rent out their properties for a maximum of 120 days a year and must include a registration number on adverts.

A law passed in 2018 made short-term booking platforms punishable with fines of up to €12,500 per illegal listing published on their sites.

Hidalgo told the Journal du Dimanche: "I do not think that these platforms should be banned, but it is necessary to regulate more."

Many industry figures in the UK have called for greater regulation of Airbnb, which saw a 45% increase in London bookings in 2017, amounting to almost 6.7 million overnight stays. The increase was seen despite legislation limiting the availability of Greater London listings to 90 nights per calendar year unless hosts confirm they have permission to share their space more frequently.

The Caterer has contacted Airbnb for comment.

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