A furnished tourist accommodations are, according to the definition of the tourism code (Article D324-1):
- Furnished houses or apartments available for rent to passing customers who do not take up residence there, for daily, weekly or monthly rental rental by the day, week or month.
- They can be an apartment, a furnished room, a studio, or even a house.
What type of rental is allowed through furnished tourist accommodations ?
The declaration of a furnished tourist accommodations to the town hall allows seasonal rental. This concerns stays of a maximum, non-renewable duration of 90 consecutive days. A security deposit may be requested by the owner. The rent will include the tourist tax which varies according to the municipalities. In order to offer their apartment for seasonal rental, the owner must declare their furnished tourist accommodation and may need to obtain an authorization for seasonal rental from the town hall, in some municipalities.
Seasonal rental is particularly suitable for tourism, business, relocation, and many other temporary stays.
Which criteria must a furnished tourist accommodation meet?
A furnished tourist accommodation must meet specific rules. Firstly, the apartment must be for the exclusive use of the tenant. The flat must be furnished and equipped for everyday life, and contain:
- The furniture you need every day
- Bedding (duvet, blanket) and household linen (sheets, towels)
- A means of obscuring the windows in the bedroom (blinds, curtains, etc.)
- Cooking plates
- A traditional oven or microwave
- Kitchen utensils and dishes
- A fridge and freezer
- A dining table and chairs (or stools)
- Storage spaces
- Lighting
- Housekeeping equipment (at least a mop and broom).
Administrative procedures
Before declaring their furnished tourist accommodation to the town hall, it is important for the owner to ensure that the co-ownership of the building does not prohibit seasonal rental.
The formalities will depend on the municipality in which the owner’s secondary residence is located. The procedure differs depending on the size of the city:
- In very large cities: obtaining the authorization for seasonal rental from the town hall is mandatory, before declaring the apartment to the town hall. Subsequently, the apartment receives a registration number.
Some cities that are concerned: Lyon, Paris, Annecy, Aix-en-Provence, Biarritz, Bordeaux, Cannes, Nice, Strasbourg, Toulouse, Tours … - In large cities: the procedure is the other way around. All municipalities can decide to request this procedure.
- In other towns: a simple declaration (at the town hall) is sufficient to declare the accommodation as a furnished tourist accommodation.
For taxes, it is necessary to apply for registration with the Insee Sirene directory (for free). The owner will then obtain a SIRET number which will appear on his supplementary income tax return. In addition, different rules must be followed, concerning the rental contract, insurance, income tax, social contributions and the police record.
A tourist tax may be imposed by certain municipalities. This tax is paid by temporary tenants: per night and per person (only persons over 13 years old are liable). The owner then transfers the tourist tax to the local authorities.
The rating of a furnished tourist accommodation
The rating of the apartment allows the tenant to be informed of the criteria met in terms of comfort, furnishings, quality … The rating categories range from 1 to 5 stars, and the rating is valid for 5 years.
The owner can freely choose an accredited or approved appraiser who will rate their apartment during a visit. Then, the organization will send the owner a report and a checklist, as well as the official rating decision. (However, this rating decision can be refused by the owner within 15 days).
The owner has the obligation to publish his apartment’s rating.
Urban Sejour’s furnished self-catering apartments
Of course, many furnished tourist accommodation do not only include mandatory equipment, but also additional equipment. Thus, the vast majority of apartments for rent at Urban Sejour also have: unlimited WiFi, iron and ironing board, vacuum cleaner, coffee maker, washing machine and dishwasher, etc. Some apartments have “bonus” equipment, such as air conditioning or baby equipment.
Urban Sejour’s rent prices include all possible charges. Only the tourist tax is added to the rent.
Almost all of Urban Sejour’s lodgings are rated. Among them, the apartments are mostly rated 3 stars. The ratings are carried out by the label Clevacances.