The National Union of Real Estate Owners (UNPI) is today made up of 80 local chambers and has around 100,000 members. The objective of this association is to support them by offering them advice and various services. The UNPI also carries out lobbying work with communities and public authorities in defense of the interests of owners…
The National Union of Real Estate Owners (UNPI) is today made up of 80 local chambers and has around 100,000 members. The objective of this association is to support them by offering them advice and various services. The UNPI also carries out lobbying work with communities and public authorities in defense of the interests of property owners. Sylvain Grataloup was elected to the national presidency of the UNPI in September 2023. A lawyer at the Lyon bar, this doctor of law is also a lecturer at Jean-Moulin Lyon 3 University. In a seminar in Royan, he responded to “South West”.
Do you fear the proposed law aimed at limiting the rental of furnished tourist accommodation?
I would like to remind you that this bill aims to restrict the rental of furnished tourist accommodation by considering that it is a tax loophole and that it undermines long-term rentals. In the background, it is yet another attack on property owners. It was presented to the Senate where it was however amended. Today, it must go before the joint committee but with the legislative elections, we do not really know what will happen. Will it be abandoned or modified?
Why do you think landlords are being targeted?
Because of this image they have as privileged people. However, it is completely wrong. Most have between one and five homes. They are not wealthy. They constitute the middle class of France. Do we want to downgrade them? One may ask. You should know that nine out of ten furnished tourist accommodations are primary residences. These are owner-occupiers who rent out their property when they go on vacation or secondary residents who rent in order to pay their expenses. Wanting to tackle it will not solve the problem of the housing crisis. These residents, once the rental expires, return home.
You are talking about tax bludgeoning, why?
Real estate owners must face, today, the explosion of property taxes due to the disappearance of the housing tax on main residences and the increase in the housing tax on second homes. In short, we are being taxed more and more. It’s going to hurt a lot in 2024. I would still like to remind you that the property tax has increased on average, in the territory, by 30% over the past ten years.
What are you asking?
This property tax is used to finance collective facilities and public services. Owners but also tenants benefit from this. The idea would be to have a distribution of this tax between the two. We could also imagine lowering this tax, or even exempting it, for virtuous owners who have started energy renovation. Our fight is to ensure that the owner is not the only social category from whom efforts are required. We need to find a balance. We are also fighting over the rent control resulting from the Alur law with things that are not working.