WELKEYS INFO: Regulations in Toulouse for your short-term rentals

Are you a property owner in Toulouse looking to take advantage of short-term rentals? It is certainly still possible to host travelers while earning a comfortable income. However, some regulations have been updated to distinguish between professional and occasional hosts. Like Paris, Bordeaux, or Lyon, the city of Toulouse requires specific declarations for all short-term rentals listed on major booking platforms such as Airbnb and Booking.com.

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The rise of Airbnb and the surrounding controversy

Airbnb was a young startup about a decade ago. Today, the platform has transformed into a global giant. Among other things, Airbnb offers more than 3.5 million apartments and 1 million private rooms in 191 countries. In France, 12 million people have created an Airbnb account. As this young startup continues to grow, it isn't stopping there, with plans to reach one billion users by 2028. Nevertheless, as with any emerging market, regulations must be taken into account.

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Public authorities are taking action by regulating the global platform

If you are renting out your primary residence

Following the municipal council meeting on June 15, 2018, the city of Toulouse passed a resolution. This means that anyone offering a short-term rental on one of these platforms must register with the city hall by completing the rental declaration form. Consequently, if your municipality has a population of over 200,000, as is the case in Toulouse, you may rent out your primary residence for up to 120 days per year, provided you obtain a registration number to help enforce the rules and regulate the sector. Once you have submitted your declaration, you will receive a registration number to display on your short-term rental listing.

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This requirement stems from Law No. 2016-1321 of October 7, 2016, for a Digital Republic, which amends certain provisions of the ALUR Law and the Tourism Code. It allows municipalities with more than 200,000 inhabitants, in particular, to implement a registration or declaration procedure for anyone offering short-term rentals of furnished property to transient guests who do not use the property as their primary residence. Airbnb is required to track the number of days and remove listings if the 120-day legal limit is reached. Failure to register can result in a fine of 450 euros for the host.

If you have a secondary residence

That said, the regulatory requirements differ if you occupy your property for less than 8 months per year, which is the case for a secondary residence. First, according to the Tourism Code, the property owner must declare their short-term rental activity. Second, you cannot rent your secondary residence to the same guest for more than 90 days per year. In short, if these two conditions are not met, you face a 450-euro fine. Furthermore, you must obtain authorization from the city hall to change the usage of the property, which involves converting your residential space into a short-term rental. Additionally, this authorization is granted for a fixed term. This means that when the authorization expires, the owner must apply for a new one. Otherwise, the property will revert to its residential status, and a fine will be issued.

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How do I pay the tourist tax in Toulouse?

Anyone renting out their property for a short duration must collect the tourist tax from their guests. The tourist tax is a resource for Toulouse Métropole dedicated to promoting tourism in the region. Therefore, a tourist tax of €0.40 per person, per night, must be remitted to the city of Toulouse. The declaration and payment of your tourist tax depend on the platform where your listing is published:

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Airbnb, Abritel, and Homeaway collect the tourist tax directly and handle the remittance to the city of Toulouse; however, you must still declare the number of guests and nights rented to ensure accurate tracking of payments. Other booking platforms such as Booking.com or Club Welkeys have not yet automated this collection. You must therefore complete your declaration and pay the tax directly to your city hall.
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In Toulouse, you must remit the tourist tax on a quarterly basis, no later than the last day of the month following the end of each quarter. Here are the deadlines set by the city:

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Before April 30 for the 1st quarter. Before July 31 for the 2nd quarter. Before October 31 for the 3rd quarter. Before January 31 for the 4th quarter.