Airbnb hosts may face social charges

People renting out properties through websites such as Airbnb or vehicles through similar sites face paying social charges on their earnings if they exceed certain income limits.

The government won a difficult vote in Parliament to enforce maximum earnings limits of €23,000 a year for property rentals and €7,720 for rentals of items such as cars, boats, lawnmowers etc – with owners required to register with the Régime Social des Indépendants and pay social charges.

Aimed to stop private owners from damaging the business of hotels, guest-houses, gîtes and hire companies, the government said it would affect about 10,000 people who were renting out several properties at a time.