By demanding a fine of 127,500 euros per rental property (30 in this case), the maximum provided for by law, the city of Marseille decided to strike hard, this Monday, November 24 before the civil court, against three multi-owners of furnished tourist accommodation on Airbnb-type platforms who do not respect the regulations in force.
A first when 6,000 of the 12,900 properties rented exclusively to tourists in the Marseille city – or 2,000 more only for the year 2024 – are off the charts.
Lessors multiply their gains by 6 or 7
Since 2021, the city has required that if a property changes destination, authorization must be issued only if an identical property in the same sector is put up for traditional rental by the owner.
As for main residences, they can be rented for 120 days, 90 from next January, with Marseille now applying the strictest possible regulations.
“We had a million nights in furnished tourist accommodation last year even though Marseille has 40,000 substandard accommodations and it is sometimes impossible to access rental accommodation. In the Panier district, 11% of accommodation is furnished tourist accommodation. Instead of earning 1,000 euros in monthly rent, the owners of these so-called second homes can thus receive 6,000 to 7,000 euros,” argued Mr. Jorge Mendes Constante.
The city’s lawyer also recalled that in two cases out of three the buildings are the subject of danger orders, the danger prohibiting them from renting these properties.
“Let this audience have educational value”
“The objective is not to go to court for 6,000 owners but for this hearing to have an educational value, even if we are asking for a sentence that is not symbolic but severe. This needs to be known and stopped. »
The first case concerned a surgeon from Périgueux who had transformed a building of six apartments into 14 lots rented by the night for tourists. In a report in “Complément d’investigation”, he simply explained his attitude by saying “It’s Marseille baby”. “An investment project that goes a little off the rails,” euphemised his lawyer Pierre Le Beller.
The second owner had also divided two apartments into nine lots and this city center building is now in danger of collapsing. Same thing in the third file where the building is also under danger order with a ban on renting and brought in almost 12,000 euros per year.
Deliberated on February 2, 2026
The city’s lawyer therefore requested 100,000 euros per rented property, 5,000 euros for not having requested prior authorization for a change of use of the residential premises but also 10,000 euros for failure to transmit the requested information to the municipal services and 12,500 euros for lack of declaration number in any advertisement relating to furnished accommodation.
He also called for the return of these apartments to traditional rentals under penalty. A concierge agency was also prosecuted. The decision will be given on February 2, 2026. Other summons have already been issued against illegal owners.
The Marseille city is also increasing operations to remove key boxes in public spaces and has set up a control brigade made up of sworn agents to check the announcements.