Key takeaways
- Law n° 2024-1039 of November 19, 2024 (known as the Le Meur Law) regulates short-term tourist rentals: mandatory national registration on Declaloc, lower municipal day caps, reduced micro-BIC tax deductions, and expanded powers for co-ownership associations (copropriétés).
- A defined-days lease relies on the civil code secondary residence regime (Articles 1708 and following of the French Civil Code). It is a recurring part-time furnished rental signed with an identified tenant, completely excluded from the Le Meur Law’s scope.
- Part-time rentals are subject neither to municipal Declaloc registration, nor to 90/120-day annual caps, nor to co-ownership rules restricting short-term hotel-style rentals.
- The average rate under a defined-days lease equals €476 per month for two fixed nights per week (based on €55 per night), providing hosts guaranteed rental income without the regulatory burdens of tourist rentals.
Since its enactment, the Le Meur Law on short-term tourist rentals has sparked intense discussion among apartment and secondary residence owners: mandatory prior registration, annual day caps, expanded powers for co-ownership assemblies. If you rent your secondary residence a few days a week to a fixed mobile professional, a legitimate question arises: does your property fall under these new statutory constraints?
The legal answer is unambiguous: the Le Meur Law targets the regulation of short-term tourist rentals, meaning accommodations rented by the night to revolving tourists. The defined-days lease, which formalizes part-time furnished rentals at Kowo, operates under standard civil code secondary residence lease law. It is a recurring rental on fixed assigned days with an identified tenant. Here is why the two legal regimes are strictly distinct and what this implies for managing your property.
What the Le Meur Law imposes on short-term tourist rentals
Law n° 2024-1039 of November 19, 2024 aimed at strengthening local regulation tools for short-term tourist rentals (accessible in full text on Légifrance) fundamentally reformed short-term lodging in France.
The five core statutory measures include:
- National registration on the Declaloc portal: any short-term tourist rental must be declared prior to listing to obtain a unique registration number, under threat of administrative fines (up to €10,000).
- Lower municipal day caps: city councils in high-demand zones can now limit short-term rentals of primary residences to 90 days per year (down from 120 days previously).
- Tax reduction on micro-BIC status: flat-rate tax deductions on non-classified tourist rental income are reduced from 50 % to 30 % (with an annual revenue cap lowered to €15,000), sharply diminishing short-term rental tax incentives.
- Energy Performance Certificate (DPE) compliance: prohibitions on renting dwellings rated F or G under DPE energy audits progressively extend to short-term tourist rentals subject to change-of-use authorization.
- Expanded co-ownership powers: a two-thirds majority vote in annual general meetings can now amend co-ownership rules (règlement de copropriété) to prohibit short-term tourist rentals in the building.
These measures reflect a public policy commitment to curb rental speculation and preserve permanent housing supply in metropolitan areas and tourist regions.
Why a defined-days lease is not a short-term tourist rental
All these statutory obligations share a single legal triggering criterion: they apply exclusively to short-term tourist rentals (meublés de tourisme), defined under Article L. 324-1-1 of the French Tourism Code (and detailed on Service-Public.fr) as dwellings rented to revolving clientele who do not establish domicile there and who stay on a daily, weekly, or monthly transient basis.
A defined-days lease operates under an opposite contractual logic:
- No Declaloc registration: the portal registers night-by-night hotel-style tourist lodging. A civil lease signed for fixed weekly days between two identified parties falls outside tourist teleprocedure requirements.
- No 90 or 120-day cap: municipal caps target short-term tourist rentals of primary residences by transient hosts. A secondary residence rented under a civil part-time lease on recurring days is not subject to this cap.
- No restriction from co-ownership short-term rental bans: clauses aiming to prevent daily tourist foot traffic do not apply to a civil lease signed with a fixed, recurring tenant.
- Distinct tax and legal regime: the relationship is governed by Articles 1708 and following of the Civil Code, delivering stable contractual security to both parties without suffering micro-BIC tax reductions targeting non-classified tourist lodging.
The three legal criteria distinguishing the two models
To qualify an accommodation contract, civil and administrative courts examine three factual elements:
- Schedule recurrence and fixity: a defined-days lease assigns identical weekly slots (e.g., Monday 6 PM to Thursday 9 AM) across the entire lease term. Tourist rentals chain independent bookings without calendar continuity.
- Tenant identity: the lease is nominative, signed with an identified active professional, avoiding revolving anonymous travelers.
- Written contract format: a written civil furnished lease specifying notice periods and pro-rated monthly rent, rather than a simple digital platform booking receipt.
Financial comparison: civil lease yields vs tourist rentals
Consider an apartment host in Paris, Lyon, or Bordeaux choosing between tourist rentals and part-time furnished leasing:
- Under short-term tourist rentals: mandatory registration, risk of municipal caps, reduced tax deductions (micro-BIC allowance cut from 50 % to 30 %), and time-consuming check-in/cleaning logistics.
- Under Kowo defined-days leases: zero hotel registration, predictable rent averaging €55 per night. For two fixed nights per week, the host earns €476 per month (totaling €5,712 per year), with reduced maintenance costs and stable occupancy by a trusted professional.
For the mobile tenant, this €476 monthly rate proves far more economical than accumulating hotel nights (exceeding €1,100 per month) or short-term tourist rentals (around €780 per month).
Preserving building tranquility and co-ownership relations
A central benefit of defined-days leases lies in peaceful relations with building managers (syndic) and co-owners. The Le Meur Law responded to permanent residents’ frustration with noise, common area damage, and constant suitcase turnover caused by tourist rentals.
Defined-days leases restore residential serenity. The weekday tenant is an identified professional using the apartment as a peaceful second home. There are no parties, late-night noise, or tourist crowds. During co-ownership meetings, this occupancy mode fully respects the residential destination of the building.
What this changes for the tenant
For the tenant, legal immunity from the Le Meur Law guarantees housing continuity. A short-term tourist listing can be suspended by city hall or blocked by a co-ownership vote overnight.
Conversely, a defined-days lease is a valid, binding lease contract that commits the host for the agreed duration, protecting the tenant against sudden cancellations or high-season rate spikes.
Essential checklist before establishing your civil lease
- Ensure the drafted contract is a Civil Code secondary residence lease explicitly stating assigned occupancy days.
- Obtain proof of the tenant’s primary residence located in another municipality.
- Avoid mixing models: do not rent the same apartment under a defined-days lease during weekdays and on short-term tourist platforms on weekends, which risks reclassifying the entire property as a tourist rental.
- Notify your insurance company of the property’s part-time furnished rental use.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Le Meur Law mandate DPE energy ratings for defined-days leases?
No. Enhanced DPE energy requirements under the Le Meur Law target change-of-use authorizations for short-term tourist rentals. Civil Code secondary residence leases are not subject to this tourist regulation calendar.
Must I declare my property at city hall to sign a defined-days lease?
No. Prior municipal declarations and Declaloc registration numbers apply exclusively to short-term tourist rentals.
Can a co-ownership association prohibit defined-days leases?
Co-ownership assemblies can restrict short-term tourist lodging. A civil secondary residence lease signed with a fixed tenant falls under normal residential building usage.
The Le Meur Law strictly regulates tourist lodging but leaves part-time civil leases untouched. To secure your contract drafting, explore our complete legal dossier and read our guide to the defined-days lease explained. To evaluate your property yield without tourist constraints, read monetizing a secondary residence without Airbnb.