Estimated reading time (in minutes)
Rental Dispute! You have rented accommodation for the holidays but, once there, it does not meet your expectations. What to do ?
Rental , gite or furnished? There are three types of seasonal rentals: so-called unclassified rentals, which represent the majority of the rental stock; the rural gîtes, which hold one or more ears of corn; “ furnished tourist accommodation ”, whose services are similar to those of a hotel and which are classified by stars. The more your rental is in a higher category, the more the lessor will be attached to the quality of the accommodation, and therefore the more you will be justified in requesting repairs.
The lessor’s obligations
The lessor has an obligation to deliver. He is required to respect certain criteria contained in the contract, such as the situation of the property, the cleanliness or the equipment of the accommodation.
What to do once there?
The best way to carry out repairs is to collect evidence, ideally by bailiff’s report but also by photos or by collecting testimonials from neighbors. It is then advisable to send a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to the lessor in which you notify him of his breaches of the commitments he had made.
What to do on the way back?
If you have already sent a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt to the landlord, you can write to him again to ask him for a reduction in rent, in the form of reimbursement, due to the shortcomings of the accommodation. If within one month the lessor has still not replied to you, ask your lawyer for advice on bringing the matter before the competent court in order to obtain compensation for the damage suffered. If you did not send registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt during your stay, you can always do so when you return and follow the same procedure.
What can you get?
Following the procedure, and because of the damage suffered, you can claim damages if the rental company has not respected its contractual obligations.
Other possibilities of recourse?
You can seize the prosecutor for misleading advertising in the event that the advertising does not correspond to the reality of the rental. In the case of furnished tourist rentals that meet quality criteria, you can also contact the anti-fraud service.
DAMY law firm , My seasonal rental does not correspond to what was expected, update 2022.
