Is gîte a primary or secondary residence

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baringa
Posts: 62
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:24 pm
Location: Lot, SW France
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Is gîte a primary or secondary residence

Post by baringa »

I am registering for a new French website advert and have to declare whether the rental is primary or secondary residence, if I answer primary then the 120 day rule applies (of which I was aware but didn't think it affected us) see Connexion article mentioned in post Enforcement powers for Mairies).

I am confused! The gîtes we rent out are the converted barns next to the house which is our only property/residence. All fully declared and registered in France, tax, mairie, classified, lettings etc.

So is the gîte a primary or secondary residence, what is the answer because there doesn't seem to be a correct one? Primary residence is surely where we live but we don't live in the gîte...
Circé
Posts: 428
Joined: Fri Aug 13, 2010 2:13 pm

Post by Circé »

I had a look at the legal text (JORF n°0254 du 31 octobre 2019
texte n° 57, Décret n° 2019-1104 du 30 octobre 2019) and it seems to me that you should tick the secondary residence box.
The Loi Elan and the '120 day rule' is aimed at stopping so many units of 'proper' accommodation in towns being used as short-term rentals, rather than being let as permanent homes.
baringa
Posts: 62
Joined: Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:24 pm
Location: Lot, SW France
Contact:

Post by baringa »

Thank you Circé! I hadn't seen that text. I think it helps, and I will be ticking the secondary residence box when asked. It all seems to be part of the sweeping up of non registered rentals and undeclared income that the platforms such as AirBnB and HA are obliged to take some responsibility for, and communes to check up on illegal rentals. It is starting to make sense but I think the understanding of primary or secondary is not made clear in many cases.

From the decree you cited:
"Cette demande permet en premier lieu aux communes de vérifier la présence du numéro d'enregistrement du meublé de tourisme sur une annonce hébergée par un intermédiaire.
S'agissant de la résidence principale, cet échange d'informations a pour objet de vérifier si la durée maximale de 120 jours de location a été respectée.
S'agissant d'un autre meublé de tourisme, l'échange d'information vise à vérifier si la location de ce meublé s'opère en conformité avec le règlement de changement d'usage de la commune."

So I take it that as it is not our principal residence that is rented out, but a furnished holiday let, therefore secondary "residence".

Have to laugh at above because I have been chasing my mairie for weeks to obtain the registration number for our gîtes (meublés du tourisme) declared in 2010 and in conformity etc., and they can't find it! Apparently someone has to go and dig around in the garage for archived files! This number is now being asked for on letting sites.

Any other thoughts or opinions welcome!
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