The community of communes of the island located on the Atlantic facade has initiated a procedure against the platform of housing rentals for breaches of the collection of the tourist tax in 2020 and 2021.
by Frédéric Zabalza (La Rochelle, correspondent)
“Oléron, just opposite New York”, have fun saying – until displaying it on t -shirts – the inhabitants of the largest French island in the Atlantic facade, in Charente -Maritime. But the name of Oléron does not smile the Americans of the Global Giant for the Rental of Furniture of Tourism, Airbnb.
The company, whose European headquarters are in Dublin, received on January 27 assignment in court, inviting him to come and explain himself on April 25, before the La Rochelle police court, on the breaches of Collection of the tourist tax in 2020 and 2021. The community of communes of the island criticizes it, specifies AFP, for not having made a “declaration relating to the tourist tax” in 2020, before an “incomplete” declaration And wrong “the following year. She claims some 29.7 million euros to him, the addition of four civil fines according to the strict application of the general code of local authorities, which stipulates in particular that the non-return of the tourist tax can be worth a fine of which can go Up to 2,500 euros “without being less than 750 euros”.
Oléron elected officials established their calculation from the “high range”: 2,500 euros multiplied by the number of stays, or more than 6,800 in 2020 and 5,000 in 2021, to which are added, naturally, lawyers. The “low range” would amount to 9 million euros. What send a salty note on the other side of the Atlantic.
“Create jurisprudence”
Oléron, whose access is free, unlike its neighbor, Ré, which benefits from a paid bridge, is not at its test. In September 2022, Airbnb had to pay an invoice of 470,000 euros to the community for taxes not paid in 2020 and 2021. “They dragged their feet but ended up paying, laboriously”, underlines Michel Parent, Various President of the community of communes of the island.
Faced with the absence of case law concerning these platforms, the island of Oléron therefore continues its standoff, demanding a “substantial fine”. For its part, Airbnb mentioned in a press release a “technical error”, ensuring that “all the undeollected amounts identified have already been paid, with legal interest in delay”. “It is not because we are a multinational that we must not respect the law, replies Michel Parent. We want to mark the occasion by asking for a significant sum, which will be used to invest to support permanent housing in the Island. “Other communities have contacted the Oléronis to take advice. “I hope they will take the same path to create a case law which will calm the ardor of the great platforms,” says Michel Parent.