In August, the consulting firm Deloitte published its Property Index, an annual survey providing an overview of the European residential real estate market. It revealed that the most expensive European cities for tenants were Dublin, then Paris (€28.50 per square meter per month), and Oslo in third place. "But rent variance is very significant depending on the neighborhood," said Laurent Da Costa, the manager of several Laforêt real estate agencies in eastern Paris. "The rent for a 40-square-meter apartment at Porte de La Chapelle is between €800 and €1,000 a month, compared with €1,200 to €1,500 in nicer neighborhoods."

These prices are so high in fact that they remain out of reach for many students and households looking for an apartment this fall. Moreover, although the capital pioneered the introduction of rent controls, rents have nonetheless continued to rise rapidly.

According to a study by PriceHubble based on an analysis of ads published on the leading real estate websites, studio rents surged by 6.5% in the capital between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023. This increase runs counter to the rent hike freeze, which was set at 3.5% by lawmakers to protect tenants in high inflation periods.

Non-compliance with rent controls is an open secret. Despite this measure, 30% of new rentals exceeded the maximum rent allowed in 2021, according to the latest available data from the Observatory of Rents in the Paris Conurbation. "It's even worse for small spaces: 80% of studios don't comply with rent control," said Ian Brossat, Paris's deputy mayor for housing (Communist).

As the first local authority to be able to manage rent controls, the city has issued formal notices to landlords who fail to comply since January 1. It set up a platform enabling tenants to compare what they pay each month with the increased reference rent set by prefectural decree. Aggrieved tenants can then lodge a complaint to correct the situation.

To date, over 1,000 reports have been sent to City Hall, 85% of which concern one and two-room apartments. After several reminders were sent to landlords to obtain reimbursement for overpayments, the first fines will be levied in September.

Surprisingly, non-compliance with rent controls is not limited to private landlords. "Nearly three out of five reports now concern properties managed by real estate agencies, either as owners or as agents for private individuals," wrote Brossat in a letter sent to real estate agencies networks on May 10.

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