They book a furnished holiday rental for a few days—and then decide not to leave. While the scenario is enough to make any property owner nervous, industry professionals warn against media hysteria and call for perspective: such cases remain extremely rare and are often the result of management errors.
On the French Riviera, villas and apartments offered as short-term rentals are in high demand. But this summer, some owners faced a new anxiety: the fear of seeing their property “squatted.” Several media outlets reported cases of tourists refusing to vacate their holiday rental at the end of their stay. These are “2.0 squats,” in which occupants pay for their first nights, then overstay their booking, even changing the locks and the electricity contract. They often present a well-rehearsed story involving a “difficult situation,” “a child in their care,” and “an inability to find other accommodation.” The problem? These occupants are not considered squatters under the law. Because they entered the property legally—via a booking and payment—they do not fall under the 2023 French “anti-squat” law, which allows for fast-tracked eviction of unlawful occupants. As a result, owners can face lengthy and costly legal proceedings.
“Last year it was hidden cameras, before that prostitution… This year it’s squatting.”
Articles published this summer suggested the phenomenon was increasingly common, if not epidemic. But behind the alarmist headlines, the reality appears far more nuanced. According to Mathieu Morel, vice-president of the National Union of Furnished Rental Professionals (SPLM) and co-founder of the Primo Conciergerie network, the media frenzy does not reflect a widespread issue. “Every summer, an Airbnb topic makes the rounds: last year it was hidden cameras, before that prostitution… This year, it’s squatting. It’s the media’s summer hit,” he says. In his view, no increase in squatting incidents has been recorded. “We haven’t logged a single case among our 300 members across France. Our concierge services have hosted thousands of travellers over three years without a single incident of this kind,” he insists. L’Obs contacted two real-estate lawyers in Nice to verify this. Maître Olivier Faucheur confirms that “there has been no increase in these types of cases.” His colleague, Maître Florian Rugo, agrees: “Such cases remain rare and have not increased lately. And in every case I’ve handled, it was the owners’ ‘fault’—no rental agreement had been drawn up,” he stresses.
“In the vast majority of cases, squatting is made possible by an owner’s mistake.”
This assessment is shared by Mathieu Morel: “In the vast majority of cases, squatting is enabled by an error made by the owner or manager. The real issue is handling rentals professionally,” he insists. According to him, four essential precautions can prevent such problems : draw up a short-term rental contract (less than 90 days). Platforms only connect owners and guests—owners must issue a proper contract. Request ID from guests and take a security deposit or card imprint. “Never accept a cash deposit,” warns the SPLM vice-president. Check guest ratings and history on platforms. “I systematically refuse bookings from guests without solid reviews,” he says.
By following these steps, the risk of squatting—and property damage—is greatly reduced. Morel also cautions owners who live far from their rental properties. “If checkout is Monday at 10 a.m. and the owner is on-site, they can note the overstay and call the police. With a contract in hand, if the guest violates it, officers can intervene. But if the owner doesn’t show up for two days and finds the locks changed and utilities switched over, things get more complicated.” For absentee owners, he recommends using concierge services or property-management agencies “to avoid mistakes and ensure professional oversight.” A sensible recommendation—though Morel, as a representative of rental professionals, is naturally preaching to the choir.
Avoid accepting cash
“The biggest mistake owners or managers can make is agreeing to extend a stay off-platform and accepting cash payment. With no traceability and no contract for the extension, it becomes far harder to prove unlawful occupation,” Morel adds. Between bookings, when the property is vacant, he also recommends installing a noise detector to remotely confirm that no one is inside. “There’s no such thing as zero risk, but squatters prefer properties managed directly by private owners—typically those who live far away, are poorly informed, and take few precautions. It’s like burglaries: most happen in homes without alarms,” sums up Morel. While squatting cases understandably worry property owners, they remain marginal—and above all, preventable.
