Squatter Scare for Short-Term Rental Hosts in France: Hype or Reality?

French media reports of a growing "Airbnb squatter" trend have captured public attention, but industry experts and data suggest the problem remains exceedingly rare.

Reports describe tenants who book short-term rentals through platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com, then refuse to leave after their reservations have ended. In one case that made headlines, a guest in Perpignan near the Spanish border texted the property owner to say they had changed the locks and opened an electricity account.

"I have a six-week-old baby. I've been on the street since she was born. I can't take it anymore. For the welfare of my baby, I'm staying in this property. I've changed the locks and put the electricity counter in my name," the guest wrote, according to a Le Figaro investigation.