Airbnb launches €1million eco-friendly plan for hosts in France

Airbnb is set to offer hosts in France up to €2,200 as part of a million-euro plan to help renovate rentals to be more ecologically friendly.

Such renovations may include insulating a property or installing a heat pump, for example.

Airbnb has teamed up with Effy, an eco-friendly renovation specialist, to launch its ‘sustainable living’ plan. Effy will work with hosts during their renovation project.

Airbnb has said that the initiative is “aiming to reduce carbon emissions and save on energy bills long-term”.

Each eligible host will see between €1,000 to €2,200 maximum deducted from their renovation bill. This is capped at one grant per eligible host.

It comes after the government in France called for people to reduce energy use by renovating their properties to be more eco-friendly.

According to estimates from the national energy renovation group, l’Observatoire national de la rénovation énergétique, more than seven million homes are now considered to be "thermal sieves [leaking energy]".

The amount being offered by Airbnb can be added to the aid already put in place by the government for similar renovations.

Ecology Minister Agnès Pannier-Runacher has welcomed the plan.

She said: “Airbnb and Effy are enabling faster eco-friendly renovations across properties in France, while also reducing energy bills and the carbon footprint of renters. It’s a win-win partnership that should inspire others.”

In a September 2022 survey, Airbnb found that 60% of its hosts do not regularly renovate their rentals due to financial costs. Almost 20% said that they didn’t feel that they had enough information on the subject, while 44% of owners said that they weren’t aware of the existing financial aid available.

Airbnb is relatively controversial in France. While Paris is one of the world’s most popular cities for the platform’s rental properties, properties in the capital can only be rented for a maximum of 120 days per year.

Read more: Paris tops Airbnb world hotspot list

Similarly, areas that attract a lot of tourists, such as Brittany, regularly take strong stances against the rental platform (and others like it), as the authorities claim that it pushes up house prices, prices out locals, and dominates the regional property scene.

Which properties are eligible for the offer?

Properties located in mainland France (excluding Corsica) and rented out on Airbnb are eligible for the special offer as part of the partnership with Effy, when the listing on Airbnb relating to this property meets the following cumulative criteria:

● Created before October 3, 2022

● Has had at least two stays between October 3, 2021 and October 2, 2022

● Still posted on Airbnb when the form is validated on the Effy website

Further information can be found on the Effy website and on the Airbnb website (in French).

How to benefit from the offer

Interested hosts are invited to fill in an initial questionnaire to obtain an initial estimate of the cost of the work and the aid to which they may be entitled.

They will then be contacted by telephone by an Effy advisor to discuss their project in greater detail, the offers available and the aid for which they may be eligible. This process is free of charge.

You can find a link to the questionnaire here (in French).

An example of quotes for insulation works and heat pump installation – including both the state Ma Prime Rénov’ aid and the Airbnb/Effy support – can be found below.

Credit: Screenshot / Airbnb

If the customer chooses a work offer from among those proposed by Effy, the specialist will then organise a technical visit on site and provide an initial budget estimate.

Once the estimate has been signed, Effy will carry out the agreed energy renovation work with the help of certified partner craftsmen.

The financial support provided by Airbnb and any grants for which the hosts may be eligible will be automatically deducted from the bill for the work. An Effy advisor will follow the hosts' project from start to finish.

Grants will continue to be made available until the €1million limit is reached.

Related articles

The French tourist cities taking a stand against Airbnb-style lets

Shutters and burglaries, Airbnb controls: Five French property updates

Why woman could break 120-day Airbnb legal rental limit for Paris home