Former policeman accused of renting out 100 slum flats in Marseille

A former policeman has appeared in court in Marseille accused of renting more than 100 slum flats to undocumented people. He risks 10 years in prison if found guilty.

Gérard Gallas, 50, stands accused of buying large apartments and dividing them into much smaller flats - all in very poor condition - to rent them out to vulnerable people. The majority of tenants were undocumented workers or asylum seekers.

Mr Gallas allegedly rented 122 ‘properties’ in this way.

Leaks, rats, cockroaches

The court case began today (November 13), and has been seen as a landmark trial within the context of poor quality housing in the southern city.

One of the buildings, located in one of Marseille’s most deprived neighbourhoods, had six apartments that had been divided in 20 ‘separate’ properties. One, which measured just 6m2, was being rented for €300 per month. It had no heating; and the tenants complained of water leaks, rats, and cockroaches.

Mr Gallas has said that he was not aware of tenants’ irregular situations when renting to them, despite his history as a police officer who previously worked in an administrative detention centre.

The tenants have also reported that a ‘henchman’ came to collect the rent, and asked them to make payments either in cash, or using a bank terminal on which asylum seekers could pay with their French Immigration Office card.

Before the trial, Mr Gallas was reported to present himself as an “exceptional businessman”, and investigators found a manual - seemingly written by him - entitled “How I became a millionaire” on his computer.

The defendant and his associates risk up to a decade in jail if found guilty.

Sleepless 'sleep merchants'

It comes after Marseille mayor, Benoît Payan, has pledged to make it impossible for unscrupulous landlords to “sleep at night”. These landlords are often referred to as ‘marchands de sommeil (slum landlords, literally "sleep merchants")’ in the city.

Last year, Mr Payan said he wants to ban these landlords from purchasing property for 30 years, increase fines to €300,000, and ensure that they must serve a minimum of seven years in jail, up from the minimum three years that is currently mandated for basic property offences.

The city is estimated to have more than 40,000 properties deemed unsuitable for safe habitation on the market, most of which are thought to be managed by these so-called ‘merchants’.

“I want these people, who make money from misery…to no longer sleep at night,” Mr Payan told FranceInfo. “I am calling on the state and legislators to get to grips with this. We must triple prison sentences, fines, and seize assets. We can no longer stand this.”

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