“I’ve worked for this my whole life”: In Antibes, owners fight together against unpaid bills

Among real estate investors, it’s a force majeure case that too many are aware of. How do you get out of a tenant who doesn’t pay your rent when you’re an owner?

With the sweat of her brow, with patience and a plentiful bank account, Frances Honigh, an Antiboise no longer knowing who to turn to to deal with the young woman who lives in her apartment in the old town, would answer herself but has been refusing to pay his rent for 5 months.

“I used to have these laws. I can not sleep anymore. I’ve worked for it all my life.

However, when the two women meet at the end of 2021, nothing bothers Antiboise and is happy to rent out her property to this polite and active person.

“Previously I was a ‘Super Host’ on Airbnb and had a 9.7 on Booking.com. But I was tired of coming between rentals every week. So I decided to rent it out. ‘Year. I have it well received …”

“Traumatize When It Happens”

Yasmina Brunel, she lives in northern France. And decided to unite other property owners after experiencing the same kind of mishap.

She started a Facebook group, the Collective of Owners in Galley and Angry, which already has more than 650 members, including Frances Honigh.

“This is a plea for Congressmen and Senators to help us change the law in the face of abuses by unscrupulous tenants who are using any means necessary to achieve their goals. Your only goal is to destroy the owners. We are completely helpless in the face of this.” Given the slowness of the judiciary. Buying real estate is an investment. We often buy to improve our pensions. The law doesn’t protect us at all for years paying a fortune? It’s traumatic when that happens, it’s a grinder.

Frances Honigh is still struggling. With his lawyer, the bailiff. And against his tenant.

“It’s endless. I am exhausted. And I’m very scared because the lease ends in December 2022. Knowing that the winter break starts in November. And we won’t be able to evacuate. During this time already I am not collecting my rent and I continue to pay my balance. I even started cleaning to make ends meet financially. When this story is over, that’s for sure, I’ll sell my apartment. And I don’t want to hear about it anymore.”