What can be done with the thousands of empty homes in major cities, even as the housing crisis intensifies? In Paris, the answer could be radical. As recently reported by Public Sénat, taxation on vacant homes is set to become much stricter in the coming years.

A heavily increased tax. As part of the changes planned by the finance law, local authorities will have increased room for manoeuvre to combat housing vacancies. In Paris, the municipality is considering significantly increasing the tax on vacant properties.

The device could reach up to 30 % of the rental value after a year of vacancy, then 60 credits (1 module, 4 modules) after the second year. A deterrent level of taxation, designed to encourage owners to quickly put their property back on the market.

This decision comes in a context of unprecedented tension in the rental market. In the capital, demand far exceeds the available supply. The result is very short rental periods, increased competition between tenants, and a continuous rise in rents.

At the same time, several tens of thousands of homes are reportedly unoccupied today. This is a situation deemed difficult to accept by the public authorities, who are seeking to mobilise this “dormant” stock.

Who is actually concerned?

The tax primarily targets owners of long-term vacant properties, meaning those not occupied for at least a year. It affects individuals as well as certain investors.

However, exceptions exist (works, active sale, administrative constraints), but they remain strictly regulated.

Rent, sell… or pay: a now strategic choice

Faced with this tax tightening, the owners concerned will have to make a decision quickly.

Three options are emerging:

- Rent out the property again, to avoid taxation,

To sell, in order to disengage from an asset that has become burdensome,

- Keep the property vacant, at the cost of increasingly heavy taxation.

In this context, the question of marketing becomes central. Selling or renting quickly today requires maximum visibility with potential buyers or tenants.

A gradual transformation of the property market.

Beyond taxation alone, this measure illustrates a fundamental trend: increased regulation of the property market in high-demand areas.

For homeowners, this marks a turning point. Housing is no longer just an asset, but a property whose use is now heavily regulated.

Towards a massive return of goods to the market?

It remains to be seen whether this strategy will bear fruit. The stated objective is clear: to put several thousand homes back on the market and ease rental pressure. One thing is certain: for the owners concerned, inaction will no longer be an option.