A concierge service without a French professional licence can provide practical services: key handover, housekeeping, linen, welcoming guests. Managing the letting of your property on your behalf, collecting and holding your rental money, is another matter entirely. In France this is a regulated activity under the law of 2 January 1970, known as the loi Hoguet: it is reserved for holders of a professional licence with the property management endorsement, the carte G, issued by the local chamber of commerce and industry (CCI). The difference does not show in the brochure. It shows on the day your money is at stake.
What French law says
Law no. 70-9 of 2 January 1970 governs activities carried out habitually on property belonging to others, including letting and property management on behalf of an owner. To exercise them, a professional needs a licence, issued by the CCI and valid for 3 years, with three verifiable safeguards: proven professional competence, professional liability insurance, and a financial guarantee whenever the professional holds funds on behalf of clients.
Seasonal letting itself is precisely defined by the law: a letting concluded for a maximum, non renewable period of 90 consecutive days (article 1-1 of the law, in force since 27 March 2014). Your winter weeks in Tignes fall squarely within this definition.
One point deserves emphasis for owners used to lighter regimes elsewhere: for the management activity, the financial guarantee is not optional. A professional managing rentals necessarily collects rent on behalf of others, and the official government guidance is clear: for property management there is no exemption from the guarantee through a declaration of not holding funds, unlike some other property activities.
What an unlicensed provider can do
Let us be precise, because these services exist and are useful. A provider without a professional licence can lawfully supply practical services: preparing the property, handling linen, welcoming guests, arranging maintenance, keeping your keys. It is a real service trade, and it answers a real need when you handle your own bookings and payments yourself.
What it cannot do
What the law reserves for licence holders is intermediation and management: handling the letting of your property on your behalf on a habitual basis, and above all receiving and holding your rental money. Without the licence there is no management mandate within the meaning of the loi Hoguet, no financial guarantee, and no obligation to keep your funds on a dedicated account.
In concrete terms, if your rental money passes through the account of a provider who has neither licence nor guarantee, no legal mechanism ensures those sums will be returned to you if the provider fails. This is not about anyone's honesty. It is about what happens in the event of an accident, a dispute or a business closing down.
The line between practical services and intermediation is assessed case by case, and some arrangements are debated. If your current provider assures you everything is in order, the question to ask is simple: who collects the guests' money, and into which account.
What the carte G framework changes for your money
With a carte G holder, three mechanisms lock together.
The written mandate. The relationship is formalised in a management mandate compliant with the loi Hoguet, numbered, which sets out the scope entrusted, the remuneration and the obligation to account to you. You know what has been agreed, and you can enforce it.
The escrow account. Rental funds are held on a dedicated account, separate from the agency's own accounts. Your guests' money is not mixed with your manager's cash flow.
The financial guarantee. A specialist guarantor institution guarantees the funds held on behalf of clients. At EDN Gestion this guarantee is 150,000 euros, underwritten by SOCAF. If the professional fails, the guarantor makes the funds good.
These three mechanisms are not marketing arguments: they are legal obligations attached to the licence. That is precisely why they can be relied on.
How to check, in five minutes
Before entrusting your property to anyone in Tignes, ask four questions.
- What is your professional licence number, and which endorsement does it carry? A carte G bears the endorsement « Gestion immobilière » and a CPI number issued by the CCI.
- Who is your financial guarantor, and for what amount? Ask for the current guarantee certificate.
- Into which account is the guests' money collected? The expected answer is a dedicated account, separate from the company's own accounts.
- How often will I receive a management statement, and what does it look like? Ask for a sample.
A professional operating correctly answers these four questions without hesitation, documents in hand. An evasive answer is information in itself.
Our position, stated openly
EDN Gestion is a property management agency established in Tignes, at 35 Impasse des Platières. We hold the professional licence « Gestion immobilière » no. CPI 6701 2023 000 000 016, with a financial guarantee of 150,000 euros underwritten by SOCAF, and rental funds are held on a dedicated escrow account. Our clients follow their bookings, occupancy, income and statements in real time on their Serava owner portal.
We therefore have an obvious interest in you choosing the regulated framework, and we do not claim to be neutral. The facts above, however, do not depend on us: they can be verified in the legislation and with any French CCI.
Frequently asked questions
Can a concierge service collect the rent from my lettings? Not without a professional licence. Receiving and holding funds on behalf of an owner, on a habitual basis, falls under the activities regulated by the loi Hoguet, with a compulsory financial guarantee. An unlicensed provider can invoice its own services, but your rental money should not pass through its account.
What counts as a seasonal letting under French law? A letting concluded for a maximum, non renewable period of 90 consecutive days (article 1-1 of law no. 70-9 of 2 January 1970). Virtually all ski resort stays fall within this regime.
How do I check that an agency really holds a carte G? Ask for the CPI number and the financial guarantee certificate. The licence is issued by the CCI and is valid for 3 years. The agency must also display its licence number, its guarantor and the guarantee amount in its legal notices.
What exactly does the financial guarantee cover? It guarantees the repayment of funds the professional holds on behalf of clients: collected rent, deposits, sums awaiting transfer. If the professional fails, the guarantor returns those funds up to the guaranteed amount.
I rent out directly through the platforms: does any of this concern me? If you manage everything yourself, the loi Hoguet does not apply to you: it governs those who manage for others. Your own obligations remain: registration of your furnished rental on declaloc.fr, generalised since 20 May 2026, tourist tax, and since 1 September 2026 the ability to receive electronic invoices if you have a French SIREN number.
Sources
- Law no. 70-9 of 2 January 1970, article 1-1 (definition of seasonal letting), Légifrance, consulted on 31 August 2026.
- « Carte professionnelle d'agent immobilier », entreprendre.service-public.gouv.fr, guidance sheet F32994, consulted on 31 August 2026.
- « Les activités soumises à la réglementation », CCI Paris Île-de-France, practical guidance, consulted on 31 August 2026.
This article is general information, current as at 31 August 2026. It is not personalised legal advice: for your own situation, please consult your adviser.