2023-06-06 04:50:22
Operation rescue of small businesses in danger. Solicited “urgently” by trade associations two months ago, the Renaissance deputy Thomas Cazenave brought before the National Assembly last week a bill aimed at extending the cap on the increase in rents for merchants and households.
The proposal was largely adopted by 259 votes for and 93 once morest, and the text will be examined Tuesday and Wednesday in the Senate. “His rapporteur Dominique Estrosi-Sassone (LR) began to table a motion of rejection” worried Monday morning the deputy of the first constituency of the Gironde, surrounded by several representatives of the world of commerce in Bordeaux, for whom he is time to sound the general mobilization around this measure. Because time is running out, the device to stop on June 30.
To limit the impact of inflation on SMEs and households, the commercial rent index (ILC) and the reference rent index (IRL) had been capped at a maximum of +3.5% in 2022. , according to INSEE forecasts, the increase in the ILC might reach 6% if it is no longer capped. Untenable, alert small traders, who are therefore asking for an extension of the system until the end of the first quarter of 2024.
“It’s been five years since we no longer do our job serenely”
“Rents are an important item of our expenses, especially in large cities, insists Bernadette Hirsch, merchant from Bordeaux and president of the national federation of clothing in New Aquitaine. This can represent up to 20% of our expenses, and at the same time we have fewer and fewer prospects for our turnover, so anything that can give us a little air to support inflation is welcome. »
Georges Simon, another Bordeaux merchant and president of the Bordeaux mon commerce association, recalls for his part “that between the yellow vests and the Covid-19, we suffered the double Kiss Cool effect, without forgetting that we are entering a period when it is necessary to start reimbursing the EMPs [prêts garantis par l’Etat]. “It’s been five years since we no longer do our job calmly, and the difficulties are still ahead of us,” agrees Bernadette Hirsch.
“If we have an increase in our expenses, we are going to disaster”
In this context, “if all of a sudden we found ourselves with additional charges on rents which can represent several thousand euros per year, or even tens of thousands of euros, there is a real risk that the model economy no longer holds up”, warns Georges Simon, who points out that “in a large number of streets, we are starting to have vacancy”.
According to Bernadette Hirsch, the ready-to-wear sector, which in addition to the crisis and inflation is undergoing major transformations with the rise of online commerce and second-hand goods, is particularly exposed. At the national level, ready-to-wear stores experienced a drop of 10.3% in May, 15% at the regional level, according to figures from the clothing federation. “If we have too high an increase in our rents, we are going to disaster,” said the regional representative of the sector.
“A balanced project”, defends Thomas Cazenave
The Bordeaux mon commerce association notes for its part that this drop in turnover is “generalized” to all sectors in the Gironde capital. And even if the city remains “attractive”, recognizes Georges Simon, “in Bordeaux, rents are often calculated at the maximum of the maximum, and leave no leeway for the slightest variation. The slightest air pocket, and it’s a crash”.
Deputy Thomas Cazenave stresses that he did not want rents to be frozen, preferring to defend “a balanced project” which also preserves the landlords. And above all to avoid censorship by the Constitutional Council. “We play it safe by preferring to extend a device that has worked. »
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