TESTIMONIES. "For several months, I have had a knot in my stomach": the "fear of losing everything" of these franchisees of the Stéphane Plaza real estate agency network after the conviction of the host

They no longer want the name "Stéphane Plaza" in front of their real estate agencies. The former M6 host was found guilty on February 18 by the courts for domestic violence and sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended. The case has direct repercussions on the 568 franchised agencies. Even though Stéphane Plaza has appealed, some believe that the damage has been done to the brand founded in 2014, to the point of seeking to leave the network.

In Pierre's real estate agency, opened three years ago, Stéphane Plaza is everywhere, in the window, on the big screen or in photos, inside. "For several months now, I have a knot in my stomach when I arrive here. Who wants to put the Stéphane Plaza brand on anything these days, that is to say a man convicted of domestic violence? I tell myself that I've been had and that I'm going to lose everything," worries the real estate agent.

The climate, for him, has become anxiety-provoking. Many clients are backing out, others are refusing the Stéphane Plaza sign in front of their house for sale. "The sellers were saying it was going to be complicated. For several months, they refused to do any prospecting because they were tired of getting knocked back as soon as they said Stéphane Plaza Immobilier," explains Pierre.

These franchisees were expecting strong actions from the network and from M6, the majority shareholder. The management did promise a two-month discount on the fee, the amount due every month. "About 600 euros of discount, that's not what we expect. And I even want to say, if tomorrow they offer us free fees, that's not what we're asking for. M6 made the courageous choice to cancel it. Why doesn't the franchise make the courageous choice to say 'We too are stopping the name Stéphane Plaza Immobilier'?" he suggests.

Even though his turnover is very good, his decision is made: "I would like to leave the franchise because I find it disastrous. It hurts us too much today" . But his contract lasts until 2027 and breaking it is expensive. "In my case, we would be between 120,000 and 130,000 euros. I'm the one who will pay all that" , insists Pierre.

"We are not guilty of anything."

Pierre, manager of a real estate agency franchised by Stéphane Plaza

to franceinfo

Julien, another real estate agent, removed the name Stéphane Plaza from his storefront two months ago. "I had no choice. If I hadn't made this decision, I would have ended up liquidating and closing the agency. It's a relief to have left the network. Today, we work peacefully, we are at peace. The fact of no longer having this sword of Damocles is important to us," he explains.

To find out how to leave, around fifty franchisees took on a lawyer, Maître Sarah Laassir, who specializes in real estate. "We must not forget that Stéphane Plaza franchisees are independent traders. It is not because for a certain time, their activity was done thanks to the name Stéphane Plaza, that they are obliged today to undergo this media crisis. And to lose money due to the loss of notoriety of the Stéphane Plaza brand" , defends the lawyer.

A major network of real estate agencies confirms that it has been contacted by around fifty Stéphane Plaza franchisees. Ten of them are in the process of signing their new contracts. When contacted, the Stéphane Plaza Immobilier network and the M6 ​​group did not wish to answer our questions.