French furnished lease: furniture, term, deposit, notice

The 11 compulsory items of furniture

Article 2 of decree no. 2015-981 sets out the minimum list (Légifrance):

1. Bedding, including a duvet or blanket.
2. A means of blacking out the windows in the bedrooms (shutters or curtains).
3. A hob.
4. An oven or microwave oven.
5. A fridge and a freezer, or a fridge with a compartment at -6 °C or below.
6. The crockery needed to eat meals.
7. Kitchen utensils.
8. A table and chairs.
9. Storage shelves.
10. Light fittings.
11. Household cleaning equipment suited to the home.

Its article 1 adds that each room is equipped with furniture suited to its purpose. Service-public.gouv.fr specifies that the cleaning equipment depends on the home: a vacuum cleaner if there is carpet, a broom and a floor cloth for tiles.

If one is missing. A home “lacking at least 1 of the items of furniture or objects” on this list is an unfurnished home under the regulations (service-public.gouv.fr, sheet F1165). The rules of the unfurnished lease (3 years, 1-month deposit, 3 months’ notice for the tenant) may then be claimed: have the situation checked before acting.

Inventory. An inventory and detailed condition report of the furniture are drawn up when the keys are handed over and returned, signed by both parties and annexed to the lease. They cannot be charged for on top of the état des lieux (inventory of condition) (service-public.gouv.fr; 1989 Law, art. 25-5).

Lease term: 1 year, 9 months or bail mobilité

Sources: service-public.gouv.fr (sheets F920 and F1165).

The bail mobilité (short-term mobility lease) is reserved for tenants in vocational training, higher education, an apprenticeship, an internship, civic service, a job transfer or a temporary assignment (service-public.gouv.fr). The lease must follow the regulatory standard lease template in force on the date of signature (service-public.gouv.fr, sheet F920).

Security deposit: 2 months maximum

“By way of derogation from article 22, the amount of the security deposit that the landlord may require is limited to two months’ rent excluding charges” (1989 Law, art. 25-6, Légifrance). In practice (service-public.gouv.fr, sheet F31269):

• rent payable monthly or every 2 months in advance: deposit of 2 months excluding charges at most, stated in the lease, with no increase possible during the lease or on renewal;
• rent payable quarterly in advance: deposit prohibited;
• bail mobilité: deposit prohibited.

Return. The landlord returns the deposit within 1 month if the check-out inventory matches the check-in one, and 2 months otherwise, from the return of the keys. In a copropriété (co-owned building), they may keep back up to 20% until the annual accounts are closed (service-public.gouv.fr).

Example. For a furnished studio at €750 excluding charges paid monthly, the deposit cannot exceed €1,500.

Tenant’s notice and landlord’s notice

Tenant. They can terminate at any time on one month’s notice, “including where the term of the lease is reduced to nine months” (1989 Law, art. 25-8). The period runs from the landlord’s receipt of the letter (service-public.gouv.fr, sheet F1168).

Landlord. They can only give notice at the end of the lease, with 3 months’ notice, to take back the home, to sell it, or for a legitimate and serious reason such as the tenant’s failure to meet an obligation. Notice is served by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or by a commissaire de justice (court officer, formerly bailiff). A tenant over 65 with insufficient means cannot be given notice unless they are offered housing suited to their needs, unless the landlord is themselves over 65 or on limited means (art. 25-8).

Bail mobilité. It ends at its term, with no notice from the landlord; the tenant can leave earlier on 1 month’s notice (service-public.gouv.fr, sheet F2315).

Which professional to consult

An agent immobilier (estate agent) who manages lettings draws up a furnished lease that follows the regulatory template, the furniture inventory and the inventories of condition. Before letting, a diagnostiqueur (property surveyor) carries out the surveys to be annexed to the lease, including the DPE (energy performance certificate). For the taxation of furnished letting (BIC, commercial income), see our LMNP guide.