Mandatory property surveys in France: list and validity

Mandatory surveys for a sale

According to service-public.gouv.fr, the seller of a house or flat must provide:

In addition, there is information on the risk of dry rot in areas set by order and, for a unit in a copropriété (jointly owned building), the surface Carrez (certified floor area under the Carrez law) in the promesse and the deed (service-public.gouv.fr).

Mandatory surveys for letting

For an unfurnished or furnished let, the landlord attaches to the lease (service-public.gouv.fr):

• the DPE (except for a home occupied less than 4 months a year, a listed historic monument and, for a house, a floor area of less than 50 m²);
• the CREP if the home dates from before 1 January 1949;
• the electricity and gas installation reports if the installations are more than 15 years old;
• the risk statement in the areas concerned;
• the noise survey in an airport zone.

The asbestos report is part of the DDT but is not attached to the lease: the landlord keeps it available to the tenant on request. The DDT is sent electronically, unless one of the parties objects.

Validity periods: sale and letting

Sources: the service-public.gouv.fr page for each survey (see the header). For a sale, validity is assessed on the date of the promesse or the deed of sale; for a let, on the date the lease is signed. A Consuel certificate of compliance less than 6 years old can replace the electricity survey for a let, and a gas compliance certificate less than 3 years old can replace the gas survey. For asbestos, service-public advises a new survey after renovation work, even if the old one remains valid.

Who carries out the surveys?

A certified diagnostiqueur, insured for professional liability and with no ties likely to compromise their impartiality and independence (service-public.gouv.fr). The official directory of certified surveyors is kept by the ministry responsible for housing: diagnostiqueurs.din.developpement-durable.gouv.fr. Service-public also recommends checking that the surveyor’s insurance is valid on the day of the visit.

Three exceptions:

• the risk statement and the noise survey may be drawn up by the owner themselves (service-public.gouv.fr, letting page);
• the drainage inspection is carried out by the local council’s public sanitation service (SPANC for off-mains drainage);
• the energy audit may be carried out by other qualified professionals, including registered architects who have completed training, or RGE (certified environmental standard) professionals.

Using a non-certified surveyor exposes the owner to a fine of €1,500 (€3,000 for a repeat offence), and the surveyor to the same penalty if they work without certification.

How much do the surveys cost?

Prices are not regulated: service-public.gouv.fr states this for the DPE, “the fee may therefore vary from one professional to another”. No official source publishes a reference price list, so Payotte does not give one. The cost depends on the number of surveys required (and therefore the age and location of the home) and on the floor area. The SPANC inspection of off-mains drainage is funded by a charge whose “inspection” portion is billed to the owner; the rate is set by the conseil municipal (town council) (service-public.gouv.fr, page “Assainissement des eaux usées domestiques”).

Which professional to consult

The certified diagnostiqueur immobilier (property surveyor) carries out most of the file in a single visit and knows which surveys your property requires; check their certification in the ministry’s directory. The notaire (notary) checks that the DDT is complete and valid on the day of the promesse and of the deed, and the agent immobilier (estate agent) must display the DPE rating from the advertisement onwards. For the energy audit of a house rated E, F or G, a surveyor certified for audits or an RGE professional carries it out.