Letting in France without an agency: landlord's guide
Updated 8 October 2026 · By the Loyski team
Letting without an agency saves you 6 to 8% of your rent. In return, you do what a letting agent would: choose the tenant, draw up the lease, collect the rent, issue receipts, review the rent, reconcile the charges and react to arrears. Here's everything a landlord in France needs to know, in order.
1. Before letting: a lettable home
The home must be decent (logement décent): at least 9 m² of living space (or 20 m³), no risk to safety or health, basic amenities, and minimum energy performance. Since 1 January 2025, a home rated G on the energy performance certificate (DPE) is no longer decent for a new lease or a renewal; the same will apply to F-rated homes in 2028 and E-rated homes in 2034. The rent for F and G homes already can't go up.
Also prepare the technical survey file (dossier de diagnostic technique) to attach to the lease: DPE, risk report, lead exposure report (homes built before 1949), electrical and gas installation reports for installations over 15 years old, and, depending on the case, asbestos and noise information.
To set the rent, look at comparable listings in the area. In towns where rent control applies (Paris, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, Montpellier and others), the rent can't exceed the ceiling set by the prefect. In high-demand areas (zones tendues), a new tenant's rent generally can't exceed the previous tenant's, with some exceptions.
2. Choosing the tenant
Ask for a full file, but only the documents allowed by decree no. 2015-1437 of 5 November 2015: ID, proof of address, proof of employment and income. You can't require, for example, a bank statement, an ID photo or a holding cheque.
For guarantees, there are three options: a guarantor (caution, a person who commits to pay in the tenant's place), the Visale guarantee (free, granted by Action Logement to some tenants) or unpaid rent insurance. Note: except for students and apprentices, you can't combine unpaid rent insurance with a guarantor.
3. The lease and the inventory
The lease for a main residence follows a standard contract (decree no. 2015-587 of 29 May 2015), in French. It states the rent, the charges (monthly advance or fixed amount), the payment date, the security deposit and, if you want to be able to increase the rent each year, a rent review clause with the reference IRL quarter.
The move-in inventory (état des lieux d'entrée) is done with the tenant present, room by room, with dated photos. At the end of the tenancy, it's what justifies any deductions from the security deposit (at most 1 month's rent excluding charges unfurnished, 2 months furnished).
4. Every month: collect the rent and give the receipt
Check that the rent arrived on the agreed date. A tenant who asks must be given a free rent receipt (quittance de loyer) that shows the rent and charges separately. For a partial payment, you give a receipt for that amount, not a quittance. You can also send a rent due notice a few days before each rent date.
If the rent doesn't arrive, act quickly: a simple message is often enough. Otherwise, follow the steps in our unpaid rent guide.
5. Every year: rent review, charges, tax return
| When? | What? |
|---|---|
| Lease anniversary | Rent increase with the IRL, if the lease allows it (one year at most to ask for it) |
| After the building's general meeting | Service charge reconciliation: statement sent one month before |
| April to June | Declaring the rent received the previous year |
| When the policy renews | Renew the landlord insurance (PNO), ask for the tenant's home insurance certificate |
| Autumn | Property tax (taxe foncière), including the refuse collection tax, which you can recover from the tenant |
6. At the end of the lease
The tenant can leave at any time with 3 months' notice for an unfurnished let (1 month in high-demand areas and certain situations), 1 month for a furnished let. The landlord can only give notice at the end of the lease term, 6 months before for an unfurnished let and 3 months before for a furnished one, and only to sell, to live in the home (or let a close relative live there) or for a legitimate and serious reason.
When the tenant leaves: move-out inventory, last rent prorated, security deposit returned within the legal deadline.
The right tool so nothing slips
A spreadsheet and a calendar can do for one property. As deadlines add up, a dedicated tool saves time: Loyski asks you every month whether the rent has arrived, prepares the French receipt, reminds you of the rent review on the right date and drafts the letters, in French, while you use it in English.
Rent tracked, receipts sent, IRL rent increases and charges at the right time. Free for one property.
Frequently asked questions
Is it hard to manage a rental in France without an agency?
Not if you're organised: most tasks come back every month (collecting the rent, giving the receipt) or every year (rent review, charge reconciliation, tax return). The most important thing is to start on the right footing: a compliant lease, a detailed inventory and a well-chosen tenant.
How much does a French letting agency charge for management?
Ongoing management fees are usually 6 to 8% (incl. VAT) of the rent and charges collected, plus letting fees and, often, unpaid rent insurance.
How long is a residential lease in France?
At least three years for an unfurnished let by a private individual (six years if the landlord is a company), one year for a furnished let, or nine months, non-renewable, for a student in a furnished let.
Can I ask for a guarantor and take out unpaid rent insurance?
No, unless the tenant is a student or an apprentice: a landlord who has taken out unpaid rent insurance can't also require a guarantor (article 22-1 of the law of 6 July 1989).
What insurance does a landlord need in France?
Non-occupying owner insurance (assurance PNO) is compulsory in a building with shared ownership and strongly recommended elsewhere. Unpaid rent insurance (GLI) is optional; Action Logement's Visale guarantee is a free alternative for some tenants.
Can I manage a French rental from abroad?
Yes. Nothing in French law requires you to live in France to let your property. You'll need a French-style lease, an address for correspondence and a way to receive the rent in euros. If you don't live in France, your French rental income is still taxed in France: check the tax treaty with your country of residence.
This guide gives general information about French law, accurate on its publication date. It doesn't replace personal legal or tax advice: if in doubt, the ADIL of the département where the property is located advises landlords and tenants for free.