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Housing procedures (2/2)
The sheet aims to help you identify the people involved in looking for housing. It also aims to explain the rights and obligations of the landlord and the obligations of the tenant.
Key points of the sheet
- The landlord has the right to receive the agreed rent and charges. He can also end the lease or prevent its renewal, under certain conditions.
- The landlord must rent out a "decent" home that respects the tenant's safety and health. He must carry out major repairs and the upkeep of the home.
- The landlord gives the tenant the compulsory documents. For example: the lease contract, the inventory of the home (état des lieux), the technical surveys.
- The tenant has the right to enjoy the home peacefully and to ask for the necessary repairs. He can leave if he respects a notice period of 3 months in general, or 1 month under conditions.
- The tenant must pay the rent and charges on the agreed dates. He must take out home insurance (assurance habitation) against rental risks, such as fire or water damage.
- The tenant takes care of everyday upkeep and small repairs. He uses the premises peacefully and respects the building rules (règlement de copropriété).
Words to know
- landlord (bailleur)
- The landlord is the owner who rents out the home.
- "decent" housing (logement "décent")
- It is a home that respects the tenant's safety and health.
- inventory of the home (état des lieux)
- It is one of the compulsory documents that the landlord gives the tenant.
- notice period (délai de préavis)
- The tenant respects it to leave the home: 3 months in general, or 1 month under conditions.
- home insurance (assurance habitation)
- The tenant must take it out to cover rental risks, such as fire or water damage.
- tenant repairs (réparations locatives)
- They are the small repairs paid by the tenant for the whole length of the lease.
- building rules (règlement de copropriété)
- The tenant must respect it.
Test yourself: 3 questions
Which insurance must the tenant take out?
In French, the language of the exam: Quelle assurance le locataire doit-il souscrire ?
The tenant must take out home insurance. It covers rental risks, such as fire.
What kind of home must the landlord rent out?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel logement le propriétaire doit-il louer ?
The landlord must rent out a "decent" home. This home respects the tenant's safety and health.
Which document does the landlord give the tenant?
In French, the language of the exam: Quel document le propriétaire donne-t-il au locataire ?
The landlord gives compulsory documents to the tenant. The inventory of the home (état des lieux) is one of them.
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Questions on the ministry's list that rest on this sheet
More in this topic (Administrative procedures)
- Procedures for staying in France (residence)
- Appendix: emergency numbers
- Tax in France and the income tax return
Source
Sheet “Les démarches relatives au logement (2/2)” of the French Ministry of the Interior: formation-civique.interieur.gouv.fr. Content published under the Etalab Open Licence 2.0. This page is a plain-language adaptation made by Hexaciv, which is not an official site: if in doubt, the ministry's text is the one that counts.
Ministry sheet read on 23 October 2026, still identical on 25 October 2026.