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Real estate diagnosis: risk assessment for lead exposure (Crep)

Verified 11 August 2021 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Lead exposure risk assessment (Crep), also known as lead diagnosis, is a document that provides information on the presence of lead in dwellings. Your home is affected by this diagnosis if it was built before 1949. The Crep shall be integrated into the technical diagnostic record (DDT). DDT must be given to the purchaser or tenant in the event of the sale or rental of a dwelling. Penalties are provided for in particular if the Crep is not in compliance with the regulations.

Sale

Lead is generally present in older paints.

CREP (or lead diagnosis) consists of measuring the lead concentration of the coatings in your dwelling to identify those containing lead and describe their storage status.

It is also used to identify situations where children are at risk of lead poisoning or housing degradation.

The seller must have this diagnosis performed by a certified professional.

You must have a Crep realized in case of sale of a dwelling (apartment, detached house) if it was built before 1949.

You must use a certified diagnoser.

You can use a directory to find a certified diagnoser:

Find a Certified Real Estate Diagnoser

To do Crep, the diagnoser should test for lead on the following:

  • Housing coatings (old paintings, plaster, bricks...) including its external coatings (shutters for example)
  • Annexes where they are intended for everyday use (for example, laundry facilities)

The Crep must contain the report of the diagnoser.

An information leaflet on the health hazards of lead must be attached to Crep.

The diagnoser gives you the diagnosis.

You must integrate this diagnosis with the various diagnostics included in the Technical Diagnostic Record (DDT).

You must give the DDT to the buyer at the time of signing the promise to sell or the bill of sale.

If the Crep reveals the presence of lead at concentrations above the threshold of 1 mg/cm², you must do some work before selling your home.

It depends on what it says about the presence of lead.

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Lead free or lead present at concentrations below 1 mg/cm²

The period of validity of the Crep is unlimited.

Lead present at concentrations greater than 1 mg/cm²

The Crep must have been completed less than 1 year at the time of the sale of the house.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

For the seller

You may be liable if you do not voluntarily pass the diagnosis on to the buyer or if you mention false information in the sale advertisement to mislead the buyer.

The purchaser may appeal to the court to request the cancelation of the sale or obtain damages.

The purchaser may also appeal to the Fraud department of the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF).

The DGCCRF can punish you with a fine of €300,000 and a 2-year prison sentence.

You may also be fined €1,500 if you are using an uncertified (€3,000 in case of recurrence).

For the Diagnoser

If the diagnoser makes a mistake by not complying with the regulations to carry out the diagnosis (for example, incorrect diagnosis), the purchaser can make a complaint to the court to request damages.

The diagnoser may be fined €1,500 if he exercises without certification (€3,000 in case of recurrence).

For the notary

The notary may be liable in particular if he has validated the sale in the absence of the diagnosis or if he has knowledge of false information misleading the buyer.

The purchaser may appeal to the court to request damages.

The purchaser may also appeal to the Fraud department of the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF).

The DGCCRF may penalize the notary with a fine of €300,000 and a 2-year prison sentence.

Rental

Lead is generally present in older paints.

CREP (or lead diagnosis) consists of measuring the lead concentration of the coatings in your dwelling to identify those containing lead and describe their storage status.

It is also used to identify situations where children are at risk of lead poisoning or housing degradation.

The lessor must have this diagnosis carried out by a certified professional.

You must have a Crep realized in case of rental of a dwelling (apartment, detached house) if it was built before 1949.

You must use a certified diagnoser.

You can use a directory to find a certified diagnoser:

Find a Certified Real Estate Diagnoser

To do Crep, the diagnoser should test for lead on the following:

  • Housing coatings (antique paints, plaster, bricks, etc.), including its external coatings (shutters, for example)
  • Annexes where they are intended for everyday use (for example, laundry facilities)

The Crep must contain the report of the diagnoser.

An information leaflet on the health hazards of lead must be attached to Crep.

The diagnoser gives you the diagnosis.

You must integrate the diagnosis with the various diagnostics included in the Technical Diagnostic Record (DDT).

You must give the DDT to the tenant at the time of signing the lease.

If the Crep reveals the presence of lead at concentrations above the threshold of 1 mg/cm², you must do some work before the rental of the dwelling.

It depends on what it says about the presence of lead.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

Lead free or lead present at concentrations below 1 mg/cm²

The period of validity of the Crep is unlimited.

Lead present at concentrations greater than 1 mg/cm²

The Crep must have been completed less than 6 years at the time of the rental of the accommodation.

Répondez aux questions successives et les réponses s’afficheront automatiquement

For the lessor

You may be liable if you do not voluntarily pass the diagnosis to the tenant or if you mention false information in the rental advertisement to mislead the tenant.

The tenant can appeal to the court to request the cancelation of the lease or a reduction in the rent price.

The tenant can also appeal to the Fraud department of the Directorate-General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Prevention (DGCCRF).

The DGCCRF can punish you with a fine of €300,000 and a 2-year prison sentence.

You may also be fined €1,500 if you are using an uncertified (€3,000 in case of recurrence).

For the Diagnoser

If the diagnoser makes a mistake by not complying with the regulations to carry out the diagnosis (for example, incorrect diagnosis), the tenant can make a complaint to the court to request damages.

The diagnoser may be fined €1,500 if he exercises without certification (€3,000 in case of recurrence).

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service

    The informants who answer you belong to the ministry in charge of housing and city planning.

    Cost: free service

    Attention: the service does not have access to users' personal files and therefore cannot provide information on their progress.

    The service is available at the following times:

    • Monday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
    • Tuesday: 8:30 to 12:15
    • Wednesday: 8:30 to 12:15
    • Thursday: 8.30am to 5.30pm
    • Friday: 1 p.m. to 4:15 p.m