Rent amount of a privately owned dwelling

Verified 24 August 2022 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The rent of a rented dwelling with a house lease (including a mobility lease) is freely fixed by the owner. But, in cities located in tense areas, rent control applies. In these cities, the rent must not exceed a maximum amount at the time of reinstatement (in the case of a new tenant) and at the time of renewal of the lease (in the case of the same tenant).

To find out if your municipality is in a tense area:

Verify that a dwelling is in a stretched area

Warning  

Paris, Lille, Hellemmes and Lomme, Lyon and Villeurbanne, Montpellier, Bordeaux and the municipalities of Common plain and d'Est Ensemble apply even stricter rules.

Stretched area

Some dwellings are not covered by the rent control, as they are subject to other rules: housing 1948 law, accommodation contracted by the Anah (excluding intermediate rent agreements), accommodation LOW-COST HOUSING, furnished tourist, subleasing.

When the dwelling is rented for 1re Once, the landlord freely sets the rent.

The owner can review rent once a year, provided that it is provided for in the lease.

Warning  

  • In mainland France, when the lease is signed since August 24, 2022 and concerns a housing classified F or G (classification indicated on the DPE: titleContent), it is forbidden to revise its rent.
  • In Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, Reunion and Mayotte, when the lease is signed after the 1er July 2024 and concerns a housing classified F or G (classification indicated on the DPE: titleContent), it is forbidden to revise its rent.

Where the rent is understated in relation to the market price, the landlord may increase the amount of rent at the renewal of the lease, under certain conditions. But it must do so in accordance with certain rules.

Warning  

a mobility lease cannot be renewed.

The amount of rent applied to the last tenant must be shown in the lease.

The landlord can only increase the rent in certain cases.

The date of signature of the lease is decisive:

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Lease signed since August 24, 2022

Unrevised rent in last 12 months

If no revision has been made in the last 12 months, the landlord may increase the rent by the annual variation of the IRL published on the date of signature of the new lease.

Warning  

  • In metropolitan France, when the lease concerns a dwelling classified F or G (class indicated on the DPE: titleContent), it is forbidden to revise its rent.
  • In Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion and Mayotte, the owner freely fixes the rent, whatever the class of the accommodation indicated on the DPE: titleContent. This rule is valid until 1er July 2024.

Work carried out since the departure of the former tenant
Work for an amount of at least 50% of the last year of rent

The new rent may be increased when the landlord has financed improvement work (excluding energy-saving works which have given rise to an increase in rent for reduction of charges) or work which has been standards of decency

This work must:

  • Have been realized since the departure of the last tenant, in the common or private areas
  • And be at least 50% of the last year of rent (excluding charges)

If these conditions are met, the annual rent charged with the previous tenant may be increased by 15% of the amount of the work TTC: titleContent.

Warning  

  • In metropolitan France, when the lease concerns a dwelling classified F or G (class indicated on the DPE: titleContent), it is forbidden to increase its rent.
  • In Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion and Mayotte, the owner can increase the rent, whatever the class of the accommodation indicated on the DPE: titleContent. This rule is valid until 1er July 2024.

Works for an amount at least equal to the last year of rent

The new rent is set freely when the following 2 conditions are met:

  • Of improvement work have been done for less than 6 months
  • The amount of this work is at least equal to the last year of rent

Warning  

  • In metropolitan France, when the lease concerns a dwelling classified F or G (class indicated on the DPE: titleContent), it is forbidden to increase its rent.
  • In Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion and Mayotte, the owner can increase the rent, whatever the class of the accommodation indicated on the DPE: titleContent. This rule is valid until 1er July 2024.

Old undervalued rent

Where the rent charged to the former tenant is clearly undervalued, the landlord may increase the rent.

FYI  

It is possible to estimate the undervaluation of a rent from rents usually recorded for comparable dwellings located in the same geographical area.

But the rent increase must not exceed 50% of the difference between the following 2 sums:

  • Amount of rent determined by reference to rents in the neighborhood for comparable dwellings
  • Last rent applied to previous tenant, if applicable revised on IRL if not done in the last 12 months

Warning  

  • In metropolitan France, when the lease concerns a dwelling classified F or G (class indicated on the DPE: titleContent), it is forbidden to increase the rent obviously undervalued.
  • In Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion and Mayotte, the landlord can increase a rent that is clearly undervalued, regardless of the class of the dwelling indicated on the DPE: titleContent. This rule is valid until 1er July 2024.

Lease signed before August 24, 2022

Unrevised rent in last 12 months

If no revision has been made in the last 12 months, the landlord may increase the rent by the annual variation of the IRL published on the date of signature of the new lease.

Work carried out since the departure of the former tenant
Work for an amount of at least 50% of the last year of rent

The new rent can be increased when the following 2 conditions are met:

  • The owner has financed improvement work (excluding energy-saving works which have given rise to an increase in rent for reduction of charges) or work which has been standards of decency
  • When the dwelling is located in metropolitan France, its primary energy consumption is less than 331 kWh per m2 and per year. An energy performance diagnosis less than 4 years old must attest to this.

This work must:

  • have been built since the departure of the last tenant, in the common or private areas
  • be at least 50% of the last year of rent (excluding charges)

If these conditions are met, the annual rent charged with the previous tenant may be increased by 15% of the amount of the work TTC: titleContent.

Works for an amount at least equal to the last year of rent

The new rent is set freely when the following 3 conditions are met:

  • Of improvement work have been done for less than 6 months
  • The amount of this work is at least equal to the last year of rent
  • When the dwelling is located in metropolitan France, its primary energy consumption is less than 331 kWh per m2 and per year. An energy performance diagnosis less than 4 years old must attest to this.
Old undervalued rent

It is possible to increase the rent applied to the former tenant when the following 2 conditions are met:

  • That rent is undervalued. It is possible to estimate the undervaluation of a rent from rents usually recorded for comparable dwellings located in the same geographical area.
  • When the dwelling is located in metropolitan France, its primary energy consumption is less than 331 kWh per m2 and per year. An energy performance diagnosis less than 4 years old must attest to this.

When these two conditions are met, the rent can be increased. But the rent increase must not exceed 50% of the difference between the following 2 sums:

  • Amount of rent determined by reference to rents in the neighborhood for comparable dwellings
  • Last rent applied to previous tenant, if applicable revised on IRL if not done in the last 12 months

The rule to apply depends on the date the lease was signed:

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Lease signed since August 24, 2022

In metropolitan France, the landlord freely sets the rent of a house classified A, B, C, D or E. But the rent of a housing classified F or G must not be higher than the last rent applied to the previous tenant.

FYI  

Overseas, the landlord freely sets the rent, regardless of the class of the dwelling. This rule is valid until 1er July 2024.

Lease signed before August 24, 2022

The landlord freely sets the rent.

Other Area

The landlord is free to set the amount of rent he wishes to apply, whether it is an empty or furnished dwelling.

The owner can to revise the rent 1 time per year provided this is provided for in the lease.

Warning  

  • In mainland France, when the lease is signed since August 24, 2022 and concerns a housing classified F or G (classification indicated on the DPE: titleContent), it is forbidden to revise its rent.
  • In Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyane, Reunion and Mayotte, when the lease is signed after the 1er July 2024 and concerns a housing classified F or G (classification indicated on the DPE: titleContent), it is forbidden to revise its rent.

If the rent is clearly undervalued, the landlord can offer the tenant a new higher rent, respecting a precise procedure.

Warning  

  • In metropolitan France, when the lease concerns a dwelling classified F or G (class indicated on the DPE: titleContent), it is forbidden to increase the rent obviously undervalued.
  • In Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, Reunion and Mayotte, the landlord can increase a rent that is clearly undervalued, regardless of the class of the dwelling indicated on the DPE: titleContent. This rule is valid until 1er July 2024.

Who can help me?

Find who can answer your questions in your region

  • Telephone administrative information - Allo Public Service

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