For bookings in excess of 3 months we believe it is essential to have a formal French tenancy agreement in place, from the point of view of both owner and tenant.
(For bookings of less than 3 months you can use a holiday booking
agreement).
The tenancy agreement, or Contrat de Location Habitation Meublée, sets out in detail, in French, all the terms and conditions which need to be agreed in writing between owner and tenant and lists the rights and obligations of both parties. The information covered in this includes:
-
Full
names of owners and tenants
-
The full address of the property being rented
-
The precise dates of the booking
-
The monthly rent payable and when it is due
-
Details of responsibility for the payment of utility bills
such as water, electricity, gas etc.
And
any other terms which are legal and which are agreed in writing
by both parties in advance, e.g:-
-
Permission
to keep pets, with any restrictions or conditions required
by the owner
-
Maximum number of visitors allowed at any one time
-
Requirement to secure all doors, windows and shutters when
the property is empty
-
Responsibility for tending the garden
-
A ‘no smoking’ clause, if required.
Two
further documents should accompany the Contrat de Location.
First, an Etat des Lieux, which is a brief but detailed description
of the decorative order of the property, so that is clear whether
any minor damage (e.g. scratched paintwork, marks on walls,
stains on carpets etc) was incurred before or after the tenancy
began. Also the owner should produce an inventory listing what
is contained at the property. Both the Etat des Lieux and the
Inventory should be signed by both owner and tenant.
So,
by having a Contrat de Location you should
ensure a trouble free tenancy. Everything is set out in detail
and signed by both parties prior to the commencement of the
booking. Failure to comply with any of the agreed terms nullifies
the booking. Far better to do this for both owner and tenant
than to enter into a booking relying on terms only discussed
verbally several months prior.
Please also note that an English tenancy agreement is not valid under French law.
If
you have agreed a booking and would like French Locations to
draw up a Contrat de Location please call us on UK phone
number +44 (0) 1275-856691 or e-mail
steve@french-locations.co.uk
with the names and addresses of owner and tenant and we can
send or e-mail forms for both parties to complete.
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