You have finally moved into your rental in France. The paperwork is signed, your furniture is in place, and life is beginning to feel settled. Then something breaks.
Your first instinct is probably to contact the landlord and ask them to sort it out. But in France, not every repair is the landlord’s responsibility. Some maintenance tasks and minor repairs fall legally to the tenant, even in a furnished rental. Other repairs, particularly those involving ageing equipment or major installations, belong to the landlord.
The distinction is not always obvious, and it catches a lot of international tenants off guard.
At Ibanista, we help people navigate the practical side of renting in France every day. This is one of those subjects worth understanding before something goes wrong, because knowing who is responsible can save you money, unnecessary arguments and problems when you eventually move out.
Here is how it works.
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Talk to the Ibanista teamHow repair responsibility is divided
In France, responsibility for repairs is split between the landlord and the tenant. The general principle is straightforward: tenants handle routine maintenance, certain minor repairs and damage for which they are legally responsible. Landlords deal with everything outside those obligations, including deterioration caused by normal ageing.
The legal framework comes primarily from the French residential tenancy law of 6 July 1989, the Civil Code and Décret n°87-712, which sets out the official list of réparations locatives. These rules apply to standard furnished and unfurnished rentals used as a main residence, including relevant provisions for a bail mobilité.
The reason something has broken is often just as important as what has broken. A tap leaking because a washer needs replacing is different from a tap that has simply worn out with age. French tenancy law is more nuanced than a simple list of who owns what.
Tenant obligations: What are reparations locatives?
Réparations locatives are the routine maintenance tasks and minor repairs that tenants are expected to carry out during their tenancy. The official list is set out in Décret n°87-712 of 26 August 1987. It covers a wider range of everyday tasks than most people expect.
- Replacing light bulbs, fuses and certain minor electrical fittings
- Maintaining taps and replacing small seals or washers
- Clearing ordinary blockages in sinks, showers and drains
- Lubricating hinges, locks and other moving parts
- Replacing certain small components on doors, shutters and blinds
- Maintaining private gardens, including mowing, trimming hedges and pruning trees
- Routine cleaning and maintenance of floors, walls and fixtures
- Minor repairs to certain appliances supplied under the tenancy
But there is an important exception. Even a repair normally classified as the tenant’s responsibility can fall to the landlord when it is required because of normal ageing, defective construction, faulty workmanship or an unforeseen event. This is where the concept of vétusté becomes relevant.
What is vetuste?
Vétusté is the French legal concept for deterioration caused by time and ordinary use. If a kitchen appliance was already several years old when you moved in and eventually stops working, that is not the same as damage caused by misuse. A landlord cannot expect everything to remain in brand-new condition indefinitely.
Who pays when the boiler breaks in your French rental?
Heating is the most common source of confusion between French landlords and tenants. It helps to separate two distinct questions: who arranges the annual service, and who pays when the boiler actually breaks down.
Annual boiler servicing
For many individual boilers, annual maintenance is a legal requirement. This covers gas, oil, wood and coal boilers with a rated output between 4 and 400 kW, as well as certain heat pumps.
If you are renting a property with its own boiler, you will normally need to arrange and pay for the annual service yourself, unless the lease says otherwise. The work must be carried out by a qualified professional. You will receive an attestation d’entretien and should keep it for at least two years. Your landlord may ask to see it.
For a collective boiler serving an apartment building, the servicing is generally handled by the building owner or syndic de copropriété.
When the boiler stops working
This is where cause matters. If a problem results from maintenance you were responsible for and failed to carry out, you may be liable for the resulting damage. Certain minor repairs to heating equipment also fall within the tenant-repair list.
But if the boiler has suffered a major mechanical failure or needs replacing because of normal ageing, that is generally the landlord’s responsibility. If the boiler is fifteen years old and a major component fails, the landlord cannot simply insist that you fund a replacement because you are the occupant.
Contact the landlord or agency in writing as soon as possible. A serious heating failure, particularly in winter, should be treated as urgent. That said, do not commission expensive replacement work and expect automatic reimbursement. Unless immediate action is necessary to prevent danger or serious damage, get the landlord's agreement before arranging major work.
Broken washing machine in a furnished rental: who pays?
This catches a lot of international tenants by surprise, particularly those renting furnished properties.
First, something worth knowing: a washing machine is not on the statutory minimum furniture and equipment list for a furnished rental in France. A property can legally qualify as furnished without one. That surprises many newcomers.
If the landlord does supply a washing machine as part of the tenancy, the same principles apply. The tenant handles routine maintenance, minor repairs and anything caused by misuse. If the machine fails because of normal ageing or a major internal fault, the landlord is generally responsible.
Does the landlord have to replace it?
Not necessarily with a brand-new model. If a repair is possible, the landlord may arrange that instead. What matters is that they fulfil their obligation to maintain the equipment provided. If an appliance breaks, check the inventory, report it in writing and do not dispose of or replace it without first discussing it with the landlord.
The same logic applies to other appliances listed in the tenancy inventory, including refrigerators and dishwashers.
Plumbing: Leaks, blocked drains and burst pipes
Plumbing responsibility depends on the nature and cause of the problem. As a general rule, tenants handle minor maintenance and certain small repairs. Major plumbing problems, defective installations and deterioration through ageing belong to the landlord.
Leaking taps
A small leak caused by a worn washer is typically a tenant repair. If the entire tap is defective or has worn out with age, replacing it may fall to the landlord. Not every leak requires major work, so it is worth assessing what is actually needed before escalating.
Blocked drains
Clearing a drain blocked by hair, grease or everyday household use is generally the tenant’s responsibility. If the blockage is caused by a structural defect, ageing pipework or the building’s shared drainage system, responsibility may sit elsewhere. When in doubt, notify the landlord so they can establish who is responsible.
Burst pipes
Act immediately. Turn off the water supply if safe to do so, contact the landlord and notify your home insurer. A burst pipe caused by age, corrosion or defective installation is not a standard tenant repair. Note that responsibility for repairing the pipe and responsibility for the resulting damage are not necessarily the same thing. Your insurer may need to coordinate with the landlord’s insurer.
Who pays for broken shutters?
Shutters are common in French properties, from traditional wooden shutters to electrically operated roller shutters. Under the réparations locatives rules, tenants are responsible for lubrication and certain small component replacements, such as cords, pulleys or slats.
But the tenant is not responsible for every shutter problem. If an electric motor fails through normal ageing, or the entire mechanism has deteriorated, the landlord will generally be responsible. The fact that something broke while you were using it does not automatically mean you caused the damage.
Do not force it. Take photographs, explain the problem to the landlord and ask how they would like it handled. If the shutter was already difficult to operate when you moved in, it is important that this was noted in your incoming inspection.
Who maintains the garden?
If you are renting a house with a private garden, routine maintenance is generally your responsibility. This surprises people moving from countries where landlords typically arrange gardening services.
- Mowing lawns and maintaining garden paths
- Weeding and maintaining flower beds
- Trimming hedges
- Routine pruning and maintenance of trees and shrubs
- Cleaning and maintaining certain garden installations
- Maintaining movable watering equipment
A large garden can be a significant commitment. If you do not enjoy gardening or are not physically able to manage the work, budget for a gardener before you sign the lease, not after.
The état des lieux: Why your move-in inspection matters
The état des lieux d’entrée is the formal inspection carried out at the start of your tenancy. It records the condition of the property and its fixtures. For furnished rentals, there should also be an inventory of all furniture and equipment provided.
This document matters more than most people realise. If a shutter was already difficult to close, if a tap was dripping, if an appliance was making a strange noise, it needs to be in that inspection report. If it is not recorded, it may be harder to argue later that the problem existed before you moved in.
Do not let anyone rush you through the incoming inspection. Take your time, test equipment where you can, take photographs of anything that concerns you and make sure existing issues are written down. French law gives you ten calendar days after the inspection to request amendments if you notice something you missed. For heating, there is a further window during the first month of the heating period.
Dispute resolution: What to do if the landlord refuses repairs
This is where things can become frustrating, particularly for international tenants who are not familiar with French procedures. Perhaps you have reported a problem several times and nothing has happened. Or the agency insists a repair is your responsibility when you believe the equipment has simply worn out.
The first step is to establish clearly who is legally responsible. If it is a minor tenant repair, arrange it. If it concerns the landlord’s obligations, follow these steps.
Step 1: Contact the landlord or agency in writing
An email creates a record. Explain what has broken, when it happened and why you believe it falls to the landlord. Include photographs. If the matter is urgent, telephone as well, but always follow up in writing.
Step 2: Send a formal written request
If there is no response, you can send a formal notice known as a mise en demeure, generally by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt. Keep copies of everything.
Step 3: Seek help with the dispute
Your local ADIL (Agence Départementale d’Information sur le Logement) provides free housing law advice. For standard residential tenancy disputes, the Commission départementale de conciliation (CDC) may also be able to help. Note that the CDC is not available for disputes under a bail mobilité.
Step 4: Consider court action
If the dispute remains unresolved, the appropriate court can order repairs or grant another remedy. The right approach depends on the seriousness of the problem and what outcome you are seeking.
Even if the landlord is failing to meet their obligations, you cannot unilaterally withhold rent or deduct repair costs. Doing so creates rent arrears and puts your tenancy at risk. Continue paying while following the proper procedure to resolve the problem.
Who pays for what: At a glance
| Situation | Generally responsible |
|---|---|
| Annual boiler service (individual boiler) | Tenant (unless lease says otherwise) |
| Major boiler repair or replacement through ageing | Landlord |
| Replacing a tap washer or small seal | Tenant |
| Replacing an entire tap worn out with age | Landlord |
| Clearing a blocked drain (household use) | Tenant |
| Burst pipe caused by corrosion or defect | Landlord |
| Minor shutter maintenance (cord, lubrication) | Tenant |
| Failed electric shutter motor (normal ageing) | Landlord |
| Washing machine maintenance or minor repair | Tenant |
| Washing machine fails through normal ageing | Landlord |
| Routine garden maintenance | Tenant |
| Dangerous or diseased tree work | Assess with landlord |
| Replacing light bulbs and fuses | Tenant |
| Defective electrical installation | Landlord |
Frequently asked questions about repairs in a French rental
Tenants are generally responsible for routine maintenance, minor repairs and damage for which they are legally responsible. Landlords handle major repairs, deterioration caused by normal ageing and work necessary to maintain legally decent accommodation.
For many individual boilers, annual servicing is a legal requirement and is generally the occupant's responsibility unless the lease says otherwise. Collective boilers serving an apartment building are handled differently.
The tenant handles routine maintenance, minor repairs and damage caused by misuse. If the machine fails through normal ageing or requires a major repair, the landlord is generally responsible.
No. A washing machine is not on the statutory minimum list of furniture and equipment required for a standard furnished rental in France. A property can legally qualify as furnished without one.
Clearing a drain blocked by ordinary household use is generally the tenant's responsibility. Blockages caused by structural defects, ageing pipework or shared building installations may fall to the landlord.
Tenants handle certain minor shutter maintenance. Major repairs or a failed motor caused by normal ageing are generally the landlord's responsibility.
Yes. Routine garden maintenance is generally the tenant's responsibility. This includes mowing, weeding, trimming hedges and certain tree-pruning. More substantial work needs to be assessed on its merits.
No. You should not unilaterally stop paying rent. If the landlord fails to meet their legal obligations, formal routes are available including written notice, conciliation and court action where necessary.
No. Normal deterioration caused by time and ordinary use, known as vétusté, must be distinguished from damage attributable to the tenant. It must be taken into account when assessing repair responsibilities and deposit deductions.
You can request amendments to the incoming état des lieux within ten calendar days. For heating equipment, there is an additional window during the first month of the heating period. Report problems in writing promptly and keep evidence.
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