Rental repairs in France: does the landlord or tenant pay?

Who pays for a repair depends on its cause, not just the equipment's name. Routine seal maintenance, an appliance worn out through age and a door damaged by an occupant require different reasoning.

This guide concerns French private main-residence tenancies. It separates maintenance during occupation from possible deductions at departure. Insurance conditions and technical requirements also need checking where relevant.

1. Ask three questions before allocating the bill

Identify the fault: which component, since when and with what consequences? Investigate the cause: routine maintenance, age-related wear, construction defect, damage or an external event. Then distinguish a minor repair from replacing an entire assembly.

Tenants handle routine maintenance and tenant repairs, except notably where these result from wear and tear, faulty workmanship, construction defects, an unforeseen event or force majeure. Landlords must keep the property fit for its intended use and perform repairs falling to them. These principles appear in Articles 6 and 7 of the French Law of 6 July 1989 (opens in a new tab).

For equipment supplied with the property, check the specific case: Broken appliances in furnished French rentals: who pays?.

Signs of damp require investigation of their cause: Damp and mould in French rented homes: who is responsible?.

2. Common situations and what to check

This table is not a diagnosis. The official tenant maintenance guide (opens in a new tab) and Decree no. 87-712 of 26 August 1987 (opens in a new tab) help identify the minor interventions concerned.

3. Example: a leak does not automatically identify who pays

A leak below a sink may come from a seal needing maintenance, an ageing part or a poorly installed connection. Photograph visible symptoms, report the fault and establish the cause if unclear. An invoice saying only “leak repaired” may not explain responsibility.

In an emergency, make the situation safe without hazardous technical work and notify the landlord or agent promptly. Where an insured incident is involved, also contact the insurer within the applicable deadlines. Insurance and tenancy responsibility are related but separate: an insurance reimbursement does not justify charging twice.

When water damage occurs, separate repairs from compensation: Water leaks in French rentals: who pays, landlord or tenant?.

4. Example: a serviced boiler reaches the end of its life

A servicing certificate records work carried out; it does not prove every later breakdown is the tenant's responsibility. Equally, a boiler's age alone does not establish that every fault is wear and tear.

Ask the professional to describe the diagnosis, required work and, where possible, the cause. A replacement recommendation is not automatic proof of neglected maintenance. The official landlord repairs guide (opens in a new tab) includes necessary work outside the tenant's obligations.

5. Organise reporting and intervention

A simple process avoids deciding from one photograph:

1. Describe the symptom, date and impact.
2. Attach useful photographs and equipment details.
3. Check previous records, servicing and move-in observations.
4. Obtain a diagnosis where necessary.
5. Agree the intervention, access arrangements and payment responsibility.
6. Retain quotations, agreement, invoice and report.

Outside emergencies and special regimes, ordering work without discussion and then demanding reimbursement can create a dispute. Separate technical necessity, permission to carry out work and final cost allocation. Tenants should not stop paying rent unilaterally because repairs are disputed: court-authorised deposit of rent or an imposed reduction has its own requirements.

6. Compare the fault with a dated reference

The move-in inspection records existing defects and equipment that could not be tested. Inspection photographs supplement descriptions but do not replace a diagnosis of a breakdown's cause.

At departure, wear and tear should not be charged as a new replacement. A difference between move-in and move-out is not automatically a debt owed by the tenant. Our security deposit deductions guide explains the move from a recorded condition to a justified financial claim.

7. Separate repairs from recoverable service charges

Collective maintenance can include recoverable expenditure, while substantial replacement can remain an owner cost. Do not put every technical invoice into annual tenant charges. The recoverable rental charges guide explains how to classify expenditure.

Retain the useful history with the lease documents, particularly while a cause or responsibility remains disputed.

To notify and organise work in an occupied home, read Works during a French tenancy: repairs and access to the home.

Frequently asked questions

Is everything inside the property the tenant's responsibility?

No. Both the nature and cause of the intervention matter. Wear-and-tear rules and the landlord's duties still apply.

Can a clause transfer every repair to the tenant?

A broad clause does not remove the landlord's mandatory obligations. Have an ambiguous provision checked rather than assuming it automatically authorises recovery.

How can a disagreement be resolved?

Exchange a precise diagnosis and supporting records, seek written agreement and ask an ADIL housing advice service if needed. The official guide to damage during a tenancy (opens in a new tab) also distinguishes neglect, wear and external events.

Editorial verification: 29 October 2026. General information about French law. Examples are not technical diagnoses or automatic findings of responsibility.