Article from Bright Avocats
Do we need permission to repaint the outside of our French home?
The requirements vary according to where you live
Reader question: We want to spruce up the outside of our house. Must we inform the mairie if we keep the same colour?
In most communes, there is no need to inform the mairie if you are simply maintaining the existing paintwork or rendering without changing its appearance.
However, if you modify the external appearance of the building, even by changing the paint colour or rendering, or creating an opening for a window, you will generally need to submit a déclaration préalable de travaux (DP).
The application can be made by the owner or by a professional authorised to act on their behalf.
Once the form has been submitted to the mairie, you will receive a receipt. In the standard case, if you receive no response within one month, you can generally begin the work. Alternatively, you may receive an authorisation with conditions, a refusal or notification that the review period has been extended to allow more time for a decision.
The situation is different if your property is within the protected area around a historic monument. In this case, a DP will generally be required for changes to the exterior, and the application may be reviewed by the Architectes des Bâtiments de France (ABF). The standard response period is often two months rather than one.
Some communes, such as those on the Île de Ré (Charente-Maritime), impose restrictions on the colours that can be used on the exteriors of homes. In these cases, you must submit a DP so that the proposed paintwork or rendering can be checked against local rules.
Other communes have by-laws requiring the exteriors of houses to be maintained or renovated at least every 10 years.
You can appeal if a DP is refused. In general cases, the mairie can also intervene within three months of the work being completed if it believes the project does not comply with what was declared. This could lead to fines or an order to restore the building to its previous state.
Sarah Bright-Thomas is an English-speaking lawyer at Bright Avocats
