Partner article: Does a property need to be cleared out before being sold in France?

Reader Question: Must a house be emptied for a house sale in France or can some items remain? If so, which items? 

The general rule, set out in the Code Civil dating from Napoleon I’s time, is that if it is not bolted or cemented to a wall it can be taken by the seller. Particularly in Paris, it is not uncommon to find the previous occupant has even taken the lightbulbs.

Freestanding kitchen units are popular in France because they can be taken with you when you move, while fitted kitchens cannot.

The list of what has to remain is specific to each property, but usually includes chimneys, stair carpets (the rods are fixed) and radiators or electric hot water systems, if they are fixed.

When buying a house in France, always ask the seller or estate agent what furniture and fittings will be left. If you think too much will be removed, request that certain items be left in place or for the price to be lowered.

Equally, if you want to buy the place furnished, ask. Be prepared to offer a price, and it might be accepted. Having said that, there are also sales, especially in rural areas, where sellers are happy for everything to be left. 

In these cases, make sure the notaire knows what part of the sale price is for the house and what part is for the furniture and fittings: you only pay property taxes on the former.

House-clearing companies do exist in France but are few and far between. More common is having a commissaire-priseur come in to see if they can take goods for auction. 

Some will take nearly everything. It is during these visits that valuable paintings or other items are occasionally discovered – commissaire-priseurs have double degrees in law and history of art. 

Online platforms have largely replaced newspaper classified adverts as places to sell furniture in France, of which Leboncoin is the best known.