Property

Construction workers spreading wet concrete beside a cement mixer and dump truck.

How we built a garage ourselves in France

Tania Solomons, 60, and Andrew Hamm, 58, to France in 2019

How can I prevent mosquitoes in my garden and home?

Tiger mosquitoes transmit several tropical diseases and are now present across all French regions

Close-up views of water pouring from taps and a hose into a pool.

France water restrictions: Five questions answered

We review rules for rainwater, wells, filling swimming pools, and penalties for infractions

magazine

Why sinkholes keep appearing in Normandy

Farmers' need for mineral fertiliser left a dangerous legacy

What to do if your French property has a hidden defect

Hidden problems are called vices cachés and covered by Article 1641 of the French Civil Code

Electricity bills: French government announces 2.5% rise for regulated bills

Over 19 million households impacted, with the average bill rising €26 per year

Person wearing blue surgical gloves about to open a septic tank cover

Warning over impact of sewerage systems on property prices in France

Properties with sub-standard sewerage systems can be sold with an official certificate of non-conformity

A view of a private swimming pool at a home

Are we responsible if we let neighbours use our French pool when away?

Pool ‘squatting’ is an increasingly worrying problem for owners

France facing ‘exceptional’ early drought, almost all departments on drought alert

Waterways and aquifers affected by intense heat despite strong spring rainfall

A model of a house with construction items, a calculator, and DPE rating on a table

Do French renovation grants need to be repaid?

Payments are typically made directly to tradespeople rather than homeowners

A view of a fence in France saying ‘A vendre (for sale)’

‘Never seen this in 54 years’: French property market warning

Sale cancellations up as more mortgages refused, and rental market facing serious issues says major estate agency

Drought map: tap water restrictions tighten in France

Residents urged to check local rules

Close-up of a chrome kitchen faucet with a single drop of water falling.

Is France heading for a severe drought this summer?

‘This is the first time in 33 years that we’ve had to start releasing water this early in the season’

A view of an empty, unfurnished property

France to merge vacant home taxes from 2027

Two taxes levied on vacant homes to be replaced by a single tax

Check this before buying French property in a flood zone

One in four people – some 18 million – now live in an area at risk of flooding

Private island in Brittany with five beaches for sale at €2.5m

The six-hectare site in Morbihan includes two houses

Stone gate in front of a traditional house with a garden and blue sky.

What do French buyers actually want in an old farmhouse?

Columnist Samantha David prepares to sell her home

A view of a beautiful old house in Brittany, France

French tax authorities now have more time to update incorrect second home tax bills

Deadline for officials to levy taxes missed due to calculation errors or owner omissions has been extended

Can I cut down tree in my French garden without permission?

Hundreds of trees have protected status in France

Metal table and chairs on a stone terrace beside a building, overlooking a green valley at sunset.

Oprah Winfrey quote pushed us to realise our French vineyard tourism dream

Château Feely is an organic wine producer with accommodation, offering vineyard walking tours

Mortgage income law change proposed in France

Repayments cannot usually exceed 35% of income at present

Homeowners must prove they took steps to stop drought cracking, French court rules

Landmark ruling in €40,000 compensation case may embolden insurance companies to deny claims

Ornate corner building with balconies and decorative façade against a lavender sky in Nice, France.

France heatwave: Minister unveils plan to help homes and cities cope

Measures include support for reversible heat pumps and easing flat renovation rules as France prepares for hotter summers

Property developer ordered to repay €28,800 due to overvalued French estate

Valuation should have been explained to buyer, court rules

Why letting buyers move in early can backfire in France

Recent French court ruling highlights risks to sellers

A view of outdoor wheelie bins on a street in Paris, France

Residents in France face fines of up to €450 if sorting rubbish incorrectly

‘Bin police’ can search waste to ensure recycling is properly carried out

Are French electricity bills set to increase in August?

Increased usage charges will affect bills, but changes elsewhere may lessen impact

Residents of village in south-west France told to evacuate due to cracks in homes

Landslides risk tearing down most properties

Close-up of a gas stove burner with blue flames around the ring.

France gas prices: all contracts to increase in July

Millions of households on variable-rate gas deals face the biggest rise as France's benchmark gas price increases.

Free house in France: couple win Creuse B&B on TV competition

Roy and Nichola Legge tell of their experience winning Channel 4's The Great B&B Challenge

Why is my French tip no longer taking green waste?

Several communes including major cities have recently changed rules

What are the rules about fitting electric shutters at my home in France?

These convenient systems can offer better security than traditional shutters

View of an energy rating overlaid over an image of a model house

How DPE energy ratings are reshaping France’s property market

Diagnostic de performance énergétique certificates increasingly guide property buyers

More options now available for home equity release in France

Prêt viager hypothécaire being offered more widely as well as other similar schemes

French ‘super off-peak’ contracts offer up to 60% discount on electricity

Households which can match consumption to special hours can see significant savings

Historic house seen across a green lawn with yellow flowers and large trees in the foreground.

On the market: 'Our 1758 French manoir became an Opera House'

Manoir La Gozinière in Auvergne echoes to the enchanting melodies of Mozart, Verdi, Bizet and Puccini

Map: tap water restrictions and warnings by department as of June 2

Find information on restrictions in your commune

Exploring a 'natural home' in the south of France

Discover a beautifully restored French farmhouse near Uzès in the Gard, filled with antique furniture, vintage finds and natural interior design inspiration

Key points and rules to consider if want a pool at your French home

Taxes, safety measures, running costs are all things you should factor in

Partially built villa with concrete block walls and open window spaces behind a site fence.

UK directors investigated over failed French holiday village

New rules require holiday village developers to explain risk

€30m clay subsidence scheme helps only 19 cases in France

'We cannot hide it: the result is not good', minister says

Mosaic-tiled sewing table and chair in a colourful patterned room

Mosaic masterpiece: French home as a work of art

La Maison Picassiette is decorated inside and out

France homeowner faces legal trouble over 4cm land encroachment on neighbour’s property

Any construction encroaching on a neighbour’s land may be required to be removed

Young man with arm cast in sling sitting in a wheelchair indoors

What to do if someone is injured on your property in France

Costs of such an accident can quickly accumulate

Worker using a power drill to demolish an interior wall seen through a hole

Renovating a house in France: the key mistakes to avoid

British architect based in France shares his tips for restoring homes

Plumber on the kitchen floor repairing pipes beneath a sink unit

French court warns DIY home renovators can face hidden defect claims

Couple obliged to pay back €120,000 house sale proceeds

France’s rental crisis deepens as eviction delays hit 21 months on average

Tensions experienced by national council commissaires de justice members were 'particularly high'

The little-known document that can derail a property sale in France

French property law requires certain risk information to be disclosed before a sale is completed

Map: Which departments paid the most property tax in 2025?

Average increase of 2.4% but wide variation in total cost

Buyer disappears after signing property deal in France - should estate agents be liable?

Buyer paid a €10,000 deposit before vanishing

Swimming pool boom in France helped by fuel crisis

France leads Europe as the number of private pools reaches 3.7 million

Most homeowners in France to be spared property declaration fine

Authorities instead target ‘large property owners’ of more than 200 units

Electricity bills: homes to be selected in France to trial new tariffs

New off-peak hours based on renewable consumption may lead to cheaper bills

Crackdown on undeclared second homes in south-west France

Owners who falsely declare properties as main homes risk fines and backdated tax payments

A view of a rubbish truck collecting waste in France

As renters, do we have to pay the local rubbish collection tax in France?

Two main types of bin tax exist in France

A view of a man separating piles of coins, with a piggy bank and house to show debts

Rent-free tenancy can cause inheritance issues in France

Recent case shows impact of letting an adult child live in property for free

Bag with pellets and firewood in the living room

French consumer group launches bulk-buy wood pellet scheme

Scheme looks to bring down cost of pellets via bulk buying

'Breathing life back into' Mediterranean homes

We visit two properties and meet a ceramicist in Uzès, as featured in Mediterranean Living by Laurence Dougier

Split image of European Commission anf French notaire sign

Is France considering easing its 2021 inheritance law affecting foreign wills?

More than three years have passed since the European Commission first acknowledged receiving multiple complaints

Rises of +9.9%, drops of -5.6%: see how French flat prices have changed near you

Majority of cities recording price increases as property slump ends

Most French cities see house prices rise: latest notaire data

Tours (8%) and Metz (6%) see highest rises Oct-Dec 2024 - 2025 whilst south-east remains most expensive region outside of Paris

Property owners in France reminded of June ‘property-use’ deadline

Updates must be filed via the biens immobiliers system or fines may apply

Water restrictions begin in south-west France: who is affected?

Residents can check restrictions near them using government website

Free building materials in France: how the Cycle Zéro app works

New app relies on unused materials discarded in skips at local construction sites

France to end eco-renovation funding for homes with a gas boiler

Properties must not have gas boiler by end of works to access grant scheme

Can we contest neighbour’s planning permission at their home in France?

There are rules which dictate whether planning permission can be contested and by whom

France chases ‘one million annual heat pump’ goal, but is it feasible?

Sector leaders cite need for more aid and say ‘leasing scheme’ may be limited in effect

Buyers win compensation for collapsed French chimney

Judges ruled that the description of the building stating that 'the exterior is in good condition', was inaccurate

French tax authorities expand AI checks for undeclared property expansions

Verandas, pagodas, and sheds targeted in new €100 million campaign

Selling a home in France: what should I tell the utility companies?

The transfer of utilities is a separate task from the notarial sale process

How do landlords register an Airbnb let with French commune?

New system requires all mairies to give tourist rentals a number

French ‘swimming pool’ tax falls for first time in nearly a decade

New pool installations must be correctly declared

Emily in Paris: three flats in her building for sale from €650,000

Buyers can live like the American heroine of the hit Netflix show

Airbnb ruled responsible for illegal subletting by French court

Short-let service fined as court rules it provides more than ‘internet service’

Air heat pump in a garden by a modern house

France’s heat pump leasing plan explained

Homeowners will pay back installation costs over three years, with payments cheaper than current bills