https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed A slum landlord who rented out a mouldy and windowless basement apartment in Marseille has been handed a two-year suspended prison term and fined €20,000. https://www.thelocal.fr/20260107/french-landlord-handed-jail-term-for-renting-out-tiny-mouldy-windowless-apartment Wed, 07 Jan 2026 11:47:28 +0100 french-landlord-handed-jail-term-for-renting-out-tiny-mouldy-windowless-apartment When renting an apartment, you might be presented with a rental contract called a 'bail code civil', which offers fewer legal protections than a standard French contract - here are some thing to know before agreeing to one. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251121/targeting-foreign-tenants-6-things-to-know-before-signing-a-french-bail-code-civil Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:38:07 +0100 targeting-foreign-tenants-6-things-to-know-before-signing-a-french-bail-code-civil A couple who rented out their French apartment on Airbnb have been ordered to pay €12,500 to their neighbours, even though there was no specific ban in the building’s regulations. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251106/french-court-ruling-sounds-warning-for-homeowners-putting-flats-on-airbnb Thu, 06 Nov 2025 16:23:45 +0100 french-court-ruling-sounds-warning-for-homeowners-putting-flats-on-airbnb Across France, tourist towns are facing a housing crisis. Platforms like Airbnb are accused of siphoning off available properties for rent, worsening the housing shortage, and driving up real estate prices - leading more and more local authorities to take action. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251003/airbnb-crackdown-the-french-towns-that-have-short-term-property-rental-restrictions Fri, 03 Oct 2025 18:42:49 +0200 airbnb-crackdown-the-french-towns-that-have-short-term-property-rental-restrictions It can be difficult to find a house or apartment to rent in France - especially if you're searching in the big cities like Paris. So here's a list of the apps that make things a little easier. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251003/6-of-the-best-apps-to-a-house-or-apartment-in-france Fri, 03 Oct 2025 14:13:25 +0200 6-of-the-best-apps-to-a-house-or-apartment-in-france Holiday-let landlords in one popular resort in south-west France will soon have to let an additional property to longer-term tenants after a court ruling drew a line under a three-year legal battle. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251001/town-in-south-west-france-wins-legal-case-to-strictly-limit-tourist-rentals Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:23:54 +0200 town-in-south-west-france-wins-legal-case-to-strictly-limit-tourist-rentals In France, whether you’re married, pacsé or simply a couple living together affects the rules on renting property – from who’s responsible for paying the rent to what happens if one of you wants to move out. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250425/married-civil-partnership-or-just-living-together-rules-for-renting-a-property-in-france Fri, 25 Apr 2025 15:51:28 +0200 married-civil-partnership-or-just-living-together-rules-for-renting-a-property-in-france Cities across France are cracking down on key boxes, as they aim to ease the housing crisis by reducing the number of short-term tourist rentals. But any 'bans' are actually quite limited. Here's what you need to know https://www.thelocal.fr/20250225/the-french-cities-cracking-down-on-airbnb-with-key-box-bans Tue, 25 Feb 2025 11:47:30 +0100 the-french-cities-cracking-down-on-airbnb-with-key-box-bans Finding somewhere to live in France can be a real challenge – and some unscrupulous landlords have tried to take advantage of prospective tenants by asking for a deposit before they have even viewed a property. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250226/warning-over-pay-to-view-french-property-scams Wed, 26 Feb 2025 12:19:22 +0100 warning-over-pay-to-view-french-property-scams Most people will take out home insurance when they move to France - but if you ever need to claim on it you need to know the type of claim to make, and how to do that. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250203/damage-and-disasters-how-to-make-a-french-home-insurance-claim Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:05:57 +0100 damage-and-disasters-how-to-make-a-french-home-insurance-claim If you're buying, selling or renting a property in France you will need to get an energy rating, and the score given to the property will affect how or even if you can sell or rent it, with new restrictions coming into force on January 1st 2025. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240212/what-do-energy-ratings-mean-for-french-property-owners Mon, 12 Feb 2024 11:41:52 +0100 what-do-energy-ratings-mean-for-french-property-owners Real estate agents the world over have their own particular jargon, but it can be even harder to understand in a foreign language. So here is our list of key terms and vocabulary found in French property advertisements. https://www.thelocal.fr/20220215/the-vital-french-vocab-for-renting-property Tue, 15 Feb 2022 17:59:45 +0100 the-vital-french-vocab-for-renting-property French law places strict limits on what a landlord has the right to demand of new and existing tenants – from the size of the security deposit to whether they can smoke or keep pets. Here is what both tenants and landlords need to know. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240830/9-things-landlords-in-france-can-never-ask-of-tenants Fri, 30 Aug 2024 12:14:33 +0200 9-things-landlords-in-france-can-never-ask-of-tenants A total of 24 communes in south-west France will be able to impose rent controls, the government has decided - joining a growing list of French towns and city that (nominally at least) limits the rents that landlords can charge. https://www.thelocal.fr/20231025/rent-control-rules-for-tourist-towns-in-south-west-france Wed, 25 Oct 2023 18:44:38 +0200 rent-control-rules-for-tourist-towns-in-south-west-france It can seem like Catch 22 - you need a French address for a visa or to enter the country, but you can't rent a place until you're in the country. Here is how to secure your first French address. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230829/reader-question-how-can-i-get-a-french-address-before-arriving-in-france Tue, 29 Aug 2023 19:38:04 +0200 reader-question-how-can-i-get-a-french-address-before-arriving-in-france Popular tourist destinations in France will soon be able to impose stricter controls on short-term seasonal property rentals such as Airbnbs after the government announced a series of measures to counter housing shortages. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230719/french-tourist-towns-get-power-to-limit-short-term-property-rentals Wed, 19 Jul 2023 12:53:18 +0200 french-tourist-towns-get-power-to-limit-short-term-property-rentals The joint ownership fees (les charges de copropriété) for apartments in France or are in the rise meaning renters and property owners could shell out more in 2023. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230206/les-charges-why-owning-and-renting-apartments-in-france-is-becoming-more-costly Mon, 06 Feb 2023 17:07:24 +0100 les-charges-why-owning-and-renting-apartments-in-france-is-becoming-more-costly It's a crucial part of life and an incomplete one can bring about a whole world of pain - here's what you need to know about your French dossier. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230203/everything-you-need-to-know-about-your-vital-french-dossier Fri, 03 Feb 2023 12:09:21 +0100 everything-you-need-to-know-about-your-vital-french-dossier Geneva’s high housing costs — the most expensive in Switzerland — are spilling over to the neighbouring French municipalities as well. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230109/how-the-swiss-city-of-geneva-impacts-rent-prices-across-the-border-in-france Mon, 09 Jan 2023 16:06:27 +0100 how-the-swiss-city-of-geneva-impacts-rent-prices-across-the-border-in-france If you're after a short-term rental in France you might be offered a 'bail mobilité' (mobility lease) - here's how these work and whether they're a good deal. https://www.thelocal.fr/20221125/bail-mobilite-how-frances-short-term-rental-contracts-work Fri, 25 Nov 2022 11:34:34 +0100 bail-mobilite-how-frances-short-term-rental-contracts-work