The English Investor is the go-to English-language resource for foreign property investors in France. Written by a tri-qualified lawyer, our guides cover legal structures, tax strategy, rental regulations, and practical advice for buying and managing French real estate.
A tenant or landlord can bring the other before a free, State-run conciliation body long before any court is involved. What it can examine, whether its findings bind anyone, and why not turning up is the worst move available.
A Montpellier court has evicted a tenant not for unpaid rent but for failing to hand over an insurance certificate. Why the judge had no discretion, the one-month clock behind the ruling, and the two levers every French landlord should understand.
From January 2027 France's new vacancy tax will decide whether your home is empty on the strength of a database, your own declaration and, sometimes, a neighbour's tip-off. What fiscally vacant means, how occupation is proven, and the two defences that actually work.
A tenant or landlord can bring the other before a free, State-run conciliation body long before any court is involved. What it can examine, whether its findings bind anyone, and why not turning up is the worst move available.
A Montpellier court has evicted a tenant not for unpaid rent but for failing to hand over an insurance certificate. Why the judge had no discretion, the one-month clock behind the ruling, and the two levers every French landlord should understand.
From January 2027 France's new vacancy tax will decide whether your home is empty on the strength of a database, your own declaration and, sometimes, a neighbour's tip-off. What fiscally vacant means, how occupation is proven, and the two defences that actually work.
A tenant or landlord can bring the other before a free, State-run conciliation body long before any court is involved. What it can examine, whether its findings bind anyone, and why not turning up is the worst move available.
A Montpellier court has evicted a tenant not for unpaid rent but for failing to hand over an insurance certificate. Why the judge had no discretion, the one-month clock behind the ruling, and the two levers every French landlord should understand.
From January 2027 France's new vacancy tax will decide whether your home is empty on the strength of a database, your own declaration and, sometimes, a neighbour's tip-off. What fiscally vacant means, how occupation is proven, and the two defences that actually work.
A draft arrêté would cut the DPE electricity coefficient from 1.9 to 1.7 on 1 January 2027, lifting hundreds of thousands of electrically heated homes out of passoire status with no works and a free updated label. What it changes for foreign owners, and why it is not signed yet.
From 1 October 2026 every new French lease gives a non-paying tenant six weeks, not two months, to clear the debt after a commandement de payer. What the new contrat type changes, which clock governs your existing lease, and the procedure that actually gets a property back.
Everything British property investors need to know about French inheritance law — from the réserve héréditaire and Brussels IV election to SCI succession planning, démembrement, and the UK-France double tax treaty.
A comprehensive guide to buying property in France as a British investor. From making an offer to signing the acte authentique every step explained, including costs, timelines, notaire fees, mortgage options, and recent 20242025 legal changes.
A French appeals court has upheld a copropriété vote banning short-term tourist rentals under the Loi Le Meur. What this landmark ruling means for Airbnb investors in France — and what you should check in your own building rules.
The UK housing market has ground to a standstill. Prices hold firm but activity has collapsed, with mortgage approvals at two-year lows and nearly half of listed properties being withdrawn unsold. What's driving this stalemate, and what does it mean for buyers, sellers, and investors?
Last Updated: June 2026 (originally July 2025) – Thinking of investing in short-term rentals (à la Airbnb) in France? You’re not alone. But be warned: France has...
The 2026 update to our UK housing guide: essentially flat headline prices, a two-speed regional split, the April 2025 stamp duty reset, collapsed net migration, and what it all means for buyers and investors.
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