Before the SCI, the tax regime or the case law, one decision shapes everything: who lives in your French flat and for how long. The rules of a meublé de tourisme, a furnished lease and an unfurnished lease, the 2026 figures, and the five questions that decide between them.
A roof or terrace held en jouissance privative is yours to maintain if the règlement says so, but the Cour de cassation ruled on 17 September 2026 that the syndicat still pays whoever the leak damages, then claims it back from you. What that means for the owner above and the owner or tenant below.
How a French off-plan purchase (VEFA) actually works for a foreign buyer: the 5% deposit, the 35/70/95 payment grid, the completion guarantee, delivery day and the thirteen-month clock, with the case law and the tax layer.
A couple let a care-home room on a commercial lease with a guaranteed 1.5 per cent annual rent increase. On 3 September 2026 the Cour de cassation held the clause deemed unwritten, reversing its 2022 position, and the operator can claim five years of increases back. What it means for every managed-residence investor and commercial landlord in France.
Your child has a place in Paris or Lyon and the agent wants your signature on an acte de cautionnement by Friday. What you are guaranteeing, what an agency may and may not ask a parent abroad for, the free State guarantee that can replace you, and the legal ceilings on deposit and fees, from the finance ministry's student guide and the texts behind it.
How French boundary law works — from bornage to prescription acquisitive — and what British property owners need to know to protect their land, resolve neighbor disputes, and avoid costly litigation.
French law allows someone to acquire ownership of your property through 30 years of continuous possession — even in bad faith. Here's what British property owners need to know about prescription acquisitive, how it works, and how to protect yourself.
Everything British investors need to know about getting a French mortgage as a non-resident — from bank selection and HCSF rules to the offre de prêt process, costs, insurance, and tax deductibility.
Our first regional property guide compares Paris and the French Riviera for British investors — covering prices per square metre, rental yields, local tax differences, and which region suits your investment strategy.
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.