There are a number of surveys - both compulsory and advisable - to be done before selling a house in France. It is generally the responsibility of the seller to arrange and pay for them. Their objective is to inform the buyer of the general condition of the building. These are not "full structural surveys" as required in other countries (such as the UK and Ireland), rather they are focused on health, safety, and the property's effect on the environment.

The recommended and required surveys are as follows:

Energy Performance (Diagnostic Performance Energétique, DPE)

Compulsory for all house sales, with the objective of giving the buyer (and seller) information regarding the insulation and other factors which affect the heating bills and emissions of greenhouse gases. The report also includes recommendations on how to improve the building to reduce these. The report is valid for 10 years.

Note: If a property is rented out (even just for a few weeks in the summer) a short version of this report is required by law.

Asbestos (Amiante)

Compulsory for all houses which had planning permission prior to 1 July 1997. The report will list any products which contain or risk containing asbestos and will provide general advice regarding security measures. The report is valid for "life" unless subsequent work is carried out on the property.

Lead (Plomb)

Compulsory for houses built prior to 1 January 1949. It does not cover lead piping, purely paintwork. It identifies if lead is present (we use a machine with a radioactive source to detect it). The report is valid for "life" if nothing is identified, 1 year if positive.

Termites/fungal and Insect (larvae) related damage (Termites/Etat Parasitaire)

A notaire  will advise or instruct the seller to have this report done depending on where the property is located and its age. The report primarily covers wood related problems. The section on termites is only obligatory in a few restricted areas, however completing the Etat Parasitaire section is strongly recommended for buildings over 25 years old. The report is valid for 6 months only.

Note: The general rule of "let the buyer beware" does not typically apply in France. If a person sells a property which has, for example, woodwork problems (whether they are aware of it or not), the buyer may subsequently claim against them if this information was not made available at the time of sale.

Certificate of Surface Area (Loi Carrez)

Not required for individual houses, but if when selling a flat in a "shared" property (Copropriété) this certificate is required. It is permanent unless subsequent work is carried out.

Gas (Gaz)

Compulsory for gas installations which are over 15 years old, this is a survey to identify any safety issues and specifies the severity (in the worst case the Diagnostiqueur will cut off the gas or a specific appliance). The report is valid for 1 year.

Private Foul Water Drainage (Assainissement Non Collectif)

This include septic tank drainage. It is not currently obligatory but is expected to be from around 2012 (a notaire can advise). However, it is very strongly recommended for properties with an old installation. It identifies if an installation "conforms" to present regulations and functions correctly.

Electricity (Electricité)

Not currently obligatory, it is expected to become so from January 2009 for all installations over 15 years old. It will purely cover safety aspects of the installation (trip switches, earth cabling and so on).

Natural risks (Etat des Risques Naturels et Technologiques, ERNT)

A notaire  can advise if a property is identified to be in an area which risks to be flooded, subject to land slips and other natural dangers. If it is, the seller is obliged have a report included with the house sale stating this. It is not a survey, it is to advise the buyer of the risks in the area. It will not therefore state if a property has problems or not. This is principally an administrative report, the provider is not required to be specifically qualified to produce it.

 Structural Survey (Diagnostic Bâtiment)

Not normally obligatory and infrequently requested in France, however a non-French buyer may wish to have one done (typically at the buyer's cost). This would need to be done by an architect or other appropriately qualified person

Note: "Diagnostiqueurs" are not qualified to do this.

The Diagnostic Immobilier

Advice is available from an estate agent or notaire  who should be able to name a Diagnostic Immobilier in the area able to carry out the reports. A Diagnostic Immobilier is required by to be qualified in the five (soon to be six including Electricity) main areas of Diagnostics in which they practices and will have a certificate to prove they have passed the required theoretical and practical examinations in France.

Related Information

AngloINFO INFOrmation Pages:

• Buying a House or Property in France
• Selling Property in France
• Building in France: French Planning, Forms & Permits

Prepared by: Nicholas Hayes, Diagnostic Immobilier (Certificat No. CDP IMM01004)
Tel: 06 88 80 96 08 / Fax: 0826 381 204 / e-mail
Copyright © Nicholas Hayes 2008 All Rights Reserved

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