Housing and property · Property purchase · Carrez shortfall
Carrez floor-area errors in France: price reductions
For a qualifying French condominium lot, private floor area more than one twentieth below the area stated in the deed allows a request for a proportional price reduction. The action must be brought within one year of the authentic deed. Absent mention follows a separate route. Check scope, exclusions and measurement: advertised or habitable area does not replace the statutory private floor area.
- Official texts cited
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General legal information with official references and dated checks. It is not personalised advice: for a decision that commits you, have your situation checked by a qualified professional.
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Does a house outside condominium ownership automatically fall under Carrez?
No. Check the sale and lot’s legal status before relying on this remedy.
Read the referencesYour deed and measurement disagree: let’s check the lot, shortfall and appropriate remedy.
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Is a five-percent difference enough for Carrez reduction?
No: the statute requires a shortfall of more than one twentieth. If the deed states 100 m² and statutory measurement gives 95 m², the difference is exactly five percent, not more. Check precise figures and the lot’s scope before applying the threshold.
Related step: Housing and property
What does the governing text say about carrez shortfall?
Si la superficie est inférieure de plus d'un vingtième à celle exprimée dans l'acte, le vendeur, à la demande de l'acquéreur, supporte une diminution du prix proportionnelle à la moindre mesure.
L'action en diminution du prix doit être intentée par l'acquéreur dans un délai d'un an à compter de l'acte authentique constatant la réalisation de la vente, à peine de déchéance.
In plain English: Threshold, measurement and time limit govern a specific remedy; arithmetic certifies neither area nor a debt.
Which area should be compared with the deed?
Compare statutory private floor area after measurement exclusions. Walls, partitions, stairs, ducts and openings are among the deductions; parts below 1.80 m height are excluded. Do not mix habitable area, gardens, advertising and certificate measurements.
Related step: Property diagnostics for a sale in France: which ones for your home, and how long they stay valid
Which lots and ancillary spaces need particular checks?
Cellars, garages, parking and certain small lots are excluded. The decree uses less than eight square metres for small lots. Combined or converted lots may require specific analysis: the tool does not classify an area from its label.
Related step: Hidden defect in a French house or flat: the buyer’s deadline, remedies and evidence
Loi du 10 juillet 1965, article 46Décret du 17 mars 1967, article 4-2
How should the Carrez checks be separated?
| Check | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Scope | Lot and exclusions |
| Measurement | Deed private area and certificate |
| Shortfall | Strictly more than one twentieth |
| Action | Separate remedy and starting event |
Loi du 10 juillet 1965, article 46Décret du 17 mars 1967, article 4-1Décret du 17 mars 1967, article 4-2
Which price proportion and records need checking?
Fictional example: 10 of 100 m² at €250,000 gives a €25,000 proportion, subject to the legal framework.
Fictional example · Your preparation worksheet
The entered figures exceed strictly one twentieth. The illustration certifies neither measurement, statutory scope nor payment entitlement.
| Item to check | Value or document |
|---|---|
| Entered area shortfall | 10 m² |
| Illustrative proportional reduction | €25000.00 if the remedy’s conditions are established |
| Anniversary marker for the price-reduction action | 2027-09-15; verify the procedural deadline |
Read the preliminary agreement, authentic deed and measurement certificate, retaining their versions.
Have private floor area checked under statutory exclusions, then the price used in the calculation.
Have the action and deadline examined; a demand letter does not automatically preserve the period.
The calculation illustrates the proportion even below the threshold without establishing a right. Dates are markers, not admissibility certification.
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How is proportional reduction distinguished from other remedies?
The illustration divides missing area by the deed’s stated area and applies that fraction to the entered price. A €250,000 price for stated 100 m² with measured 90 m² gives an illustrative €25,000. That arithmetic is neither an expert opinion nor seller agreement.
Related step: French property sale agreements compared
How do absent area and insufficient measurement differ?
Absent mention has a separate nullity route, with one month from the authentic deed. The shortfall reduction action has one year from that deed. An area stated in the authentic deed also changes an earlier absent-mention claim. Do not assume a letter preserves those periods.
What else should you know about carrez shortfall?
Does a house outside condominium ownership automatically fall under Carrez?
No. Check the sale and lot’s legal status before relying on this remedy.
Can the buyer establish the definitive legal measurement alone?
The tool does not measure the home. Measurement checked against the exclusions is needed to discuss a shortfall.
Does greater actual area require an additional seller payment?
Article 46 provides that excess area produces no additional price.
Does a registered letter replace the reduction action?
No. Check how to bring the action within the period rather than treating a complaint as automatic protection.
Which sources explain carrez shortfall?
- Loi du 10 juillet 1965, article 46Légifrance / DILA
- Décret du 17 mars 1967, article 4-1Légifrance / DILA
- Décret du 17 mars 1967, article 4-2Légifrance / DILA
- Diagnostics immobiliers à fournir en cas de venteService Public / DILA
Texts cited last checked: 20 October 2026