Housing and property · Special tenancies · the 1948 regime
French 1948 tenancies: rent and occupancy rights
The French 1948 tenancy regime is not established merely by a building’s age. Its application depends on the dwelling and tenancy history, including any exit from the regime. Regulated rent uses corrected area and dwelling category. Continued-occupation rights protect qualifying good-faith occupants but are conditional; they are not perpetual rights inherited by every heir.
- Official texts cited
- Sources checked on
- Drafted with AI assistance, our method
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 the ordinary rent index apply automatically?
No. The regime uses its own base prices and increases governed by decree.
Read the referencesLet’s examine the 1948 tenancy documents before checking rent or continued occupation.
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What should the rent breakdown contain?
| Element | Check |
|---|---|
| Category | Documented dwelling classification |
| Corrected area | Adjustment breakdown |
| Price and increase | Decree applicable to that year |
Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 4Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 27Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 30
Does an old building establish the regime?
No. Find the original agreement, changes of occupant, amendments and exit documents. The statutory scope and tenancy history matter; applying the regime to every pre-1948 building would be wrong.
Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 1Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 4
What does the governing text say about the 1948 regime?
La valeur locative d'un local est égale au produit de la surface corrigée
In plain English: Continued occupation and rent follow the 1948 Act’s own rules; establish the regime before calculating.
How should corrected area be checked?
It applies adjustments for volume, light, location, condition and landlord-provided equipment. Obtain the detailed breakdown: multiplying ordinary floor area by an online price does not reproduce the statutory calculation.
Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 27Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 28
Which documents are missing from your tenancy review?
Choose rent, notice or death: each needs different checks.
Fictional example · Your preparation worksheet
Building age does not prove the regime. Reconstruct the tenancy, changes and any exit document.
- Starting document
- Original agreement and latest rent breakdown
- Find the original agreement, amendments, breakdowns and any regime-exit instrument.
- Request the corrected-area breakdown and dwelling category.
- Identify the annual decree before checking base price and permitted increase.
- Handle notice, continued occupation and any change of occupant separately.
No assumed annual tariff or rate: this worksheet does not automatically apply the ordinary rent index.
Which documents support the rent demanded?
You need the dwelling category, corrected area, base price and annual decree governing increases. No 2026 tariff is assumed here. Compare base rent, increases and charges separately.
Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 27Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 30Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 31
Does notice require immediate departure?
Continued occupation concerns good-faith occupants fulfilling their obligations. Notice marking the move into that status does not by itself require physical departure. Required wording and exceptions must be examined.
What happens when the tenant dies?
The tenancy terminates automatically, but article 5 preserves occupation for certain relatives. Spouses and civil partners are distinguished from ascendants, qualifying disabled persons and minor children until adulthood, subject to the statutory conditions, including more than one year of actual cohabitation for those latter groups.
What else should you know about the 1948 regime?
Does the ordinary rent index apply automatically?
No. The regime uses its own base prices and increases governed by decree.
Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 30Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 31
Is corrected area ordinary habitable floor area?
No. Adjustments and dwelling characteristics change the calculation.
Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 27Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 28
Does continued occupation remove the rent obligation?
No. It protects good-faith occupants who fulfil their obligations.
Do all adult children retain occupation rights?
No. Article 5 provides no general transmission to all heirs.
Which sources explain the 1948 regime?
- Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 1Légifrance / DILA
- Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 4Légifrance / DILA
- Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 5Légifrance / DILA
- Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 27Légifrance / DILA
- Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 28Légifrance / DILA
- Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 30Légifrance / DILA
- Loi n° 48-1360 du 1er septembre 1948, article 31Légifrance / DILA
Texts cited last checked: 19 October 2026