Consumer and banking · Mortgage credit · accepting the offer
French mortgage offers: when can you accept?
A French mortgage offer can be accepted only after ten complete days following receipt: an offer received on 1 February can be accepted from 12 February. This reflection period is distinct from maintaining offered conditions for at least thirty days. Each borrower and individual guarantor should retain their own receipt evidence. The acceptance method must reliably establish its date.
- 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 receipt on the 1st allow acceptance on the 11th?
No. The official example gives the 12th, after ten complete days.
Read the referencesLet’s examine the offer dates to separate reflection, maintained terms and acceptance evidence.
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When is your earliest acceptance possible?
Receipt on 1 February gives 12 February, with a separate clock for a guarantor.
Fictional example · Your preparation worksheet
Distinguish ten complete reflection days from at least thirty days maintaining the offer. The contractual end date can be later.
- Earliest borrower acceptance
- 2026-02-12
- Thirty-day minimum-maintenance reference
- 2026-03-03, check against the offer
- Retain the complete offer and each recipient’s receipt evidence.
- Wait ten complete days after receipt; acceptance is possible from the eleventh following day.
- Check the written validity period and agreed acceptance method.
- Do not confuse this reflection period with property-purchase or consumer-credit withdrawal.
The thirty-day reference is not a universal last acceptance date. Separate receipt requires a separate calendar.
How are the ten reflection days counted?
Receipt day is excluded. Count ten complete calendar days from the following day: receipt on 1 February permits acceptance from 12 February. Do not substitute ten working days.
Code de la consommation, article L313-34Service Public : obtenir un crédit immobilier
Are the thirty days the same period?
No. The lender must maintain conditions for at least thirty days from receipt. This is minimum maintenance, not invariably the contractual acceptance deadline: the offer may allow longer.
Which clocks must be kept separate?
| Clock | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Ten complete days | Each borrower’s and guarantor’s reflection |
| At least thirty days | Lender’s maintenance of offered terms |
| Written validity | Any additional contractual period |
Do guarantors have their own period?
Individual guarantors cannot accept before their own ten-day reflection period. Different receipt dates produce different earliest acceptance dates. Retain evidence for each recipient.
What does the governing text say about accepting the offer?
L'emprunteur et les cautions ne peuvent accepter l'offre que dix jours après qu'ils l'ont reçue.
In plain English: L313-34 separates reflection from maintained conditions; L313-35 restricts the specified payments before acceptance.
Can acceptance be electronic?
A letter evidenced by postmark is provided for, but another agreed method is possible if it reliably establishes acceptance date. Check the stipulated process and retain evidence; an unexplained click is insufficient to assess the file.
Can funds be paid before acceptance?
L313-35 prohibits transaction-related payments between lender and borrower before acceptance and also regulates deposits and payment instruments. Distinguish this from any sums paid to the property seller under the sale.
What else should you know about accepting the offer?
Does receipt on the 1st allow acceptance on the 11th?
No. The official example gives the 12th, after ten complete days.
Are weekends included?
Yes, the reflection period presented uses calendar days.
Does the offer necessarily expire on day thirty?
No. Statutory maintenance is a minimum; read the written validity terms.
Is this property-sale withdrawal?
No. It concerns acceptance of the mortgage-credit offer.
Which sources explain accepting the offer?
- Code de la consommation, article L313-34Légifrance / DILA
- Code de la consommation, article L313-35Légifrance / DILA
- Service Public : obtenir un crédit immobilierService Public / DILA
Texts cited last checked: 19 October 2026