Housing and property · Tenant · 1975 Act sale offers
Occupied building sales in France: tenant first refusal
Tenant first refusal on a first division or whole-building sale differs from ordinary notice to sell. Articles 10 and 10-1 of the 1975 Act have different scopes and initial offers: two or four months depending on the procedure. Check sale, occupancy, dwelling count, lease-extension undertaking and notification before organising response, finance and completion.
- First division
- Qualifying block sale
- Acceptance
- 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.
Julie by AlphaDeep
Does every occupied-home sale give first refusal?
Your building is being sold whole or divided: let’s identify the procedure and offer received.
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Which sale falls under first division?
Article 10 covers qualifying first lot sales following division or subdivision for residential or mixed premises. The tenant or good-faith occupant’s offer lasts two months after receipt. Check whole-building, family and social-housing exclusions.
Related step: Housing and property
When does a whole-building sale trigger four months?
Article 10-1 concerns the entire building with more than five dwellings when the buyer does not give the statutory six-year lease-extension undertaking. Its initial offer lasts four months, subject to scope and exceptions.
Related step: French property sale agreements compared
What does the governing text say about 1975 act sale offers?
Cette notification vaut offre de vente au profit de son destinataire.
L'offre est valable pendant une durée de deux mois à compter de sa réception.
In plain English: Article 10 covers qualifying first lot sales following division or subdivision for residential or mixed premises. The tenant or good-faith occupant’s offer lasts two months after receipt. Check whole-building, family and social-housing exclusions.
What period follows acceptance?
Completion generally has two months from sending the response, increased to four if borrowing intention is stated in it. Do not count this period from initial receipt of the offer.
Related step: Selling a home in France: the calendar from the preliminary contract to the deed, step by step
Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10-1
How can receipt, response and completion be separated?
Fictional example: first-division offer received 1 October, initial marker 1 December, subject to valid notification.
Fictional example · Your preparation worksheet
Markers apply only if the selected provision’s scope and notification are established. Responding to an offer and completing the sale remain separate stages.
- Initial response, first division
- 2026-12-01, two-month marker
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
- Initial offer: two months
Check sale type, dwelling count, occupant status and exceptions.
For a block sale, locate the actual undertaking to extend leases for six years.
Keep received offer, sent response, borrowing intention and notarial documents.
Auction sales and family, social-housing or other exceptions need separate review. Declining an offer is not automatically notice to leave.
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Which documents belong together?
| Point | Check |
|---|---|
| First division | Initial two-month offer |
| Qualifying block sale | Initial four-month offer |
| Acceptance | Separate completion and borrowing |
Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10-1
What if the sale becomes more favourable?
A further statutory offer may need notification if price or conditions become more favourable. Its one-month period differs from the initial offer. Retain the new notice and compared terms.
Related step: Read a French urban-pre-emption decision
Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10-1
Which documents prevent procedural confusion?
Gather sale structure, division plan, leases, offer and receipt evidence, response, borrowing intention and required attachments. Auctions and partition sales have special provisions; do not automatically apply this negotiated-sale worksheet.
Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10-1
What else should you know about 1975 act sale offers?
Does every occupied-home sale give first refusal?
No. Sale type and statutory conditions must be established.
Vendre un logement mis en location : quelles sont les règles ?
Is the current threshold more than ten dwellings?
For the cited article 10-1, it is more than five.
Does declining require moving out?
Not from that refusal alone: a sale offer is not automatically notice to leave.
Vendre un logement mis en location : quelles sont les règles ?
Does the tool guarantee the offer is valid?
No. It organises markers after scope and notification checks.
Which sources explain 1975 act sale offers?
- Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10Légifrance / DILA
- Loi du 31 décembre 1975, article 10-1Légifrance / DILA
- Vendre un logement mis en location : quelles sont les règles ?Service Public / DILA
Texts cited last checked: 20 October 2026