Buying, step by step
Planning and legal checks before you buy.
A house is also a plot of land with rules. Here are the checks that avoid bad surprises, especially in the countryside.
Contents
The notaire checks the legal situation of the property before the deed. But some points are better known before you make an offer, especially if you plan works, an extension or a pool.
The local plan
Each commune has planning rules, usually a local plan (PLU), which says what can be built and where. If you plan an extension, a new building or a change of use, ask the town hall, or the notaire, for a planning certificate (certificat d'urbanisme) before committing.
Works done without permission
Ask for the permits of past works: an extension, a converted barn, a veranda. Works done without the required permission can cause problems when you sell or insure. The notaire checks the permits mentioned, but only those he is told about.
Easements and boundaries
An easement (servitude) can give a neighbour a right of way across your land, or limit what you can build. They are listed in the title deeds. If the boundaries are unclear, a land surveyor (géomètre-expert) can mark them.
Pre-emption rights
In many communes, the town has a right of first refusal on sales: the notaire informs it, and it has two months to answer. For agricultural land and vines, the SAFER may have such a right. In practice, most sales go through, but the delay must be planned.
Protected areas and pools
Near a historic monument, exterior works need the approval of the Architectes des Bâtiments de France. An in-ground pool must have a safety device by law, and building one usually needs a declaration at the town hall. I check these points with my buyers before the offer. I work in English and French every day. I also speak Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi fluently, Persian (Farsi) very well, and good Greek and Arabic.
Frequently asked questions
What is a certificat d'urbanisme?
A document from the town hall stating the planning rules for a plot, and whether a project is feasible.
Can the town hall stop my purchase?
In many communes, it has a right of first refusal and two months to use it. It rarely does for an ordinary house.
What is the SAFER?
The rural land agency, which may have a right of first refusal on agricultural land and vines.
Does the notaire check everything?
The notaire checks the legal situation, but not the physical condition, and only the works he is told about.