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Property Surveys

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Property Surveys in France

For the French it is not common to have surveys done when buying a house, and there is no separate profession of house surveying in France that is the equivalent to the role of the Chartered Surveyor in the U.K. If the French do want a survey on the property before they buy, they will usually either commission a registered builder to prepare a report on the condition of the property, a maitre d'oeuvre (building project manager) or sometimes an Expert Immoblier. (Not to be confused with the agent immoblier or estate agent).

We have produced many property survey reports for prospective buyers (home buyers reports) as well as structural surveys (building survey) for current owners who want to know the condition of their property. The report produced by our company can be extremely beneficial to the client or prospective purchaser. Over the years we have been highly recommended to carry out this service by various local estate agents, clients and individuals who require our expert and valuable experience in this field.

Surveys to be arranged by the vendor of a house (the DDT)

Property buyers in France benefit from a number of obligatory surveys that the seller is required to have carried out. 
Certain aspects related to a French property for sale are already covered in a survey in the Notaire's report entitled "Dossier de Diagnostic Technique" (DDT), which is arranged and paid for by the vendor. The French law obliges it.
Mind that these are absolutely no "home buyers reports"" "full structural surveys".
The DDT includes only:

Asbestos	Report on the presence or otherwise, of products or materials containing asbestos, called amiante. This rule only applies to properties granted planning permission earlier than 1st July 1997. Period of the validity of the report: not regulated.
Lead	Report on the presence of paintwork that contains lead, in a report called the constat de risque d'exposition au plomb - CREP. This survey requirement applies to all properties built before 1949. If lead is not found to be present, or to be so low as to not be a risk to health, then no further survey is necessary on a subsequent sale of the property.  Period of validity of the report: one year.
Termites	Report on the presence of termites termites and other similar destructive pests in the property. The survey is called the etat des risques parasitaires. It is only required within designated areas of the country. The local mairie will advise you whether the property is located in one of these areas. If termites are found, then the owner is obliged to inform the mairie.Validity of the report: 6 month. Note: woodworm is not inspected.
Energy Efficiency	Report on the energy performance of the property is required to give the future owner some idea of the likely level of energy consumption and heating costs.  The report is called the Diagnostic de Performance Energétique - DPE. The report must be carried out prior to advertising of the property and must be shown in the property advert. Provided it was carried out prior to advertising of the property, and shown in the advert, the report has only information value. If not, it is possible the report could be used by the buyer as a reason to withdraw from the contract or seek a lower price. The law on this point is currently untested. The report will grade the level of energy efficiency using the European standard energy efficiency rating scale - A (economical) to G (high consumption) - in terms of the annual level of consumption of energy and greenhouse gas emissions. Validity of the report: 10 years.
Natural or Industrial Risks	Report on any natural or industrial risks, called risques naturels ou technologiques, to which the property may be prone, together with a declaration by the seller on any previous insurance claim(s) on the property relating to a natural disaster.  The report is required in areas where there is a risk prevention plan (un plan de prévention des risques naturels) in place, or in those areas classified as at risk of seismic movement.  At the moment this concerns about one third of the communes in France but, ultimately, it is envisaged that the whole country will be covered by this requirement. The report specifies whether or not a property is located in a flood zone, an area prone to earthquakes, major storms, avalanches, subject to ground movement, near a dangerous factory, or in proximity to major lorry routes where dangerous materials are being transported.  Validity of the report: six months, and must be updated if there has been a change in the designation of the area.  Basic responsibility for providing the risk report lies with the préfecture + local mairie.  They will provide the seller with a standard form, called état des risques. The seller must also state separately whether they have previously received compensation from their insurer on a claim resulting from a natural or ‘technological’ disaster on the property, e.g. claim for subsidence, flooding, or storm damage.  Where the risk report is not provided a buyer has the right to seek recourse in the courts for cancellation of the sale contract, or a reduction in the sale price.
Gas Installations	Report on a natural gas installation called installations de gaz in the property. It applies to those propertIes where the gas installation has been installed for at least fifteen years.  Period of validity of the report is three years.
Electrical Wiring	Report on the condition of the electricity supply in the property, where the wiring is over 15 years old. Period of validity of the report: 3 years.  No survey is necessary where a certificat de conformité can be produced as evidence that the property complies with the regulations, provided the certificate is less than three years old.
Septic Tank	Report on the condition of a septic tank, for those properties which do not have mains drainage. All mairies must set in place an inspection of all septic tanks in their area, and require owners to bring them up to standard by 2013 if they do not comply. The survey needs to be arranged by the seller, and at their cost.  The survey report must also have been carried out no later than three years prior to signature of the deed of sale. The law also states that if the septic tank is found not to conform, then the new owner must bring it up to standard (or at least commence works to bring it up to standard) within one year.  It is highly unlikely that this is a clause that will be enforced with any rigour (if only due to lack of resources to monitor systems), but it does need to be borne in mind by the purchaser.

French law distinguishes two different categories of defects that the vendor may or may not be held liable for after the sale of the property. If the vendor has deliberately covered over or attempted to conceal, for instance, a serious structural defect, he would probably have a case to answer.
In the case of a defect that the vendor has not attempted to conceal, and that would most likely have been detected by a survey, had one been carried out, the French courts would be likely to be much less sympathetic to any claim by the buyer. While that is all very well in theory, the reality is that litigation is beyond the pockets of most, and hopefully best avoided by having a professional appraisal of the condition of the property carried out before buying.

Surveys in France for the buyer

It is not common for the French to have surveys done when buying a house, and there is no separate profession of house surveying in France that is the equivalent to the role of the Chartered Surveyor in the U.K.
If you are hoping to sign the preliminary contract on the basis of a 'subject to survey' clause it is unlikely that either the seller or notaire will accept it. So, if you want a survey undertaken, then best to organise it prior to signing the sale and purchase agreement.

Whether carried out by a French or foreign surveyor, one of the regretable features of many professional building survey reports is the extent to which many seek to limit the liability of the surveyor. Thus, you may need to read the small print to discover those matters that the surveyor is not prepared to warrant, either because they have not been able to obtain access, or because of the need for additional testing or survey work to be carried out.

A good survey is the best way of minimising risks attached to buying a property abroad, and can be used in price negotiations. It is also useful in giving you an idea of renovation costs and conversion options.

What we can do for you

HomeBuyer Report
Suitable for conventional properties in reasonable condition, and built within the last 100 years. Written in a standard format.Rates the condition of all permanent structures included in the property, e.g. garages etc. It highlights important problems that could affect the property’s value. It is worth remembering that if you employ the surveyor directly, you will own the details of the survey and you can negotiate accordingly. We will be happy to discuss the results of this report and you will find post-sales communication easy.
Note: It does NOT give an opinion about energy efficiency since you will find this already in the DDT. It does NOT include a valuation.

Structural Survey
Also known as a Full Structural Survey or Building Survey. It provides a detailed report on the property’s construction and condition. Goes into further detail than the HomeBuyer Report and can be adapted to suit your requirements. There is no standard format. It can be applied to any age of property but is particularly helpful for dilapidated properties and those that have been extensively altered. Useful if you plan to renovate or convert the property. Includes advice for future maintenance. It does not include a valuation.

It is the most comprehensive type of survey. It is suitable for any building, but is especially recommended for older buildings (75 years and upwards); those constructed out of unconventional materials such as timber or thatch; and properties which have had lots of alterations or extensions, or which you intend to alter or renovate.
The surveyor will check the property thoroughly, looking at everything that is visible or easily accessible to examine the soundness of the structure, its general condition and all major or minor faults.
More specialist surveys can also be carried out on aspects such as foundations, damp proofing, or tree root. The report you receive will be extremely thorough and very long. Don't necessarily be put off if it seems that endless defects are listed - every house has some defects and surveyors tend to show the worst-case scenario for anything they discover. You will be provided with a list of prices for repairs and maintenance work.
A full structural survey normally takes much longer than the one or two hours required for the homebuyer's report. The survey report can also take a long time to produce, so this is a much lengthier process than for a homebuyer's report. You will probably have to wait up to two weeks after the inspection for the report, for which there is no standardised reporting format.

Condition Report
This is a simplified version of the Homebuyer Report. The Condition Report does not include a valuation or advice on future repairs and maintenance. The Condition Report can be commissioned by vendors, prior to putting their property on the market, to prevent unforeseen issues cropping up.

 

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