My landlord will get paid his rent even if we decide not to pay. We rent our flat through an agency. The deal is with the agency. They will I am sure kick us out very quickly if we do not pay.
Agency !
1 Like
“Sadly, it is NOT easy to evict/eject/kick out or whatever… a tenant who knows how to “play the system”. Such a tenant can have the landlord over a barrel.”
I would suggest that anyone who insists it is easy, has either only ever had good tenants… or is misinformed.
1 Like
Hi Stella,
Did you use an agency and if not, was it due to cost or in your opinion, still not enough protection?
Cheers
Martin
Martin… this was told to me by a highly respected Advocat, about 2 years ago…
Our chat was nothing to do with my own tenant-troubles, which were finally solved about 5 years ago, although his words did make me feel better… not quite so stupid.
(We had not intended to become landlords and did not use an Agency… we were approached by neighbours and used a standard contract form.)
I did not quite get " the agency transferred the payments to another landlord" But I am afraid it’s much the same in the UK when tenants know the law and play the system. I have rented my house and was fairly lucky in that the rent came in and the house was fairly presentable, but I know other landlords who have to spend a lot of money in getting bad tenents out and finding the property trashed. Buyer and renter beware.
Brian BiggsMay '15
Firstly, hello to every body on the site. I currently live back in UK . I have owned a property in the southern tip of Centre, Cher 18 since 2004. Lived there for 3 years until work dried up. I put it on the market late 2012. Actrim were my estate agents.
Long story short a French pensioner couple said they wished to buy, signed the acte de vente. The notaire called me to ask if they could move a couple of items in before completion to which I agreed being the trusting guy I was, back in the day. When I went over to organise the expertise, found they had moved in more than a couple of items. Couple weeks down the line the notaire calls me to say their sale/chain had broken down and asked if they could rent my house. I said yes as they stipulated a sum I was agreeable with on condition they paid the fonciere and habitation impots too. All this through word of mouth via the notaire. They also emailed me insurance they took out.
They paid on time initially, for the first eleven months, then an email to say they could no longer afford to pay in December of last year, since then zilch. Have asked them to move now on three separate occasions which they are refusing to do ; despite having their own property in Dordoigne.
Perplexed, mystified and at the end of my patience, I want to sell and move on with my life is all. Question 1: When I get a huissier involved does it have to be one from the local area? 2: Do I go to the same notaire to start an action to evict and claim? 3: In what order do I do this please? DON’T EVEN DREAM OF RENTING YOUR PROPERTY IN FRANCE: YOU’LL BE MUGGED.
Brian
Hi Anna, the problem is not so much France its the EU laws on human rights. Here in Belgium and Italy its the same problem. Renting is a nightmare anywhere on mainland Europe.
The UK comes under the Human Rights laws too and yet they have short term assured tenancy contracts so I don’t think that’s relevant - it’s down to each state’s own property rental laws.
I was just getting to the point of thinking again of letting the house I’m having difficulty selling so thanks for the timely reminder of why it’s not a good idea, folks 
Just read this, hope you guys are not affected by anything similar …
It happens quite often to French landowners too. An Agency would select the right tenants and overall ask for “garants”, i.e. people who agree to pay the rents if the tenants do not. It can be their parents for example. An agency will get paid on a percentage of the rents actually paid so it works in your favor. Also, consider furnished renting.
I am a renter and because of the laws and the other frightful tenants owners leave their properties empty rather than rent them out. I pay by cash and always pay in advance, i have only once paid a deposit and after the lady kept our 300 euro after we had left, decided to not do that again.
The laws are all in favour of the tennant, they have gone totally the other way to England and in doing so, revenue that could be collected is not, properties are standing empty and unkempt and little old me struggles to find a nice quiet place to live.