Letting Your French Property: The Long And Short Of It

Most owners of French property will have at least toyed with the idea of renting it out to make some extra income. Some will be letting their home out successfully by the week or fortnight during the peak summer months, with a few odd bookings scattered throughout the rest of the year. Others, having weighed up the pros and cons of entering the holiday market, may have decided they do not want the hassle of weekly changeovers and a succession of unknown holiday makers causing excessive wear and tear.

Frankly there are all shades of opinion on this and what is right for one owner will not necessarily be right for another. Whether an owner has regular, cast iron bookings from May to September each year, or whether they feel this is just not for them, there are almost certainly lengthy periods when the house sits empty and could be earning its keep.

If an owner decides that they do want a longer let, it’s important that they make an objective assessment of the property to find out if it’s up to scratch for a six-month winter booking. What is perfectly acceptable in the Dordogne in the middle of a balmy summer may take on a totally different complexion in the midst of a cold damp winter.

Let’s take a positive, but realistic, view of what will make a property suitable for long-term bookings, most likely in winter, as well as holiday bookings. We shall not concern ourselves here with the logistics of establishing the terms and conditions and drawing up a French Tenancy Agreement, as we covered this in a previous article (Living France 177 Property Special 2006). The following points are designed to give French property owners some food for thought and should give some guidance as to whether their property is suitable for a long let and, if not, some suggestions to ease the way.

Location

It is never easy to generalise about this as it’s very much a case of horses for courses. There’s nothing you can do about it anyway; you cannot move your house 5km to the west just to make it easier to rent out. However, in broad terms, village properties, semi-rural or on the edge of a town are often the most popular.

Most long-term tenants are seeking a quieter, more relaxing lifestyle so city centre properties are, in general, not their thing. But for a younger person or couple, perhaps with a job move, this might be suitable. Wherever your house is, however, it is worth bearing in mind that a lively community in mid-summer can have a different atmosphere during the winter. Whether tenants are looking for tranquillity and seclusion or whether they want to be in the midst of a busy town, easy access to facilities such as supermarkets, restaurants, banks and medical facilities etc is always a plus point.

Size of property

The most popular properties for longer term rentals tend to have between two and four bedrooms with good living/dining/kitchen facilities. A larger property, say with six or more bedrooms, might be just the biscuit for a holiday booking with two families sharing, or a larger extended family group, but this could be a fairly rare size of party for a long let. However, the owner of a larger property should not discount the possibility of long lets; we have just let a six-bedroomed property to a family with an au pair and needing this size of accommodation. At the smaller end, one-bedroom properties are by no means unpopular. For a retired couple, who are on a budget and don’t plan to entertain visitors, this could be an attractive proposition.

Heating

This is vital to consider when deciding whether a property is suitable for long-term rentals. Whilst you may be able to leave all the doors and windows open all summer long, what will it be like once winter sets in? Do not expect a tenant to put up with inadequate heating. To make it as attractive a proposition as possible for a long let, it may be worth investing in an efficient modern boiler if the old one is on its way out and this should pay dividends in the long run. Open fires and wood burning stoves are attractive features; consider supplying perhaps a half load of logs for the tenant so this is not something they need to sort out when they first move in.

Peculiarities

Most houses have a few quirky characteristics which the owners put up with and put off fixing until a rainy Sunday in November. But whilst you as the owner might be willing to put up with them, they should be put right before letting to a tenant. You know the kind of thing – the loo cistern which only flushes at the third press of the lever; the old door in the kitchen which you stuff last week’s Sunday paper under to stop a draught; the boiler which needs a firm thump in one particular spot to stop an infuriating rattle or even a dripping tap in the bathroom. A bit of TLC and a few euros spent at the DIY store should make all the difference. No owner wants a letter or email from a tenant listing a dozen things that need fixing to bring the place up to scratch. A bit of forethought will make all the difference.

Basic or luxury

As with most things in life, the requirements expected by longer term tenants cover a wide spectrum but it would be fair to say that those looking for something basic are in the minority so good quality furnishings and equipment are a must. Again, owners should put themselves in the tenant’s shoes and see how adequate the facilities appear to be. For weekly summer bookings, a TV may not be included as holidaymakers are often out all day and perhaps eating and relaxing outside or at restaurants in the evenings. Your typical tenant taking perhaps four to six months in winter will not be doing this and a TV is essential. The same goes for telephone and internet connections as this is something a good number of tenants will be looking for. If the house is not connected already, an owner should be prepared to arrange this; it may even be possible to share installation costs with a tenant who needs this facility. Remember that a property with a phone line already connected will have an immediate advantage over one that does not.

The kitchen too must be well equipped – plenty of good crockery, a full range of cooking pans and utensils, a microwave oven, kettle, coffee-maker and toaster. A freezer as well as a fridge is a bonus and these, together with all other equipment, must be clean and in good working order.

So whether you use your French house for holiday lets in the summer, or just keep it for yourselves, friends and family, if you are thinking of making it available for long lets take a step back and see it from the tenant’s viewpoint. The house must be presented as a warm, comfortable and well-equipped home from home – somewhere you would be happy to spend six months or so through the winter.

French Locations www.french-locations.co.uk
Tel: 01275 856691
Email: steve@french-locations.co.uk