23 August 2026

Buying an Apartment in France

Why You Should Also Look Into the Copropriété

The apartment seems perfect. A good terrace, beautiful views, the right location, and even the monthly charges seem reasonable.

But then the minutes of the copropriété reveal that a renovation of the façade has been under discussion for some time. Or replacement of the lift. Or works to the roof.

Suddenly, the purchase is no longer just about the apartment.

Because anyone who buys an apartment in France also buys a share in the building. And with that, the buyer not only gains access to the entrance hall, the lift and perhaps the swimming pool, but also has to deal with the financial situation, the rules and the future plans of the copropriété. That is why it is wise to look beyond your own front door before signing the compromis de vente.

What is a copropriété?

A French copropriété is a system of co-ownership in which a building is divided into one or more lots.  Such a lot generally consists of a private part – for example the apartment – and a share in the common parts of the building.  A cellar, parking space or garage may also constitute separate lots.

Each lot has shares in the common parts attached to it, expressed in tantièmes. These play a role, among other things, in the allocation of certain costs and in voting within the copropriété. Anyone buying an apartment therefore buys more than the square metres visible during the viewing. The buyer becomes part of a building in which decisions are made collectively. Low charges do not tell the whole story One of the first questions about an apartment is often:

“How high are the charges?”

A logical question. But a low amount of annual charges does not automatically mean that the copropriété is financially attractive. A building may have relatively low annual running costs while at the same time facing major works. Think of renovation of the façade, replacement of the roof, work on the pipes or a major renovation of the lift.  An apartment with €180 per month in charges may therefore ultimately prove more expensive than an apartment with higher monthly charges in a very well-maintained building.

The more interesting question is therefore:

What is the copropriété likely to face in the coming years?

The fonds de travaux does not necessarily cover major works

French copropriétés are in principle required to build up a fonds de travaux. But this does not mean that sufficient money is available to pay for major future renovations entirely from that fund.

The ordinary budget prévisionnel of a copropriété is primarily intended for the running costs, management and regular maintenance of the building. Major, one-off works generally fall outside this budget. If, for example, it is decided to renovate the façade, the general meeting will vote not only on the works themselves, but also on their financing and on the dates on which the owners must pay. One or more separate appels de fonds may then follow. And these can be substantial.

A copropriété may therefore be well managed financially and have relatively low monthly charges, while an owner may nevertheless be faced with a bill of thousands or even tens of thousands of euros for major works. It is therefore important not to assume automatically:

“Surely money will have been set aside for that?” That is not necessarily the case.  

Read the minutes – and read between the lines

Some of the most interesting documents when purchasing an apartment are the procès-verbaux des assemblées générales: the minutes of the general meetings of the copropriété. In a sale, the minutes of the most recent general meetings are among the documents made available to the buyer.  And they can be surprisingly informative. Has a leaking roof been discussed for years? Has a façade renovation been postponed? Are there problems with the lift? Is there a dispute about the swimming pool? Are there copropriétaires with payment arrears? Is there an ongoing legal dispute? Do not look only at works that have already been formally approved. If a renovation has appeared on the agenda at three consecutive meetings but has been postponed each time, that may be just as relevant to a potential buyer.  After completion of the purchase, the new owner will be the one voting when the proposal comes before the meeting again.

Who pays for works that have already been approved?

This is an issue that regularly causes confusion when an apartment is sold. Suppose the copropriété decided before the sale that the façade would be renovated. The works only begin after the new owner has received the keys.  Who pays?

The answer is not simply: the person who owned the apartment when the works were approved.  In relation to the syndic, the determining factor is, in principle, who owns the property at the time a particular appel de fonds becomes due.  A payment call that becomes due before the transfer of ownership is, in principle, payable by the seller. If the payment call becomes due afterwards, it may be payable by the new owner.

Buyer and seller can agree on a different allocation between themselves and record this in the agreement. Such an agreement between the parties does not, however, automatically change the person from whom the syndic is entitled to demand payment.

That is precisely why it is advisable, before purchasing, to check which works have already been approved, which appels de fonds have already been issued and which may still follow.

And what about works that are only being discussed?

This may be even more interesting.  A proposed façade renovation costing several hundred thousand euros that has not yet been formally approved does not yet constitute a specific payment obligation. But if three consecutive meetings show that the façade urgently needs to be renovated, that is of course relevant information for a buyer.  After the transfer, the buyer will be a co-owner when the works and their financing are eventually put to a vote. That is precisely why looking only at the current charges is not enough.

The règlement de copropriété: what are you actually allowed to do?

Another important document is the règlement de copropriété. Among other things, it sets out which parts are private and which are common, how certain costs are allocated and which rules apply to the use of the building. This can become very practical.

Can air conditioning be installed on the façade? Can two apartments be joined together? Can a window be enlarged? Can a wall be removed? Can a room be used for a different purpose? As soon as works affect the common parts or the external appearance of the building, permission from the copropriété may be required.
A terrace also deserves attention. The fact that a terrace is accessible only from one apartment does not automatically mean that it is entirely privately owned. It may, for example, be a common part over which the owner of the apartment has an exclusive right of use.

During a viewing, that difference is not always visible. On paper, it is.

Also look at the financial health of the building

In addition to the minutes and the règlement de copropriété, the financial information is therefore also important. How much has been paid in charges? Are there payment arrears within the copropriété? Are there debts owed to suppliers? How much money is actually held in the fonds de travaux? Which major works have recently been carried out? And which are expected in the coming years?  The fiche synthétique and the carnet d'entretien can also provide relevant information about the financial and technical condition of the building.

An attractive apartment in a poorly managed copropriété may ultimately be a very different purchase from the same apartment in a financially healthy and well-maintained building.

Look beyond the apartment

During a first viewing, attention naturally focuses on the apartment itself.  The location. The light. The view. The terrace. The layout. But before purchasing, the perspective needs to become broader.

What condition is the building in? Which works are likely to be required? What has been discussed at the most recent meetings? How much money is actually held in the fonds de travaux? And which rules apply to what the buyer intends to do with the apartment later?

Because when the acte authentique is signed, it is not only an apartment that is being purchased. The buyer also becomes a copropriétaire.

And that is precisely why the copropriété deserves at least as much attention as the apartment itself before signing the compromis de vente.