Glossary of French Property Terms
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
abonnement - standing charge
acompte - deposit, sum paid in advance
acte authentique - legal paper drawn up by a public officer empowered by law
acte sous seing privé - private agreement in writing with no witnesses
acte de vente - a conveyance or transfer of land
accueil - reception
acquéreur - purchaser
acquérir - to buy
affaire - bargain
agence - agency
agence immobilière - estate agent
agent immobilier - real estate agent
agios - bank charges after an overdraft
alimentation - supply (water, electricity etc.)
aménager - to convert
aménagé - converted
ancien - old
à rénover - to renovate
à restaurer - to restore
arrondissement - administrative district of Paris
artisan carreleur - tiling expert
artisan maçon - builder
ascenseur - lift
assurance décès - life insurance
assurance décès, invalidité, incapacité - covers death, invalidity, incapacity
atelier - workshop
attenant - contiguous
attestation d'acquisition - certificate that the property purchase was completed
attestation de propriété - proof of ownership of a property
attribution de juridiction - formal signing of a purchase contract
autorisation de prélèvement automatique - direct debit
B
bail - lease to tenant
bailleur - landlord
balcon - balcony
banque de consignation - the bank where the notaire places the deposits
bâtiment - building
béton - concrete
bilan (de santé immobilier) - survey (house)
boiserie - woodwork
bon état - good condition
"bon pour achat" - following signature of contract ("good for acquisition")
bord de mer - by the sea
bord de rivière - by the river
C
cadastre - local town planning register recording details of land-holdings
campagne - country
carrelage - ceramic tiles
carte professionnelle - granted to estate agents to carry out business
carte d'identité - identity card
caution - security deposit/guarantee
cave - cellar
cellier - store for wine and food
centre commercial - shopping centre
centre des impôts - tax office
certificat d'urbanisme - zoning certificate (equivalent to a local authority search)
cession - transfer of ownership or rights
chai - wine cellar
chambre - bedroom
charges comprises - service charges included
charpentier - carpenter
chartreuse - chartreuse or charterhouse (former religious building)
château - castle
chantier - building site
chaudière - water heater
chauffage - heating
chauffage collectif - communal or shared heating
chauffe-eau - hot water tank
chaumière - thatched cottage
chaux - lime
chèque - cheque
cheminée - chimney
chêne - oak
clause particulière - special condition
clause pénale - penalty clause governing performance of an agreement
clause suspensive - conditional clause needed for the sale to reach completion
climatisation - air conditioning
cloison - partition
clôture - fence
colombage - half timbering
colombier - dovecote / pigeon house
comble - attic
commission comprise (C/C) - agency commission included
commission non comprise - agency commission not included
communauté - joint estate of a husband and wife
compromis de vente - contract for sale and purchase of land
comptant - cash purchase
compte séquestre - deposit in an escrow account pending certain conditions
compteur - meter for water, gas, electricity
conditions particulières - special conditions
conditions suspensives - conditional terms stated in the pre-sale agreement
conseiller fiscal - tax advisor
conservation des hypothèques - mortgage / land registry
constat d'huissier - factual statement by a bailiff which is irrefutable in court
constructible - land which is designated for building under local planning scheme
construire - to construct
contrat de réservation - the purchase contract used for purchase "on plan"
contrat préliminaire - preliminary contract (see contrat de réservation)
convention - agreement
copropriété - co-ownership
cour - courtyard or yard
couvert - covered
couloir - corridor
crédit immobilier - mortgage
crépi - rendering
cuisine - kitchen
cuisine équipée - fitted kitchen
cuisine meublée - fully equipped kitchen
D
dallage - paving
dalle - flag stone
date de livraison prévue - expected date of completion
débarras - box room
décennale - 10 year warranty provided by artisan
délabré - dilapidated
déménagement - moving house
demeure - building, prestigious property
dépendance - outbuilding
dépôt de garantie - deposit paid when renting or buying a property
devis - bill estimate
disjoncteur - electric trip switch
droit de passage - right of way
droit de préemption - pre-emptive right to acquire the property instead of purchaser
droit de succession / donation - inheritance / gift tax
droits d'enregistrement - stamp duty paid by the purchaser
E
éclairage - lighting
écurie - stable
emoluments - the scale of charges of the notaire
encadrement - framing
enregistrement (droits d') - registration of the title of ownership
ensoleillement - in sunshine
entretien - maintenance
équipé - equipped
escalier - stair
espace - space
étage - storey
état des lieux - inventory of fixtures (and conditions) in beginning or end of a lease
évier - kitchen sink
expert comptable - chartered accountant
expert foncier - professional to check on the state and value of the property
F
fer - iron
ferme - farm
finitions - finishings
FNAIM - national association of estate agents
fonds de roulement - capital supplied by flat-owners to meet unexpected liabilities
fôret - drill bit
fosse septique - septic tank
foyer – fireplace
frais de notaire - total to be paid to the notaire on top of the sale price
G
géomètre - surveyor appointed by the notaire to certify the dimensions of the property
gouttière - gutter
grange - barn
grenier - attic
H
haie - hedge
hors taxe (HT) - not including sales tax
huissier - bailiff or process server used to record evidence during legal proceedings
hypothèque - mortgage - where the property is used as security for the loan
I
indivision - joint-ownership
inter horaire - time switch
interrupteur - switch
isolation - insulation
J
jardin - garden
jouissance - right of possession occurring with the transfer of ownership
K
L
lavabo - wash basin
lave-mains - hand basin
laverie - laundry
lingerie - washing room
location - rental
location - renting (tenancy)
logement - accommodation
loi scrivener - protects borrowers from lenders and sellers on property purchases
lotissement – housing estate
"lu et approuvé" - phrase accompanying signature of contract ("read and approved")
M
maçon - builder
mairie - town hall
maison de campagne - country house
maison de maitre - gentleman's house
mandat de recherche - agreement giving power to estate agent to look for property
manoir - manor house
marchand de biens - property dealer
mazout - heating oil (domestic use)
menuiserie - woodwork factory
meubles - furniture
moquette - carpet
monument historique - listed building
mur - wall
N
neuf - new
niveau - level
notaire - notary
O
occupation - occupant of the premises (either tenant or occupant without good title)
offre d'achat /de vente - offer to buy or sell property which is not a binding contract
P
paiment comptant - cash payment
papier peint - wallpaper
parquet - wood floor
parties communes - common parts of buildings
parties privatives - parts of the building restricted to the private use of the owner
peinture - paint
pelouse - lawn
permis de construire - planning permission
pièce - room
pierre - stone
pilier - pillar
piscine - swimming pool
placard - cabinet
plafond - ceiling
plain-pied - single storey
plâtre - plaster
plomberie - plumbing
plus-value - capital gain realised on the sale of the property
portail - garden gate
poutre - wooden beam
prélèvement - direct debit
prêt immobilier - mortgage
prieuré - priory
prise - electric socket
propriétaire - owner
propriété - property
Q
R
raccord - connection
radiateur soufflant - fan heater
rénové - renovation
réservation - the deposit paid in a contract de réservation
réservation, contrat de - contract for the purchase of property
résiliation - cancellation of a contract
restauré - renovated
S
SAFER - national agricultural land agency with pre-emptive rights to buy land
salle de bain - bathroom
salon - living room
securité sociale - French national health system
séjour - living room
sol - ground
sous-sol - underground / basement
T
TTC - toutes taxes comprise - including sales tax
TVA - taxe sur la valeur ajoutée - value added tax
tantiéme - common areas of a co-propriété owned with other apartment owners
tapis - carpet
taxe d'habitation - rate levied on the occupation of property
taxe fonciére - local tax on the ownership of property
terrain - grounds
testament - a will
toit - roof
tontine - joint ownership
tout a l'égout - main drainage system
U
V
verger - orchard
vestibule - entrance hall
vitre - glass
volet - shutter
W
X
Y
Z
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