Questions & Answers for owners
Here are our answers to the questions we are asked most often.
The Vacantes concept
LesVacantes is a French platform specialising in medium-term rental (1 to 10 months) of furnished houses and apartments.
LesVacantes connects owners and tenants, sets up a clear contractual framework (lease, inventory of condition, payment terms) and provides a secure environment.
Two contractual frameworks are available depending on the tenant's situation: the civil lease for use as accommodation that is not the tenant's main residence and the bail mobilité (mobility lease). Their respective obligations are set out in the "Legal & tax framework" section.
LesVacantes acts as an intermediary: the lease is agreed directly between the owner and the tenant.
LesVacantes is designed for two types of owner.
Owners of an unoccupied furnished property, who want to:
• Make the most of a property that is rarely used
• Generate extra income without intensive holiday-let turnover
• Let their property within a stable, legally structured framework
• Keep full control of their calendar
Owners on the move, who let their own home while they are away: an assignment, expatriation, relocation or long training course. The bail mobilité lets them entrust their main residence to a tenant who is themselves on the move, then get it back on a fixed date — with no renewal, no automatic extension and no right for the tenant to stay on.
LesVacantes favours longer stays, with less turnover, less logistics and a calmer rental relationship.
Unlike short-term letting:
• No constant comings and goings
• No weekly management
• A clear fixed-term lease
Unlike a traditional agency:
• You stay in control
• You choose your tenant
• No restrictive management mandate
Letting your property
A furnished property (house or apartment), in good condition, functional and meeting the applicable decency standards. It must be ready to live in immediately.
Unoccupied property or main residence: both are possible, but the rental framework differs.
- Your unoccupied furnished property — a property you occupy only part of the year. It is let under a civil lease. If you wish, you can also open your listing to the bail mobilité in order to welcome tenants who are relocating for work or training.
- Your main residence, which you let during a long absence — an assignment, expatriation, relocation, a project abroad. In that case the property is let exclusively under a bail mobilité. This is not an option: it is the only framework LesVacantes offers in that situation.
Why this rule? Letting your own home to a tenant who keeps their home elsewhere matches the pattern of holiday letting — which LesVacantes does not do. The bail mobilité rules that reading out: article L. 631-7 of the French Building and Housing Code expressly classifies properties let under a bail mobilité as residential premises. No change of use, no tourist-accommodation declaration.
The 120-days-a-year cap does not apply here. It only concerns furnished tourist accommodation (article L. 324-1-1 of the French Tourism Code). Rentals arranged through LesVacantes are residential lettings.
If you let your main residence, two points remain for you to check: the effect of a long absence on capital-gains relief should you sell in the short term, and whether an occupancy clause applies under your mortgage or tax scheme (PTZ, subsidised loan, Pinel). Your co-ownership rules and local regulations also continue to apply.
It depends on the capacity in which you are letting. You state this when you register, and only the relevant documents are requested.
- Private individual — you are letting a property you own, in your own name. Proof of identity and proof of ownership (title deed, notarial deed or your latest property-tax notice): recommended, as they speed up validation of your account.
- Company or SCI — a Kbis extract less than three months old is required, in the name of the owning company, together with proof of the signatory's authority.
- Agent — a management mandate is required, signed by the owner of the property and expressly authorising you to let it and to sign the lease. If your activity falls under the French Hoguet Act, your professional licence number will also be requested.
Tax information. Your tax number, tax regime and, where applicable, VAT number are requested. These fields are optional at registration: you can publish your listing without filling them in. They must, however, be completed before your first rent payout. This is not an internal formality: platform operators are required to collect them under articles 1649 ter A et seq. of the French General Tax Code, which implement the EU "DAC 7" directive, and which require payouts to be suspended or the account closed if there is no response after reminders.
What is attached to the property rather than to you: the surveys (energy performance, lead, asbestos, etc.) and, where applicable, the registration number issued by the town hall. These are requested in the form for each listing.
Your documents are visible only to you and to authorised LesVacantes staff. Our checks are formal: they are neither a guarantee of authenticity nor a validation of your right to let, which remain your responsibility.
You are free to set your own available periods. The lease is agreed for a fixed term, with no automatic renewal.
Under a bail mobilité: the term is 1 to 10 months maximum, non-renewable and non-extendable. It can only be changed once, by amendment, provided the total term does not exceed 10 months (article 25-14 of the Act of 6 July 1989). This limit is a matter of public policy.
Under a civil lease (property that is not a main residence): the term is set freely by the parties. LesVacantes limits leases arranged through the platform to 12 months.
In both cases, any extension requires written agreement. Note: under a bail mobilité, signing a new lease for the same property automatically switches the letting to the ordinary furnished-tenancy regime (1 year, or 9 months for a student).
Of course! That is the very principle behind LesVacantes: you decide freely which periods are reserved for your family or your own stays, and which are open for letting.
Yes.
No letting is agreed without your express approval.
Yes. The lease has a fixed term with no automatic renewal. You get your property back on the agreed date, after a check-out inventory of condition carried out with the tenant.
Legal & tax framework
LesVacantes offers two types of lease. Which one applies depends first on the nature of your property, then on the tenant's situation.
How the lease is determined
- Property that is not a main residence → civil lease by default, with the option of also opening your listing to the bail mobilité.
- Main residence → bail mobilité only. The civil lease is not offered in that case (see "What kind of property can I offer?").
1. The civil lease, for use as accommodation that is not the tenant's main residence (articles 1713 et seq. of the French Civil Code)
- The property is not the tenant's main residence; they keep their usual home elsewhere.
- The tenant does not have to justify any particular reason.
- Fixed term, freely agreed, with no automatic renewal.
- Freedom of contract applies: the security deposit, charges and termination conditions are set out in the contract.
2. The bail mobilité (articles 25-12 to 25-18 of Act no. 89-462 of 6 July 1989, introduced by the ELAN Act)
- The property may be the tenant's main or secondary residence: it is the reason for the stay, not the use, that determines the classification.
- It is strictly reserved for tenants who can show, on the date the lease takes effect, one of the reasons exhaustively listed in law: vocational training, higher education, an apprenticeship contract, an internship, a civic service commitment, a work relocation or a temporary assignment as part of their professional activity.
- Term of 1 to 10 months, non-renewable and non-extendable.
- Its provisions are a matter of public policy: the parties cannot contract out of them.
An absence of more than ten months? The cap is assessed per tenant, not per property: the reclassification set out in article 25-14 only covers the case where the same parties sign a new lease for the same property. You can therefore run two successive bails mobilité with two different tenants.
Watch out: if the contract omits the words "bail mobilité", the term or the reason, the letting is automatically reclassified as an ordinary furnished tenancy (article 25-13). Conversely, if a tenant makes a property let under a civil lease their main residence, the letting may be reclassified under the protective regime of the Act of 6 July 1989.
The two leases do not carry the same obligations. As a reminder: a property that is not a main residence opens up both frameworks, whereas a main residence only allows the bail mobilité. The main differences:
| Civil lease (not a main residence) | Bail mobilité | |
|---|---|---|
| Use of the property | Property that is not the tenant’s main residence, exclusively | Main residence or not |
| Condition relating to the tenant | None | A work or training reason is required, evidenced when the lease takes effect |
| Term | Free, fixed term (12 months maximum on LesVacantes) | 1 to 10 months, non-renewable and non-extendable; one amendment only, within the 10-month limit |
| Security deposit | Free: amount and terms set in the contract (LesVacantes recommends one month’s rent) | Prohibited. No security deposit may be required (art. 25-17) |
| Guarantor / surety | Possible, freely | Possible (guarantor, Visale guarantee). In a house share, any joint-liability clause is deemed unwritten |
| Charges | Flat fee or provisional payments reconciled against actual consumption | Flat fee required, paid with the rent, with no top-up or later reconciliation (art. 25-18) |
| Rent | Free; not subject to the rent control applicable to main residences | Free at signature but cannot be reviewed during the lease; rent control applies in the municipalities concerned |
| Termination by the tenant | As set out in the contract | At any time, with one month’s notice (art. 25-15) |
| Termination by the owner | As set out in the contract | No right of early termination |
| End of the lease | Property returned on the agreed date | Property returned on the agreed date; a new lease on the same property switches to the ordinary furnished-tenancy regime |
In short: the bail mobilité offers strong certainty about the move-out date and requires no reason to be given for ending the lease, but it prohibits any security deposit and imposes a flat charges fee that cannot be reconciled. The civil lease allows far more freedom of contract, but assumes the property does not become the tenant’s main residence.
It depends on the lease used.
Civil lease (property that is not a main residence): in principle, no. This lease is not subject to the rent control that applies to main residences. The rent is set and, where applicable, reviewed freely in line with the contract.
Bail mobilité: the rent is set freely at signature but cannot be reviewed during the lease (article 25-16 of the Act of 6 July 1989). In municipalities that apply rent control, the reference rents also apply to the bail mobilité.
In both cases, the owner remains responsible for checking the applicable local rules (co-ownership, municipality, change of use where relevant).
It depends on the lease used.
Under a bail mobilité: no. The 10-month maximum is a matter of public policy. The lease cannot be extended beyond it, renewed or automatically continued. If the parties sign a new lease for the same property, it automatically falls under the ordinary furnished-tenancy regime (1 year, or 9 months for a student).
Under a civil lease the term is free, but LesVacantes limits leases arranged through the platform to 12 months. Beyond 8 months, you should make sure the situation does not create a risk of the property being reclassified as the tenant's main residence.
In some municipalities, specific obligations may apply.
The owner remains responsible for checking the local rules that apply to their property.
Yes, provided the co-ownership rules do not prohibit it.
The designated use of the building must be respected.
Income from furnished lettings generally falls under the BIC regime (non-professional furnished lessor, LMNP).
You may fall under:
• the micro-BIC regime (flat-rate allowance)
• the actual-expenses regime (deduction of costs and depreciation)
The owner remains solely responsible for their tax returns.
If in doubt, we recommend speaking to an accountant.
Yes, if you opt for the actual-expenses regime.
Works, loan interest and depreciation may be deductible depending on your situation.
Security and guarantees
Every tenant is checked and assessed. LesVacantes runs a selection process that includes reviewing the tenant’s plans, verifying supporting documents and exchanges beforehand.
The aim is to put reliable, respectful profiles in front of you.
It depends on the lease — this is one of the most important differences between the two formats.
Under a civil lease (not a main residence): yes, freely. A security deposit equal to one month’s rent may be asked of the tenant and set out in the lease, to protect the owner in the event of damage, breaches or excessive use of the included charges. It is paid when the keys are handed over, directly to the owner, by whatever means the parties agree (cheque, transfer or otherwise).
Under a bail mobilité: it is prohibited. No security deposit may be required from the tenant (article 25-17 of the Act of 6 July 1989). The contract must even include a statement expressly informing the tenant of this prohibition. Any clause to the contrary would have no effect.
The bail mobilité does, however, allow a surety: the owner may ask for a guarantor, or use the Visale guarantee. In a house share, any joint-liability clause between housemates or their guarantors is deemed unwritten.
In both cases, unpaid-rent cover can be taken out as an option with our insurance partner: it is not included in the LesVacantes service.
The contractual framework rests on:
• A signed lease
• Check-in and check-out inventories of condition
• A security deposit where it is permitted — that is, under a civil lease only, as the bail mobilité prohibits it
• Where applicable, a surety (guarantor or Visale guarantee), possible under both frameworks
Depending on the cover taken out as an option with our insurance partner, additional protection may apply under the terms of those policies. No insurance cover is included as standard in the LesVacantes service.
LesVacantes acts as an intermediary and does not stand in for the parties.
Unpaid-rent cover is not included in the LesVacantes service. It is offered as an option, at the time of subscription, through our insurance partner.
If you have taken it out, it operates in line with the terms of the insurance policy. On that basis, the partner may assess the tenant’s eligibility before the booking is confirmed.
If you have not taken it out, recovering unpaid rent is a matter between you and the tenant, under the signed lease. LesVacantes acts as an intermediary and does not stand in for the owner.
LesVacantes is registered with ORIAS under no. 26009435 as an Insurance Intermediary’s Agent (MIA) — see our legal notice.
Yes. Insuring the property and its letting is the owner’s responsibility.
Before publishing your listing, check with your insurer that your policy does cover letting your furnished property — this is not automatic, and most standard policies exclude it.
If it does not, you can take out dedicated cover (non-occupying owner policy plus options) with our insurance partner, without leaving the platform. This is optional and entirely the owner’s decision.
LesVacantes is registered with ORIAS under no. 26009435 as an Insurance Intermediary’s Agent (MIA) — see our legal notice.
As the lease is for a fixed term, the property is due back on a set date, whichever format is used.
Under a civil lease, staying on without a right to do so is dealt with under the ordinary procedures applicable to civil leases.
Under a bail mobilité, the tenant loses any right of occupation when the lease or the notice period expires (article 25-15 of the Act of 6 July 1989). As the lease is neither renewable nor extendable, no right to remain can arise from it.
LesVacantes does not stand in for the owner in legal proceedings. Legal-expenses cover can be taken out as an option with our insurance partner, usually alongside unpaid-rent cover; it is not included in the LesVacantes service.
Payment & service fees
Yes.
You set your rent freely.
LesVacantes can advise you based on the market and the length of stay, without imposing anything.
Rent is paid monthly according to the schedule in the lease.
The exact payout terms (timetable, technical processing times, any escrow account) are set out in the applicable terms of sale.
How charges are handled is agreed upfront in the lease, between the owner and the tenant — within the limits allowed by the type of lease used.
Under a civil lease (not a main residence), two options are possible:
Charges included in the monthly rent, as a clearly stated flat fee;
Charges rebilled at the end of the letting, based on actual consumption or meter readings, and reconciled once the stay is over. Any charges still due may then be deducted from the security deposit, if the owner asked for one, in accordance with the terms of the contract.
Under a bail mobilité, only one option is legally possible: charges are recovered as a flat fee paid at the same time as the rent, with the amount and frequency stated in the contract. That flat fee cannot give rise to any top-up or later reconciliation (article 25-18 of the Act of 6 July 1989) and must not be manifestly disproportionate to the charges actually incurred. Nor can anything be deducted from a security deposit, since none is allowed.
Under a bail mobilité it is therefore essential to set the flat charges fee carefully before signing: it cannot be adjusted afterwards.
LesVacantes service fees are 12% incl. VAT (10% excl. VAT), payable by the owner, calculated on the rent and charges set out in the rental contract.
They cover the whole rental chain:
- publication of the listing
- qualified introductions to tenants
- management tools (bookings, contracts, tracking)
- owner support
On top of that come payment processing fees, charged at cost by our payment provider (Stripe) and representing around 3% incl. VAT of the rent collected. LesVacantes adds no mark-up to those fees (see article 7.2 of the terms of sale).
Insurance cover (unpaid-rent cover, legal-expenses cover, non-occupying owner insurance, damage cover) is not included in these fees: it is offered as an option through our insurance partner.
Billing terms and any refunds are set out in the terms of sale applicable at the time of booking.
The platform fees pay for an intermediation service.
They may be non-refundable once the booking has been validly made, unless the contract provides otherwise.