French Property Update - Cooling Off Period Extended
Originally posted on & updated on 7th April, 2025
With the Law “Macron” passed in France on August 8th - 2015, the cooling off period for buyers of property in France known as ‘délai de rétractation’ has changed from 7 to 10 days. The entitlement for a cooling off period comes from article L 271-1 of the French Code de la Construction et de l’Habitation. It is a window for the purchaser to withdraw from the purchase process, which was previously 7 days.
Commencement of the Cooling Off Period
The cooling off period runs from the day after the reception by registered post of the fully signed contract. When you receive your copy of the contract, do not forget to sign and write the day of receipt on the pink slip attached to the envelope, and send this back to your Notaire or the agent who is taking care of the purchase process.
Important Considerations for Residents
Note that if you live in France, the cooling off period runs from the day after the “presentation” of the recorded delivery. It means that even if you do not receive the delivery the 10 days are running, after which you will need to have paid the deposit (in euros) to secure the property.
Personal Delivery by the Notaire
Bear in mind that if the Notary gives the full contract to the purchaser in person once it has been signed this avoids the problems of presentation or reception, and the 10 day cooling off period runs from the following day. The legal fees are called ‘frais de Notaires’ or notary fees, they are usually around 7% of the net selling price, and include the stamp duty.
Estimate the Legal Feeds
You can estimate the notaire fees will be with our handy legal fees calculator. And learn how you can save money with our currency exchange service. For expert legal guidance in France, feel free to contact Maitre Bounet based in southwest France.
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