The importance of rental contracts and insurance

[frogblogger]

Should any members ever decide to let out part of their property, either on a seasonal or all-year-round basis, just a quick caveat. It is vitally important to have a very specific rental contract, detailing the precise nature and geographical limits of the property being rented out, full insurance for rental purposes, and in particular, third party risk cover.

Otherwise a situation might develop where in your absence abroad your tenants might take it upon themselves to use a part of the property to which they have no right of entry, say a locked and empty swimming pool. They might, say, decide to fill it without your permission, for a party, but finding on party night that it is only half-full, use it anyway. Then a teenage guest might decide to dive off the board into a metre of water, hit the bottom, and find himself flown off for emergency surgery, and quite probably be paralysed for life.

Without that specific rental contract and third party insurance cover, you might find yourself in very hot as opposed to shallow water. I would also advise taking out cover for legal expenses under a separate policy - not particularly expensive, but you never know when it might be needed. People can be mind-bogglingly stupid sometimes. Hypothetically, of course.

Personally I have what I hope will turn out to be pretty full cover in all areas. There have been times when I have moaned at the cost. Never again.

I have also complained about the red tape in France, but this helped to ensure that the rental contracts for my place in France were specific to the smallest detail. Thankfully.

DON'T skimp on insurance. The next few months, possibly even years, will show me how effective it is in protecting me and mine in such circumstances.

[parsnips]

Hi,
You can find model contracts by googling " contrat location immeuble"

[frogblogger]

But the devil lies in the detail. My point is that all angles must be covered, and although the 'contrat type' is a useful starting point, great care has to be taken in adapting it to your specific needs - especially bearing in mind that it should be in French.

[Matou]

Originally Posted by frogblogger

But the devil lies in the detail. My point is that all angles must be covered, and although the 'contrat type' is a useful starting point, great care has to be taken in adapting it to your specific needs - especially bearing in mind that it should be in French.

That's very true and that's the reason why, if you need something specific, you should get your insurance from an insurer and not from a bank or an "organisme de crédit". Even though with the "réforme" these 3 markets have merged a "real" insurer is in a way better position to propose you an insurance "sur mesures" (and by skipping the eventual go-between you should avoid potential mis-communication).
If you try to adapt a renting contract, be sure to be very clear in your wording (in French) because a contract is always interpreted in favour of the one that did not write it (Art. 1162 of the Civil Code "en faveur de celui qui a contracté l'obligation")