Renovating a home you live in is a matter of budget and organization. Renovating a rental property adds a third factor: timing. A poorly timed project can cost several months’ rent or poison the relationship with a tenant in place. Timed well, it increases the property’s value, improves its energy rating and reduces tax on rental income.
Here’s how to choose the right time, and what the law requires when work is carried out while a tenant is living in the property.
The best time: between tenants
The period between one tenant moving out and the next moving in is the most convenient time for a project. The property is empty, contractors can work without having to accommodate an occupant’s schedule, and rooms can be completely cleared.
To take advantage of this without extending the vacancy:
- prepare the project as soon as the tenant gives notice: get quotes, choose materials and book contractors during the notice period (one or three months);
- carry out the move-out inspection before starting, so you don’t confuse damage caused by the tenant with work required for the project;
- start with the essentials for renting out the property: electrical systems, heating, ventilation, insulation. Decorating can wait;
- photograph the result: these photos will be useful for the listing and the move-in inspection.
One month of vacancy costs one month’s rent. If the project needs to run longer, it’s better to split it up: do the structural work between tenants and the finishing work later, or vice versa.
The energy rating now determines part of the schedule
Energy-efficient renovation is no longer just a choice. The most energy-hungry homes are gradually being withdrawn from the rental market:
- since January 1, 2025, a home rated G can no longer be offered under a new lease;
- the same rule will apply to homes rated F in 2028, then E in 2034;
- rent for a home rated F or G can no longer be increased, either through an annual adjustment or when it is re-rented.
For an owner whose property is rated F or G, the question is no longer whether the work needs to be done, but when. A tenant moving out is an opportunity not to be missed: it may become impossible to re-rent the property without improving its rating.
Also consider the order of the work. Replacing windows before addressing ventilation or wall insulation often yields disappointing results, or even causes damp. An energy audit or energy performance assessment carried out before the project can help you choose the measures that will actually improve the property’s rating.
With a tenant in place: what the law allows
It’s not always possible to wait until a tenant moves out. A leak, a broken-down boiler or work required to bring a property up to code cannot be postponed. The owner can have work done in an occupied home, and the tenant must allow it to go ahead, subject to certain conditions.
Notify the tenant before work begins
The landlord must inform the tenant in writing, before work starts, of the nature of the work and how it will be carried out. A letter delivered in person in exchange for a signed acknowledgment or sent by registered mail is sufficient. Above all, it prevents misunderstandings about dates, access to the home, rooms affected and the expected duration.
Respect the tenant’s daily life
Unless the tenant agrees, work cannot be carried out on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays. Nor may it make the home uninhabitable or be carried out abusively: in that case, the tenant can apply to a judge to have the work stopped or modified.
If the work lasts more than 21 days, the rent is reduced
If the work lasts more than 21 days, the rent is reduced in proportion to its duration and to the part of the home the tenant was unable to use. A project that makes the kitchen unusable for six weeks could therefore lead to a rent reduction. This is another reason to plan the project carefully and schedule major work during vacancy periods.
Don’t confuse the two: these rules govern how the work is carried out. Who pays for it is a separate question: routine maintenance and minor repairs are the tenant’s responsibility, while major repairs and work required to bring the property up to code are the owner’s responsibility. For a breakdown of who pays for each type of work, see this guide on who pays for work between landlord and tenant.
The right time for tax purposes
For an unfurnished rental property declared under the actual-expenses regime for rental income, maintenance, repair and improvement expenses are deductible from rental income. Construction, reconstruction and expansion work is not.
Two practical implications:
- the year of payment matters: an expense is deductible in the year it is paid. Concentrating a large bill in a year with high rental income can create a rental deficit that, within certain limits, can be offset against total income;
- documentation matters as much as the work: contractor invoices must be in the owner’s name and include the property’s address. Materials you buy and install yourself are not deductible in the same way as work invoiced by a professional.
For furnished rentals, the rules are different: major work is generally depreciated over several years. In either case, checking with your accountant or tax office before undertaking a major project can help avoid unpleasant surprises.
Renovation grants are available to landlords too
Landlords may be eligible for some energy-efficiency renovation grants, subject to conditions relating to the work, qualified contractors and, in some cases, a commitment to rent out the property. Rules and amounts change frequently: check the official France Rénov’ website before signing a quote, as most grants must be applied for before work begins.
In summary
- Schedule major work between tenants and prepare for it during the notice period.
- If the property is rated F or G, prioritize its energy performance: this determines whether it can be re-rented.
- With a tenant in place: give written notice, avoid weekends, and remember that rent is reduced if work lasts more than 21 days.
- Keep every invoice: under the actual-expenses regime, they can be deducted from rental income for unfurnished rentals.
- Apply for grants before signing quotes.
A project timed around the rental schedule costs less than you might think: it avoids vacancy, protects the relationship with the tenant and gets the property ready for the years ahead.