Rent Control in Paris and Lille: The New Rules Explained

The Annulment of Rent Control

The cities of Paris and Lille had implemented rent control systems to regulate housing costs in areas with high demand and limited supply.
Under these rules, landlords renting or re-letting a property were required to respect a maximum rental price, determined according to:

• the type of lease (unfurnished or furnished),

• the location of the property,

• its size and construction date,

• and its amenities.

Exceptions were granted for exceptional properties, such as those featuring terraces, panoramic views, or high-end finishes.

These rent caps were overturned by administrative courts:

• on October 17, 2017, for Lille,

• and on November 28, 2017, for Paris.

As a result, landlords in both cities are no longer required to comply with rent ceilings — at least until new court decisions are issued.
The French government has appealed these rulings, meaning that the rent control framework could return in the future.

A Regulated Freedom for Landlords

Despite the suspension of rent control in Paris and Lille, landlords’ freedom remains subject to national rental regulations.
In France, 28 metropolitan areas — including Paris, Lille, Lyon, Marseille-Aix, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Nice, and Toulon — are subject to general rent regulation laws.

Case 1: A Lease Signed Under Rent Control

If the lease was signed while rent control was active, the controlled rent amount continues to apply until the end of the contract (three or six years, depending on the lease type).

Case 2: New Tenant After Departure

When a property is re-let, the new rent cannot exceed the previous tenant’s rent, except in specific cases:

• If the previous rent was clearly undervalued (Article 17-2 of the French Law of July 6, 1989),

• If the owner has completed significant renovation work equivalent to at least six months of rent,

• If the property has been vacant for more than 18 months,

• Or if major renovation work equal to one year of rent has been carried out.

These rules aim to prevent excessive rent increases while allowing owners to fairly adjust prices for improved or renovated properties.