Inspection visits – Property Management in France

We have been looking at what property management in France really is, and why absentee owners need to source reliable and trustworthy property caretakers to ensure they can truly enjoy their ownership of a property at a distance. For this article we consider how regular inspection or security visits to your property can help at many levels to reach that goal.

More Than a Walk-Around

Inspecting a property isn’t only a matter of walking around its perimeter and checking there are no obvious signs of damage or vandalism, although that must be the first check item on arrival at any property. Once inside we also encourage the reading of electricity, gas and water meters at each visit, logging those in the client file so that any out-of-the-ordinary use can be investigated further. We can also assist with notifying the utility companies of current usage as needed.

One such example was from Les Bons Voisins in the Occitanie region where they were able to spot an apparent use of water out of all proportion to the norm during a visit one spring to a property with a pool. The pool was built into a hillside and surrounded by a landscaped rockery which had completely disguised a water leak due to a broken underground pipe: it wasn’t enough to be obvious as far as the level in the pool was concerned (the lowering of which had been attributed to evaporation!) but it was certainly enough to potentially build up over time into an enormous water bill for the absentee owner. Logging the water meter reading drew the issue to the attention of the property manager, who was able to arrange a simple fix and avoid a potentially huge cost.

Good to know: Most French properties now have the smart Linky electricity meter (managed by Enedis), which transmits electricity readings automatically — and owners can monitor their consumption remotely at mon-compte-particulier.enedis.fr. Water and gas meters are generally not yet smart, however, and still benefit greatly from manual logging by your property manager during inspection visits.

Keeping the Electricity On

If there are no long gaps between visitors to a property, many clients will often prefer to keep the electricity switched on, perhaps leaving items in the freezer, and saving them from the potential headache of switching the Livebox supplying the Wi-Fi back on — in case it is temperamental and might take days to settle back down. If this is the case, inspection visits are vitally important in case there has been any temporary cut in the supply due to weather conditions. Electricity cuts are far more frequent in France than people in the United Kingdom are used to, particularly in rural areas.

Orange’s Livebox remains France’s most widely used home internet router. More recent models (Livebox 5 and 6) are more stable, but rural line quality varies significantly. Owners of rural second homes should consider asking their property manager to physically restart the Livebox after any reported power cut, or invest in a 4G/5G backup dongle as an extra precaution.

Security: Varied, Vigilant and Up to Date

Our inspection visits, although regular, are always varied as to day and time, and if we can, we occasionally open shutters and leave them open for a few days, giving the property the appearance of being occupied. This helps to avoid targeting from opportunist criminal elements. A suitable combination of visible security — CCTV, a prominent alarm system, smart lighting on timers, and a property that appears occupied — remains a strong deterrent. The technology available to homeowners has improved considerably in recent years and is now more affordable and remotely accessible than ever.

It is worth noting that France’s official statistics body (SSMSI) has reported a modest rise in burglaries in recent years, and rural properties are specifically at risk: research shows that rural burglars are often better prepared than opportunistic urban ones, researching targets via online maps and monitoring owners’ social media to confirm when homes are empty. Isolated holiday homes are disproportionately vulnerable, making regular, varied inspection visits all the more important.

Practical security tips for 2026: 1. Do not post holiday plans or photos on social media. 2. Register with Opération Tranquillité Vacances — a free gendarmerie scheme where officers check on your property while you are away (register at your local brigade or via gendarmerie.interieur.gouv.fr). 3. Remotely viewable CCTV, smart doorbells and programmable lighting timers are now affordable and widely available. 4. A visible, local property manager remains one of the most effective deterrents of all.

The Best Security: Les Bons Voisins

With our own network being called ‘Les Bons Voisins’ (the good neighbours), the best assistance of all for any absentee owner and their property manager is to make friends with the actual neighbours of the property. We always ensure that we make ourselves known to the neighbours on either side of a property we are caring for, leaving them our contact details and asking them to alert us if they see anything untoward.

In fact, the most helpful heads-up I personally ever had from a neighbour was a phone call to let me know I had left a Velux window wide open and there was a large storm brewing shortly after. I had time to return to the property and shut the window — which was above the double bed in the master bedroom — and avoid significant and embarrassing damage that would have been caused by the deluge a few hours later. A nice bottle of wine and heartfelt thanks was duly delivered to that neighbour on my next visit!

 

A Worthwhile Investment

The investment in a property in France is not insignificant, so it would be false economy to stint on its ongoing management. Regular inspection visits can truly spot issues before they become problems, as well as give you the peace of mind you want as an absentee owner. As with the old stitch-in-time proverb, a few euros spent on asking your property manager to make regular inspection visits will save you the angst of the unknown and provide reassurance and timely reaction to issues — all of which are beyond price.

 

Inspection Visits for Letting Properties Too

Inspection visits are not necessarily just for vacant properties. If you have paying guests in your property, having your property manager pop in during their stay to check on the property can also have the benefit of ensuring the guests are happy and have no issues with their stay. This level of customer service can be a wonderful investment.

Gone are the days when an unhappy holidaymaker didn’t have a platform on which to share their views. Today, reviews on platforms such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo and Abritel are central to booking success — and a single poor review can have a real impact. Your friendly professional property manager visiting on your behalf makes your guests feel welcomed, valued and looked after on a whole different level to many other properties, resulting in great feedback and recommendations.

French legislation has tightened rules around short-term letting in recent years, and 2026 brings further significant changes under the Loi Le Meur (November 2024). All furnished tourist lets must now be registered via a national online service by May 2026, with a registration number displayed on all listings. Tax relief for unclassified short-term rentals has been sharply reduced — the micro-BIC income threshold drops to €15,000 with only a 30% allowance, making it far less advantageous than before. Having your property formally classified (1–5 stars) preserves more favourable tax treatment. Municipalities also have new powers to cap rental days or restrict short-term letting in their area. If you are letting your property, it is well worth seeking up-to-date tax and compliance advice — your property manager will be happy to point you in the right direction.

Visit Les Bons Voisins: www.lbvfrance.com

Email: [email protected]

Tel: 0033 (0) 562 29 26 62