Trust in a Property Manager: How to Safely Manage Your French Second Home

One of the questions we’re asked most often doesn’t start with a leaking roof or a dodgy boiler. It starts with something like: “My property manager has decided to retire early, on health grounds, and I’m left with holiday rental bookings I can’t service — what do I do?” It’s the sort of message that brings home exactly why trust matters. If you’re relying on one person, and that person can no longer help, you need to know there’s a proper business behind them — not just a pair of hands and a set of keys.

When you’re hundreds of miles away, a reliable local property manager can be worth their weight in gold. But how do you find the right one, and what should you actually expect from them?

Why use a property manager in France?

Even an empty property needs someone keeping half an eye on it. Regular visits catch small problems — a slipped tile, a damp patch, a blocked gutter — long before they turn into a five-figure repair bill. Depending on the service, that might mean regular property and security inspections, gardening and pool maintenance, cleaning and changeovers, key holding and preparing the house for your arrival, arranging repairs and contractors, handling emergency call-outs, or managing guest arrivals, departures and general holiday-rental support.

If your French isn’t quite fluent yet, a local manager also becomes your translator, go-between and voice on the phone with tradespeople — which, if you’ve ever tried to explain a boiler fault in French, you’ll know is worth quite a lot on its own.

Choosing a professional property manager

Handing someone the keys to your home — and potentially your rental income — is a big step, so trust matters more here than almost anywhere else. It’s worth asking any manager you’re considering how long they’ve been operating, whether they’re properly registered and insured, and exactly what’s included in the service. Ask how often the property will be inspected and whether you’ll get reports and photographs, and find out who has access to the keys and how emergencies are handled. It’s also worth knowing what they can spend without checking with you first, how they choose contractors, and what the notice and termination terms look like before you sign anything.

It’s also worth asking how charges actually work. Most property managers bill by the hour for work outside any set package, and rates vary a fair bit from one region to another, so ask for a detailed written breakdown of costs — including any travel time — before you sign anything, and expect an itemised invoice each month rather than a vague running total.

If a business handles regulated property-management activity — collecting rent or holding client funds, for example — check it holds the right professional authorisation, including the carte professionnelle (Carte G) where it applies, along with proper professional liability insurance. Where client money is involved, a financial guarantee may be required too. Exactly what’s needed depends on the services on offer, so don’t be shy about asking a manager to explain what they’re legally authorised — and insured — to do.

Holiday letting: what’s changed

Holiday letting has become considerably more regulated in France over the past couple of years.

The Loi Le Meur brought in a national registration system for meublés de tourisme (furnished tourist accommodation), with a legal deadline of 20 May 2026 for owners to register. In practice, the national teleservice — run by the Direction générale des entreprises under the name API Meublés — is still being rolled out, with full deployment expected in the last quarter of 2026, so many owners are currently still registering through their commune in the meantime — worth checking directly with your mairie or your local téléservice if you’re not sure which applies to you.

Local authorities also have more power to regulate tourist rentals. Some communes, for example, can reduce the number of days a principal residence can be let to tourists from 120 down to 90 days a year, and other local restrictions — including change-of-use rules — can apply too. If you own a second home, don’t assume the rules written for principal residences apply to you automatically — but equally, don’t assume you’re free to rent without checking what your commune requires.

The tax rules have moved too

For income earned in 2026, the micro-BIC threshold is €15,000 for an unclassified furnished tourist rental (30% allowance), rising to €83,600 for a classified rental (50% allowance) — up from €77,700 for income earned in 2025, which is what most owners are declaring this spring. Other tax and social security rules can apply depending on your circumstances, so it really is worth a proper conversation with a French tax adviser before deciding how to operate your property.

Energy efficiency and DPE

Energy performance is another area worth keeping an eye on. Certain furnished tourist properties subject to change-of-use authorisation are already subject to DPE requirements, and the standards get progressively stricter — by 2034, relevant properties will need to reach a DPE rating of A to D. The exact rules depend on your property and your commune, so it’s worth checking your own situation rather than assuming.

Maintenance, repairs and insurance

None of this replaces good day-to-day care. A property manager doesn’t need to be the one up the ladder — specialist work such as electrical, plumbing, roofing, heating or structural repairs should always go to a properly qualified professional. What a good manager does is spot the problem, photograph it, get quotes, arrange access, keep an eye on the work and report back to you in plain English.

Insurance matters on both sides. Check your property manager carries proper professional liability cover, and that any contractors they use are properly insured for the work involved. It’s worth reviewing your own home insurance too, particularly if you’re renting the property out to guests.

Can you trust a property manager?

Yes — but don’t pick one just because they’re local, or because a neighbour mentioned them once at a barbecue. Look for professionalism, transparency, proper insurance, a clear contract, good communication, and real evidence of local knowledge.

For an owner living overseas, the real value of a good property manager isn’t just knowing someone’s popped round to check the house. It’s getting a message that says:

“We’ve found a problem, photographed it, called the right person, and it’s already being sorted.”

Your French home should be a source of enjoyment — not a source of worry.

About Les Bons Voisins

Les Bons Voisins provides property-care, maintenance, inspection and rental-related services for owners of French property, helping absentee owners manage the practical responsibilities of looking after their homes.

Please note: French property, rental and tax regulations can change and local rules vary. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.