Buying an apartment in France: copropriété and syndic explained

The key words

Copropriété

A building shared by several owners. You own your apartment, and you share ownership of the common parts (roof, stairs, facade, garden) with the other owners.

Syndic

The building manager, usually a professional company, chosen by the owners to run the building, collect charges and organise works.

Conseil syndical

A small group of volunteer owners who check the syndic's work and accounts on behalf of everyone.

Assemblée générale (general assembly)

The yearly meeting of all owners. It votes the budget, the works and the choice of syndic. The general assembly meeting minutes (procès-verbaux) show what was decided.

Charges

Your share of the building's running costs (cleaning, lift, insurance, heating, syndic fees), usually paid every quarter.

Fonds de travaux (works fund)

Money saved by all owners every year for future works. It stays with the apartment when you buy it.

Règlement de copropriété

The building's house rules. It says what each owner owns and what is allowed, for example pets, businesses or holiday rentals.

Documents to ask the seller for

The seller must provide most of these before you sign the first contract. Your notaire (the public official who handles the sale) can help you get them.

• The règlement de copropriété (house rules) and the état descriptif de division (the description of each lot)
• The last 3 general assembly meeting minutes
• The fiche synthétique (a one-page summary of the building's finances and technical details)
• The charges you paid over the last 2 years and the current budget
• The amount in the works fund linked to the apartment
• The plan of future works (plan pluriannuel de travaux), if the building has one
• Any unpaid charges by the seller and the building's total unpaid charges
• The carnet d'entretien (the building's maintenance logbook)
• The diagnostics for the apartment, including the DPE energy label

Red flags to look for

• Big works (roof, facade, lift) voted or discussed but not yet paid: ask who pays them, the seller or you.
• Many owners not paying their charges, which can push the building into financial trouble.
• Legal disputes between owners, with the syndic or with builders.
• An empty or very small works fund in an older building.
• The syndic changes very often, or there are complaints about it in the general assembly meeting minutes.
• House rules that forbid holiday rentals when you plan to rent out.
• Charges that are much higher than similar buildings, or rising fast.
• The building is placed under court administration (copropriété en difficulté).