Boiler servicing in France: tenant or landlord?
In a French rental, servicing an individual boiler each year is the tenant's job unless the lease says otherwise; replacing it is the landlord's. Certificate, deadlines, who pays.
Kivlo · Updated November 9, 2026 · Sources checked November 9, 2026 · 2 min read
Contents
For an individual boiler, the yearly service is arranged by the occupant, so the tenant, unless the lease provides otherwise (article R. 224-41-5 of the environment code). It happens every calendar year and ends with a certificate (attestation d'entretien). Replacing a worn-out boiler falls to the landlord. A collective boiler is serviced at the initiative of the owner or the co-owners' association.
The servicing rules
Articles R. 224-41-4 to R. 224-41-9 of the environment code, from decree no. 2009-649:
| Point | Rule |
|---|---|
| Boilers covered | Gas, oil or solid fuel, 4 to 400 kW |
| Frequency | Every calendar year; after an installation, by the following calendar year |
| Who arranges it | The occupant for an individual boiler, unless the lease says otherwise; the owner or association for a collective one |
| Who does it | A qualified professional |
| Content | Check, clean and adjust, efficiency assessment, advice |
| Certificate | Issued within 15 days, kept for at least two years |
Service-Public confirms it on the lease side: the tenant has the boiler serviced every year « unless the lease provides otherwise », and has flues and ventilation ducts swept.
Who pays what
| Work | Who pays | Text |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly service | Tenant (individual boiler, unless the lease says otherwise) | Environment code, R. 224-41-5 |
| Small parts of gas appliances; flushing radiators | Tenant: tenant repair | Decree 87-712, annex IV |
| Sweeping flues | Tenant | Decree 87-712, annex VI |
| Major repair, replacement after wear | Landlord | 1989 law, art. 6 and 7 d |
| Failure caused by lack of servicing | As we read it, the tenant, if the landlord proves the link | 1989 law, art. 7 c and d |
The tenant never owes repairs caused by age, poor workmanship, a construction defect or force majeure (article 7 d of the law of 6 July 1989). A twenty-year-old boiler that gives up is replaced at the landlord's cost.
The certificate
The professional gives the certificate within fifteen days to whoever ordered the service, who keeps it at least two years; inspection officers may ask for it. Nothing requires sending it to the landlord automatically. As we read it, the landlord may ask for it each year, and a lease clause can provide for that.
Example
A flat heated by an individual gas boiler installed in 2016, lease signed in 2022 with no servicing clause. October 2026: yearly service, €140, paid by the tenant. January 2027: a valve and a seal replaced, €85, tenant (minor repair of a gas appliance). November 2027: the heat exchanger fails after eleven years, €3,400, landlord (wear). Had the tenant skipped every service since 2022 and the engineer put the failure down to it, the landlord could claim from them, with the engineer's written opinion.
Common mistakes
- Billing the service through the charges for an individual boiler: the tenant orders and pays it directly.
- Never asking for the certificate, then finding at move-out the boiler was not serviced for five years.
- Charging the tenant for replacing a boiler at the end of its life.
- Forgetting a collective boiler is the owner's or the association's to service.
See also tenant repairs in France, the security deposit guide and the wear and tear calculator.
Have your own case checked
A heating failure gets fixed fast; who pays is argued later. In a dispute, the local ADIL gives free housing advice.
Sources
- Environment code, articles R. 224-41-4 to R. 224-41-9, boiler servicing (Légifrance, in French)
- Decree no. 87-712 of 26 August 1987 on tenant repairs (Légifrance, in French)
- Article 7 of law no. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 (Légifrance, in French)
- Routine upkeep and tenant repairs, Service-Public (in French)
Last checked on 9 November 2026
Every certificate in its place
Kivlo files each tenant's and each lease's documents, such as the boiler service certificate, next to the inventories and the payment history.
Frequently asked questions
Who pays for the yearly boiler service in a French rental?
The tenant, for an individual boiler, unless the lease says otherwise. A collective boiler is serviced at the initiative of the owner or the co-owners' association.
How often must a boiler be serviced?
Once every calendar year, by a qualified professional, for any gas, oil or solid-fuel boiler from 4 to 400 kW.
Can the landlord ask for the service certificate?
As we read it, yes: the tenant must keep it for at least two years, and it is how the landlord checks that this tenant repair was done.
Who pays to replace a dead boiler?
The landlord, when the failure comes from age or wear. The tenant only pays for upkeep and minor repairs, unless the failure comes from their lack of servicing.
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Kivlo
Kivlo editorial team
Updated November 9, 2026 · Sources checked November 9, 2026 · 2 min read