Works voted at a general meeting: who pays?

Works voted at an assemblée générale (general meeting of co-owners) are paid by the co-owners, so by you, the landlord, not by your tenant. Through the service charges, the tenant pays only the routine upkeep and minor repairs of the common parts listed in decree no. 87-713. Facade renovation, roof, replacing the lift or the shared boiler, insulation: all of it stays with you. The tenant must, however, let the works go ahead, and is entitled to a rent reduction if they lose part of the dwelling for more than 21 days.

This guide covers a dwelling let unfurnished or furnished as the tenant's main home. Rules in force on 9 November 2026.

Who pays what#

The general meeting votes the works and how they are split between the units; the syndic (building manager) calls your share. Between you and the tenant, the Act of 6 July 1989 splits things this way:

• the landlord must keep the premises fit for their intended use and carry out every repair, other than the tenant's own, needed to keep them in good order and normal upkeep (article 6 c);
• the tenant handles the routine upkeep of the dwelling, minor repairs and tenant repairs, except for wear and tear, defective work, construction defects, accident or force majeure (article 7 d), and pays the charges récupérables (recoverable service charges).

Expense voted or called	Landlord	Tenant
Facade renovation, roof, waterproofing	Yes	No
Replacing the lift or the shared boiler	Yes	No
Insulation, energy-saving works	Yes	No
Bringing up to standard, installing a door entry keypad	Yes	No
Routine lift maintenance contract, listed minor repairs	No	Yes, through the service charges
Routine upkeep of the boiler room, sweeping the boilers	No	Yes, through the service charges
Works fund contribution	Yes	No

Replacing an item is recoverable, like a minor repair, only if it costs no more than the repair (article 2 of decree no. 87-713). The full list is in Recoverable co-ownership charges: the list, and the works fund in Co-ownership works fund: can the tenant pay?.

What the tenant must accept#

The tenant must give access to the dwelling to prepare and carry out works (article 7 e of the Act of 6 July 1989) for:

• improving the common parts or the private parts of the same building;
• keeping the dwelling in good order and its normal upkeep;
• improving energy performance;
• bringing the dwelling up to the decency standard.

In return:

• you notify them, before the works start, of their nature and how they will be carried out (start date, duration, need to access the dwelling), by letter handed over in person or sent by recorded delivery with acknowledgement of receipt (service-public.gouv.fr);
• the works cannot take place on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays without their express agreement;
• if the works are abusive or vexatious, do not follow the notification, or make the dwelling impossible or dangerous to use, a judge can, at the tenant's request, stop or forbid them.

For works on the common parts that do not touch the dwelling, no access is needed, but telling the tenant avoids misunderstandings.

The rent reduction after 21 days#

If the works last more than 21 days, the rent is reduced in proportion to the time and the part of the dwelling the tenant lost. If they make uninhabitable what the tenant and their family need to live there, the tenant can have the lease terminated. The rule comes from article 1724 of the Civil Code, which article 7 e of the 1989 Act applies to the works it covers; service-public.gouv.fr applies it to the owner's works in general.

Example. Rent of €900 a month. Replacing the water risers, voted at a general meeting, deprives the tenant of their bathroom for 30 days. If you and the tenant agree that the bathroom accounts for 15% of the use of the dwelling, the reduction is €900 × 15% × 30 ÷ 30 = €135. The law sets no scale: the proportion is negotiated, and failing agreement a judge sets it.

On the tax side#

Under the régime réel (actual-expenses regime), the 2026 income tax brochure states that provisions for improvement, repair and maintenance works voted at a general meeting and paid to the syndic must go on line 229 of form 2044, then are adjusted the following year on line 230. Works of the same kind paid outside the provisions, urgent works for instance, are reported with works expenses, on line 224. Construction, reconstruction or extension works are not deductible: their share is added back on line 230. See Deductible co-ownership charges: the 2044 lines.

Common mistakes#

• Charging a share of facade renovation or of an equipment replacement in the service-charge reconciliation.
• Starting the works without notifying the tenant.
• Ignoring the rent reduction when the works last more than 21 days.
• Deducting voted works on line 224 when they were paid through provisions: they go through line 229.

For the overall picture, see Landlord in a co-ownership building: charges, reconciliation, tax.

Sources#

• Article 6 of Act no. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 (landlord's obligations), Légifrance
• Article 7 of Act no. 89-462 of 6 July 1989 (tenant's obligations), Légifrance
• Article 1724 of the Civil Code (repairs during the lease), Légifrance
• Annex to decree no. 87-713 of 26 August 1987, Légifrance
• Works payable by the owner, service-public.gouv.fr (in French)
• 2026 income tax practical brochure, reporting property income, impots.gouv.fr (in French)

Last checked on 9 November 2026