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Key takeaways
- The first step is always a formal written mise en demeure (formal notice). Do not skip straight to legal action.
- The injonction de payer (payment order) is the fastest and cheapest legal route. It costs around 35 EUR and can be filed without a lawyer.
- The clause résolutoire in most French leases allows the landlord to trigger automatic lease termination once unpaid rent exceeds two months. It requires a commandement de payer served by a huissier first.
- The trêve hivernale (winter truce) runs from 1 November to 31 March and prevents physical eviction. It does not freeze court proceedings or debt recovery.
- Visale and private guarantors (caution solidaire) can be pursued simultaneously with the tenant.
- The full eviction process in France typically takes 12 to 24 months from first unpaid rent to physical eviction if the tenant is uncooperative.
The problem and your rights
When a tenant fails to pay rent in France, the landlord has a legal right to recover the arrears and, in serious cases, terminate the tenancy. French law strongly favours keeping tenants housed: eviction requires a court order, physical eviction by a huissier, and — outside the winter truce period — prefectural authorisation. The process is slow but robust if followed correctly.
Acting quickly and following the correct sequence is essential. Skipping steps can reset the timeline or expose the landlord to claims for procedural defects. The guidance below sets out each stage in order, with approximate costs and timelines at each step.
Step 1: Formal notice (mise en demeure)
As soon as rent is missed, send a formal written letter by LRAR (lettre recommandée avec avis de réception — recorded delivery with acknowledgement of receipt). The mise en demeure should:
- State the exact amount owed, including rent and charges
- Reference the lease date and property address
- Demand payment within 8 days
- Warn that legal action will follow if payment is not received
Keep proof of sending and receipt. A WhatsApp message or verbal request does not substitute for a written formal notice.
Many tenants respond to a formal LRAR where informal reminders failed. Send it promptly — ideally on the 8th day of non-payment — to establish a clear paper trail.
Step 2: Commandement de payer (via huissier)
If the tenant does not pay within 8 days of the mise en demeure, the next step for landlords wishing to invoke the clause résolutoire is to instruct a huissier de justice (court enforcement officer) to serve a commandement de payer. This formal demand:
- Specifies the exact arrears
- Invokes the clause résolutoire
- Gives the tenant two months to pay in full
Cost: approximately 150 to 300 EUR for the huissier's fee.
The commandement de payer starts the two-month clock on the clause résolutoire. Without it, the clause cannot be invoked later in court.
If you accept a partial payment after serving the commandement de payer without explicitly reserving your rights, you may waive the right to invoke the clause résolutoire. Get legal advice before accepting partial payments at this stage.
Step 3: Notify CCAPEX
Within two months of serving the commandement de payer, the landlord must notify the Commission de Coordination des Actions de Prévention des Expulsions locatives (CCAPEX) or, for smaller municipalities, the Caisse d'Allocations Familiales (CAF).
This is a mandatory administrative step. Failure to notify can result in the court dismissing the eviction request. The notification is a formality that also triggers social services to contact the tenant about housing aid and debt relief. It does not delay court proceedings.
Step 4: Injonction de payer (payment order)
The injonction de payer is a simplified court procedure to obtain a payment order for debt recovery without full adversarial proceedings. File at the tribunal judiciaire covering the property's location.
Key details
- Cost: approximately 35 EUR court fee
- Lawyer: not required, though recommended for large arrears
- Timeline: 1 to 3 months
The court issues an ordonnance d'injonction de payer if the claim is founded. The landlord then has the huissier serve the order on the tenant. If the tenant does not contest within one month, the order becomes enforceable. The landlord can then pursue debt enforcement: saisie sur salaire (wage garnishment) or saisie sur compte bancaire (bank account seizure).
The injonction de payer is the right tool if you want to recover money and the tenant has left or is likely to pay if a court order arrives. If you want to terminate the lease, you need the clause résolutoire route set out below.
Step 5: Termination via clause résolutoire
If the tenant has not paid within two months of the commandement de payer, the clause résolutoire in the lease is triggered. The landlord files an assignation (court summons) before the tribunal judiciaire.
At the hearing, the judge verifies:
- The commandement de payer was properly served
- Two months have elapsed
- The arrears remain unpaid
If satisfied, the judge pronounces the termination of the lease, orders the tenant to pay arrears, and issues a departure date. If the tenant has paid all arrears before the hearing, the judge may suspend the clause résolutoire under Article L.412-4 of the Code des procédures civiles d'exécution.
Timeline and costs overview
| Stage | Action | Timeline | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commandement de payer | Huissier serves formal demand | Day 0 | 150 to 300 EUR |
| CCAPEX notification | Landlord notifies authority | Within 2 months | Free |
| Assignation | Court summons filed | Month 2 to 3 | 50 to 150 EUR + lawyer |
| Hearing | Judge rules on termination | Month 4 to 8 | Lawyer 800 to 1,500 EUR |
| Expulsion order | Prefect authorises physical eviction | Month 8 to 14 | Huissier 300 to 600 EUR |
Pursuing the guarantor
If the tenant has a caution solidaire (personal guarantor), the guarantor can be pursued simultaneously with the tenant for the full arrears. You do not need to approach the guarantor only after the tenant has defaulted.
Send the guarantor a formal LRAR at the same time as the tenant mise en demeure. The guarantor is jointly and severally liable for the full debt under the terms of the guarantee agreement.
Visale claims
If the property has Visale (the state-backed guarantee scheme administered by Action Logement), file a claim directly with Action Logement. Visale covers up to 36 months of arrears for eligible tenancies. File within the deadlines specified in your Visale certificate — typically within three months of the first unpaid rent.
Trêve hivernale: the winter freeze
The trêve hivernale (winter truce) runs from 1 November to 31 March each year. During this period, physical eviction of a tenant is prohibited — even with a valid court order.
However, the following are not affected by the trêve hivernale:
- Court hearings and judgments
- Debt recovery proceedings
- Commandements de payer and injonctions de payer
- Accumulation of arrears
The eviction order remains valid and is simply deferred until the end of the truce period.
The trêve hivernale applies to physical eviction only, not to legal proceedings. Use the winter months to advance through the court process so that you can execute the eviction order as soon as 1 April arrives.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Legifrance: Article 24, Loi du 6 juillet 1989 — clause résolutoire et commandement de payer
- Service-public.fr: Impayés de loyer — démarches du bailleur
- Action Logement: Visale — garantie locative gratuite
- Legifrance: Trêve hivernale — Code des procédures civiles d'exécution, Art. L.412-6
- Justice.fr: Injonction de payer — procédure simplifiée de recouvrement