Year-round lets rather than holiday lets: what it changes

We prefer one tenant who stays four years to four tenants for one season. Less profitable, and far simpler to live with.

For us, that means less turnover, less cleaning, fewer repairs between tenants. A home lived in all year wears out less than a home that changes hands every fortnight. So we can maintain it properly, and replace rather than patch up.

That also explains why our homes rarely come free. When a notice date reaches us, we first call back the applications we already hold. Sending your application before a property is advertised remains the surest way to hear first.

What the year-round choice costs the owner

Let us say it plainly: letting by the year earns less. One owner in the gulf told the local press that he let his house for several thousand euros a week from June to September, and concluded that the return was far better than a year-round let.

We know that calculation, and we do not make it. A portfolio let by the year is better maintained, wears out less and needs no weekly cleaning, no constant repairs and no calendar to manage. Above all, it houses people who live here.

It is a choice, not a virtue. But it is a choice that explains why our homes rarely come free, and why sending in your application in advance beats waiting for a listing.

The three-year tenancy agreement

An unfurnished home is let on a three-year residential tenancy agreement, renewed automatically. The tenant can leave at any time, with one month's notice in a designated high-demand area and three months elsewhere. The owner, for their part, can take the home back only at the end of the term and for a specific reason. It is a protective framework, and it is exactly the one we apply.

A furnished home follows different rules: a one-year tenancy agreement, or nine months for a student, with one month's notice. The furniture must then meet a statutory list. We use that framework only when the home is genuinely furnished.

We do not use the so-called “mobility” tenancy agreement, which is widespread on the coast. Indeed, it lasts ten months at most and cannot be renewed. In practice, it puts the tenant back on the street every spring.

That is not our trade.

What it changes for your budget

A year-round rent is easy to compare, month after month. You know the rent, the service charges and the annual review set out in the tenancy agreement. So you can plan your budget over twelve months with no nasty surprises.

Add the usual items: electricity, water depending on how it is apportioned, compulsory home insurance and council tax where it still applies. We state the energy performance certificate on every listing, because a poorly insulated home costs a lot to heat. What is more, several of our flats have reversible air conditioning.

The deposit is one month's rent excluding service charges for an unfurnished home, and two months for a furnished one. It comes back to you after the final inventory of condition, less any damage.

On the other hand, we charge no fees: we let directly, with no middleman.

No holiday lets, ever

The sums are quickly done: a week in July often earns more than a month of standard rent. That is what empties the rental stock of the coast every spring. We know that calculation, and we have set it aside.

The reason comes down to three points. First, a home lived in all year wears out less than a home that changes hands every fortnight. Then, holiday letting calls for cleaning, inventories and constant repairs. Finally, a settled tenant tells you when something is wrong.

There is also a reason that has nothing to do with the accounts. A town that lets only by the week loses its residents, then its schools and its winter shops. We have been letting here since 1971, and we live here. As a result, we prefer neighbours to passing trade.

How we allocate homes

Our homes rarely come free. When notice reaches us, we first call back the applications we already hold and that are complete. Only then do we publish the listing. Sending your application in advance therefore remains the surest way to hear first.

We never organise group viewings. The application comes before the viewing, which saves you a wasted journey. Once your application is approved, we arrange an appointment on a weekday or on a Saturday morning.

Finally, we reply to everyone, including to say no. A clear “no” beats three weeks of silence. It is a simple rule, and it costs us only a few extra calls.

What you do not pay

We are the owners and we let directly. So there are no letting fees, no application fees and no tenancy drafting fees. In that first month, you save straight away.

We do not pay an outside firm for the inventory of condition either: we do it ourselves, with you, home by home. So remarks are noted on the spot and settled straight away.

The only payment asked for before you move in is the deposit, which the law regulates. On the other hand, no payment is ever asked for before signing. Any request for money beforehand would be a fraud.

Who manages day to day

We manage our homes ourselves, with no agency or platform in between. You call one number, and you speak to someone who knows the flat. In practice, that changes how fast you get an answer.

For breakdowns, we work with local tradespeople we have known for years. A leak, a water heater or a shutter is sorted within a few days. On the other hand, tell us quickly: a small problem dealt with late costs everyone dear.

For buildings in shared ownership, we pass on the decisions and the works. You do not have to follow the general meetings: that is our job. What is more, we warn you when building work is going to be disruptive.

Renting direct

Renting without an agency means dealing directly, and so it calls for a little rigour. We expect a complete application, quick replies and appointments kept. In return, we reply to everyone, including to say no.

We never organise group viewings. The application comes before the viewing, and the viewing takes place with us. So you put your questions to the person who decides.

Finally, we prefer clarity to promises. If a home will not suit you, we say so. As a result, our tenants stay a long time, and that is exactly what we are looking for.

Arriving from far away

Many of our tenants come from another region, sometimes from another country. The application is then prepared remotely, and the viewing fits around a trip. In practice, everything is settled by phone and by email.

We approve the application before the viewing, precisely to avoid a wasted journey. Then we group the viewings on the same day when several homes are free. So one round trip is often enough.

If your guarantor lives abroad, we recommend Visale. Indeed, a guarantee held outside France is hard to enforce. The Action Logement guarantee, on the other hand, works whatever your nationality, as long as you meet the conditions.

Our commitments, in plain terms

We publish our criteria in advance, and we reply to everyone. We charge no fees. We ask for no payment before signing. Finally, we tell you what is wrong with a home before you find out for yourself.

In return, we expect a complete application and quick replies. That is the usual balance in a direct letting. What is more, it saves time on both sides.

To begin, send your application online, even if nothing suits you today. We call these applicants back before we publish a listing. So it is the surest way to hear first.

In short

We have let year-round since 1971, on standard tenancy agreements and with no agency fees. Three years, renewable, for an unfurnished home, one year for a furnished one. No mobility leases, no weekly lets.

For you, that means a settled address, a protective legal framework and a single point of contact. For us, it means less turnover and better maintained homes. So the interest is shared, and that is what makes the arrangement last.

Our homes rarely come free, so submit your application in advance. We call back the applications we already hold before we publish a listing. What is more, we reply to everyone, including to say no.

Frequently asked questions