Glossary: property with outdoor space in France

The terms

Agency fees (honoraires d’agence)

The agency’s remuneration for the sale. In the listings of this selection they are paid by the buyer and shown on the property page.

Asking price (prix demandé)

The price shown in the listing. It comes before negotiation and often differs from the price signed in the deed.

Carrez surface (surface loi Carrez)

The private surface of a co-owned lot, measured on enclosed, roofed rooms. It must appear in the preliminary contract and the deed (article 46 of the law of 10 July 1965).

Co-ownership rules (règlement de copropriété)

The document that sets the use of common and private parts, how charges are shared and the building’s house rules. It says whether a terrace is private or common.

Common part (partie commune)

The part of a building owned by all co-owners together: structure, roof, facade, courtyard, and often balconies and terraces.

Condition precedent (condition suspensive)

A clause in the preliminary contract that makes the sale depend on an event, most often obtaining the loan. If the event does not occur, the sale falls through without penalty.

Cooling-off period (délai de rétractation)

The ten days a non-professional buyer has, from delivery of the preliminary contract, to withdraw without giving a reason (article L271-1 of the Code de la construction et de l’habitation).

Courtyard (cour)

An open-air space surrounded by buildings. A building’s courtyard is generally common property; a lot can have the exclusive right to use it if the co-ownership rules provide for it.

Dated statement (état daté)

A document drawn up by the managing agent at the sale of a lot, showing the sums the seller owes the co-ownership and those the buyer will have to pay.

Division description (état descriptif de division)

The document describing the lots of a co-ownership, their designation and their shares. It places the terrace, balcony or garden within the lots.

DPE (energy performance diagnostic)

The diagnostic that rates a home from A to G for its energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. It appears in every listing and sale file.

Exclusive right of use (jouissance exclusive)

A co-owner’s right to use a common part, such as a terrace or garden, alone. It must be written in the co-ownership rules.

Facade renovation (ravalement)

Renewal of a building’s facade. It affects balconies and railings and is voted at the general meeting.

Final deed (acte authentique)

The sale deed received by the notary, which transfers ownership. It follows the preliminary contract by two to three months in general and repeats the surface, the diagnostics and the description of the outdoor spaces.

Garden-level flat (rez-de-jardin)

A home on the level that opens straight onto a garden. The garden is private, or common with an exclusive right of use, depending on the rules.

General meeting (assemblée générale)

The annual meeting of co-owners that votes the budget, works and decisions on the common parts. Its minutes for the last three years should be requested before any purchase.

Living area (surface habitable)

The floor area of a home’s rooms, after deducting walls, partitions, steps and ducts. It is used mainly for lettings.

Loggia

An outdoor space set back inside the volume of the building, open on one side. It is not in the Carrez surface if it is open.

Maintenance log (carnet d’entretien)

The building’s record of works, maintenance contracts and guarantees still running. It dates the roof, facade and waterproofing works.

Managing agent (syndic)

The co-ownership’s representative who carries out the general meeting’s decisions, runs the budget and maintains the common parts.

Multi-year works plan (plan pluriannuel de travaux)

A programme of the works needed over ten years, compulsory for co-owned buildings more than fifteen years old, on a staggered timetable.

Notary’s fees (frais de notaire)

Transfer duties, the notary’s fee and disbursements. They come to about 7 to 8% of the price for an existing property and 2 to 3% for a new one.

Overlooking (vis-à-vis)

Being seen from, or seeing into, neighbouring windows or outdoor spaces. It is judged on site at several times of day.

Preliminary contract (avant-contrat)

The bilateral sale agreement (compromis de vente) or unilateral promise to sell signed before the final deed. It sets the price, the conditions precedent and the timetable, and opens the buyer’s cooling-off period.

Private part (partie privative)

The part of a lot that the co-owner owns alone: generally the indoor rooms of the home.

Railing (garde-corps)

The safety barrier of a balcony or terrace. It must meet standards for height and spacing, and is often part of the facade, so a co-ownership matter.

Roof terrace (toit-terrasse)

A terrace built on the roof of a building, usually on the top floor. Its waterproofing and access need checks of their own.

Waterproofing (étanchéité)

The membrane that protects a terrace, roof terrace or balcony from water. Its date, guarantee and who pays for it should be checked before buying.

Works fund (fonds de travaux)

A reserve fed each year by a contribution of at least 5% of the co-ownership’s budget, meant for major works.

Updated 14 October 2026. Sources: law of 10 July 1965, Légifrance, ANIL.