When considering the sale of a property, it is essential to prepare your file in advance. French legislation provides for diagnostics to inform potential buyers of the condition of the property concerned. The obligations are set out in article L.271-4 of the Code de la construction et de l’habitation. Here is the list of diagnostics to be considered before the final sale of your property.
What is a property inspection?
The process consists of carrying out specific checks on a given property. It is not an inventory of fixtures, but a set of studies that determine the state of the property and therefore makes it possible to identify any work that needs to be done. A professional diagnostician must be involved in drawing up the technical diagnosis file, abbreviated DDC. The result of this assessment is sent to the buyer when the sales contract is signed, or even earlier.
The property diagnosis is therefore an assessment of the existing equipment, which relates to its age and performance. The study thus provides information on the viability of the property for sale.
Mandatory diagnoses in the event of a sale
A total of 9 different surveys must be carried out prior to a property sale. These studies can be carried out individually or as a package. Their implementation depends on certain conditions, which we will discuss in a later paragraph.
In the event of a sale, it is therefore necessary to provide for :
1- the Carrez law diagnosis
2- termite diagnosis
3- asbestos diagnosis
4- lead diagnosis or CREP (lead exposure risk report)
5- ESRIS diagnosis (state of easements, risks and information on the land), formerly ERNMT (state of natural, mining and land risks)
6- DPE (diagnosis of energy performance)
7- gas diagnosis
8- Electrical diagnosis
9- Sanitation diagnosis.
What about the budget?
Each diagnostician is free to set his or her own rates, as there is no legal scale governing these studies. The budget to be expected will depend on the type(s) of diagnosis(es) to be carried out and also on the surface area of the property concerned. The location of the property may also influence the price.
Here are a few prices provided for information purposes only, so that you can estimate your budget:
– asbestos diagnosis: between 80€ and 135€
– CREP: between 115€and 225€
– electrical diagnosis: between 60€ and 125€
– DPE: between 85€ and 140€
– loi Carrez diagnosis: between 70€ and 115€
– gas diagnosis: from 100€ to 135€.
Professional diagnosticians generally offer packages including 4 to 8 different diagnoses. Count on between 300€ and 520€ for a pack of 8 studies.
However, it is possible that some diagnoses are not applicable to your property. In this case, the best option is to ask for independent studies. Note that discounts are often granted if you entrust all of your property diagnostics to the same professional. So don’t hesitate to negotiate costs to keep your budget under control.
What are the criteria that make these property diagnoses compulsory?
The nine diagnostics mentioned above are not systematically compulsory. As mentioned above, there are specific conditions for carrying them out. It is therefore necessary to inform yourself about these criteria in order to identify the diagnoses that must be carried out.
Carrez diagnosis
This is compulsory if the property for sale is part of a co-ownership. As a reminder, the procedure consists of measuring the private surface area, excluding rooms of less than 8m² and spaces where the ceiling is less than 1.80m. The certificate issued by the diagnostician is valid as long as work modifying this surface area is not undertaken.
Termite diagnosis
This applies to properties that are located in infested or potentially infested areas. It is a prefectural decree that defines the obligation to carry out this diagnosis. Its validity is limited to 6 months.
Asbestos diagnosis
If the building permit was issued before 1 July 1997, you must present the reports of an asbestos diagnosis to potential buyers. The validity is 3 years if asbestos is detected.
If the presence of asbestos is not proven, the diagnosis is permanently valid.
Lead exposure risk report
This diagnosis is considered compulsory for all dwellings where construction work was completed before 1 January 1949. This is due to the regular inclusion of lead in paints composed before this date. As lead is harmful, it is now prohibited, although it may remain in layers of old paint.
If the presence of lead is detected, the diagnosis is valid for 1 year. If the presence of lead is detected, the results that are communicated to you have a definitive validity.
ERSIS
If the property is located in an area subject to natural (flooding, earthquakes, forest fires, drainage, etc.) and/or technological (oil, chemicals, etc.) risks, it is compulsory to carry out an ERSIS. The study report is valid for 6 months.
DPE
The energy performance diagnosis is still mandatory. It is valid for 10 years.
Gas diagnosis
If your natural gas installation is more than 15 years old, you must provide the reports of a gas diagnosis less than 3 years old. This is the period of validity of the document.
Electrical diagnosis
If the electrical installation was installed more than 15 years ago, this diagnosis is mandatory. It is valid for 3 years.
Sanitation diagnosis
The criterion of obligation is defined by the existence of an individual sanitation system. This diagnosis is valid for 3 years.
The information on the merule is a complementary diagnosis to be considered. It informs about the presence of parasitic fungi. Nevertheless, it is not compulsory.
We thanks to our artisan for his advices