Which tenancy agreement should I sign?

When renting a property, we are required to sign a lease. This is the contract between the landlord and the tenant and sets out various terms and conditions: price, duration, inventory of fixtures, etc.

You may wonder which tenancy agreement is best suited to your plans. As with any contract, there are various versions available. The appropriate agreement depends on the type of rental: residential property, commercial premises, etc.

In this article, we will introduce four very common types of lease.

Residential lease

• Principal residence, seasonal rental and furnished rental: This is a lease intended for individuals who reside in the property for more than eight months of the year. It also covers seasonal rentals and accommodation provided as part of a person’s employment.
  Furthermore, in the case of a furnished rental, a general law lease is added to the principal residence lease.
  
  
• Second home: This type of lease may only be used for second homes. However, it does not apply to seasonal rentals. Under this type of contract, no distinction is made between furnished and unfurnished rentals.

Leases for commercial premises

• Professional lease: This covers any gainful professional activity carried out on the premises. However, unlike a commercial lease, the activity conducted there must be neither rural nor commercial in nature. It therefore covers any other activity, such as a medical or osteopathy practice, or a liberal profession.
  
  
• Commercial lease: This is the contract between the owner of premises and the tenant, who intends to carry out a commercial, industrial or craft activity there.
  Example: a business leased to a jeweller so that they can open their shop.Under a commercial lease, the tenant commits to a term of nine years. However, they may terminate the lease after three or six years. In the event of termination, the tenant must give six months’ notice.

Although other types exist, being familiar with these already provides a good foundation. It is important to find the contract best suited to your rental plans.