How to Move Out of an Apartment in France: Notice Letter, Inventory, Utilities and Getting Your Deposit Back

Moving out of an apartment in France is a documented, sequenced process that connects several systems: your lease, your notice letter, the move-out inspection, and your deposit return. Americans who treat it casually, assuming a verbal conversation or an email is enough, often end up with disputes about notice validity or deposit deductions that are difficult to resolve after the fact. This guide covers everything you need to do, in the right order. For the full lease context, see our guide to the French lease. For protecting your deposit from the start, see our security deposit guide.

Notice Period and How to Give It Correctly

The tenant notice period in France depends on your lease type. For furnished apartments (meublés), the notice period is one month. For unfurnished apartments (non-meublés), the standard notice period is three months. Certain circumstances allow reduction of the three-month period to one month: loss of employment, workplace relocation, health conditions that require a change of residence, first employment after study, and, for some areas, being in a zone tendue (high-demand area designated by the government).

Notice must be given in one of three legally valid ways: lettre recommandée avec avis de réception (registered letter with return receipt), acte d'huissier (bailiff notification), or remise en main propre contre récépissé ou émargement (direct delivery against signed receipt). Email and ordinary mail do not count as valid notice under French law. The notice period begins on the date the landlord receives the registered letter, not the date you sent it. Build this into your planning.

In our experience, the most common notice mistake is assuming an email or a verbal confirmation is legally valid. We have seen Americans who believed their landlord acknowledged their departure by text message and then discovered that the landlord considered the three-month notice period not properly started. Always send notice by registered post and keep your proof of sending and delivery.

The Move-Out Inspection

The etat des lieux de sortie (move-out inspection) is conducted jointly by you and the landlord or agency at the time of key return. It uses the same form as the move-in inspection for direct comparison. The landlord will compare the condition of each element at departure against the recorded condition at arrival, applying the vetuste (wear and aging) grid where applicable.

Prepare for the move-out inspection the way you prepared for the move-in: systematically and thoroughly. Clean the apartment to the condition it was in at arrival. Repair any damage you caused, or expect it to be deducted from your deposit. A professional cleaning fee is sometimes deducted if the apartment is not returned in clean condition, regardless of what you do.

Before the inspection, review your move-in inspection form and your move-in photos. Make sure you have documentation of any pre-existing damage that was noted at move-in. If a dispute arises, your move-in documentation is your evidence.

Key Return and Deposit Return Timeline

Return all keys at the time of the move-out inspection. Keep a copy of the signed move-out inspection form. The landlord must return your deposit within one month if there are no damage claims, or within two months if deductions are claimed. Any deductions must be justified with documentation: quotes or invoices for repairs, cleaning receipts, or replacement costs.

If you disagree with deductions, send a formal written objection by registered letter within reasonable time. Request itemized justification for each deduction. If the dispute is not resolved, the Commission Départementale de Conciliation offers free mediation. Claims under 5,000 euros can be pursued at the tribunal judiciaire without a lawyer.

Cancelling Utilities and Subscriptions

Cancel your electricity and gas contracts by contacting EDF, Engie, or your provider directly by phone or online (see our utilities guide for provider contact details). Request that the meter be read on your departure date and that your final bill be calculated based on your actual departure date reading. Keep the final meter readings from the move-out inspection form as confirmation.

Cancel your internet subscription with the required notice period (typically one month for no-commitment plans, longer for contract plans). Return the router (livebox, freebox, or equivalent) according to the provider's return instructions. Failure to return equipment generates a fee that appears on your final invoice.

Cancel your renter's insurance effective on the date of your lease termination. Most French insurance cancellations require one month of written notice. Some providers allow online cancellation. Keep the cancellation confirmation. For internet and phone plan cancellations specifically, see our phone plan guide.

Updating Your Address With French Institutions

After moving, update your address with CPAM, your bank, the tax authority (Direction Generale des Finances Publiques). See our guide on establishing your new French address for what documents you will need, and any other French institution that holds your file. The Ameli online portal allows direct address updates for CPAM. Your bank update can typically be done online or in-branch. The French postal service offers a mail forwarding service for a monthly fee that bridges the transition period.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Giving notice by email or text message is the most legally consequential move-out mistake. It is not valid. The landlord can argue that proper notice was never given, extending your financial obligation by the full notice period. Always send notice by registered post with return receipt and keep both the sending receipt and the delivery confirmation.

Not attending the move-out inspection is the second critical mistake. If you are not present, the landlord conducts the inspection alone, and their assessment becomes the default baseline for deposit deductions. Always be present and request a copy of the signed form on the day.

Practical Checklist

• Determine your notice period: one month for meublé, three months for non-meublé

• Send your notice by lettre recommandee avec avis de reception

• Keep proof of sending and confirmed delivery date

• Review your move-in inspection form and photos before the move-out inspection

• Clean the apartment thoroughly before the move-out inspection

• Repair any damage you caused or accept the deduction

• Attend the move-out inspection and request a copy of the signed form

• Return all keys at the inspection and note the date on the form

• Cancel electricity, gas, internet, phone, and insurance with appropriate notice

• Return any rented equipment (router, etc.) to the provider

• Update your address with CPAM, bank, and tax authority

• Track the deposit return deadline from the date of key return

When to Get Help

If a deposit dispute arises, if your landlord is not responding to your refund request, or if you need French written correspondence to contest deductions, Concierge Membership handles French communication and documentation on your behalf.

FAQ

Can my French landlord keep my entire security deposit? Your landlord can only deduct amounts justified by documented damage beyond normal wear and aging, unpaid rent or charges, and, in some cases, professional cleaning costs. They cannot keep the entire deposit without itemized justification. If they do not return your deposit within the legal timeframe with appropriate justification for any deductions, you are entitled to additional compensation. File a complaint with the Commission Départementale de Conciliation if the dispute is not resolved directly.

Can I leave France before my notice period is over? Your legal obligation to pay rent continues through the notice period regardless of when you physically vacate. You can return your keys before the end of the notice period, but rent continues until the notice period expires. The practical implication is that you should time your notice period to align with when you actually want your financial obligation to end. If you return keys early, confirm in writing that you have returned keys and what the agreed termination date is.

What is the Commission Départementale de Conciliation? The CDC is a free mediation body that handles disputes between landlords and tenants, including deposit disputes, rent increases, and lease disagreements. Most departments have one. You can request mediation online or in person. Attendance by both parties is expected. The mediation is non-binding, but most disputes are resolved at this stage without going to court. It is the recommended first step for any deposit dispute.

Do I need to repaint the apartment before leaving? No, as a rule. Normal wear of paint over a tenancy is covered by the vétusté grid and is the landlord's responsibility. If you have caused damage beyond normal wear, such as large holes, significant marks, or damage from furniture, the landlord can charge for remediation proportional to the vétusté. If the paint was new at move-in, the deductible amount is higher. If it was already several years old, the deductible amount is reduced.

Conclusion

Moving out of a French apartment correctly protects your deposit and avoids disputes that are stressful and time-consuming to resolve. The key steps are valid notice by registered post, a careful move-out inspection, and thorough cancellation of every subscription.

For any French communications related to your move-out, deposit disputes, or subscription cancellations, Concierge Membership handles them in French.