France reduces rent arrears grace period to six weeks

A new decree in France has reduced the grace period for tenants facing unpaid rent. Effective October 1, 2026, the timeframe for tenants to settle arrears before a landlord can initiate lease termination proceedings will be lowered from two months to six weeks.

This change allows property owners to more quickly trigger the 'clause résolutoire' (termination clause), which enables the immediate termination of a lease by right. Once a landlord issues a formal command to pay, the tenant will have six weeks from receipt to clear the debt to avoid losing their tenancy.