Reading a French property diagnostic report in English

When you buy a property in France, the seller hands you a folder of technical reports called the Dossier de Diagnostic Technique (DDT). The reports are in French, full of regulatory terms, and they usually arrive shortly before you're due to sign the compromis de vente.

What is the DDT (dossier de diagnostic technique, the diagnostic file for a sale)?

The seller orders and pays for the surveys. Which reports apply depends on the property's type, age, location and energy rating. A property in an airport noise zone, such as parts of the coast around Nice airport, also needs a noise report.

None of these reports is a pass or fail. A poor result rarely blocks a sale, but it gives you something to negotiate with, and a few findings create obligations for the next owner.

DPE: what the energy rating means if you want to let the property

The DPE (Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique, the energy performance certificate) rates the property's energy use and CO2 emissions from A (best) to G (worst). For buyers on the Côte d'Azur it's the report with the most money attached. Its figures come from the building's features, not past bills, so use it to compare properties more than to predict costs.

It also decides whether you can let the property on a long-term lease. French law is phasing poorly rated homes out of the rental market:

• G-rated: banned from new or renewed tenancy agreements since January 2025
• F-rated: banned from January 2028
• E-rated: banned from January 2034

A G-rated villa can't legally go on the rental market without significant work. If you plan to let it, get quotes for that work before you make an offer.

If the house is rated E, F or G, the seller must also supply an audit énergétique. This longer report sets out renovation scenarios, with estimated costs and the energy class each one reaches. If you plan to let the property, it tells you what work you'd face.

What does the electrical report (diagnostic électricité) flag?

It's required when the electrical installation is more than 15 years old, which covers most older homes on the Riviera. It's valid three years for a sale. The surveyor lists every anomaly against current safety rules and marks the dangerous ones.

A handful of minor anomalies is normal in an older house. Many anomalies, or any the surveyor marks as an immediate risk, deserve a closer look. The seller doesn't have to fix anything, so any repair becomes your cost unless you negotiate it.

An old consumer unit (tableau électrique), missing safety protection or no earthing can lead to a full rewire, which means opening walls and ceilings. Get two electricians to quote before you decide whether to ask for a lower price or for the seller to do the work before completion.

What happens if the gas report (diagnostic gaz) finds a danger?

The gas report is required when the gas installation is more than 15 years old. Anomalies come in three levels: ones to fix later, ones to fix soon, and a serious and immediate danger. In that last case the surveyor cuts off the gas to the affected appliance or the whole installation, and it stays off until the fault is repaired.

A fault can mean anything from a pipework repair to a new boiler, so get a heating engineer's quote before you negotiate. If you'd replace the gas boiler with a heat pump anyway, a poor gas report matters less than it looks.

Asbestos report (diagnostic amiante): when to worry

Required for buildings whose planning permission was granted before 1 July 1997. On the Côte d'Azur that includes most houses built from the 1960s to the early 1990s. A "no asbestos found" result stays valid as long as no work disturbs those materials.

If asbestos is found, the report grades its condition. Material in good condition isn't a health risk and only needs checking again later. Damaged material has to be removed or sealed. If your renovation plans involve cutting, drilling or demolishing it, only a specialist contractor can do that work. Removing one damaged panel is a small task, but stripping a whole roof or ceiling is major work. Get quotes before you make your offer.

Lead paint report (CREP) for pre-1949 houses

Required for buildings built before 1 January 1949, which covers old-town properties in Nice, Menton and Antibes and many village houses. The risk is mainly to children, and during work that disturbs old paint. A report that finds lead above the threshold is valid for one year for a sale; one that finds none stays valid indefinitely.

Termite survey: how common are termites on the Riviera?

Required where the préfet has declared a termite risk zone, and many communes in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var are in one. The surveyor inspects visible woodwork only. The report is valid for only six months, so check the date.

If termites are found, the owner must declare them to the mairie (town hall). Treating the house is often the smaller part. Replacing timber that an established infestation has eaten into can be major work, so get quotes for both before you negotiate.

ERP: flood and wildfire risk at the address

Required for every property, valid six months. The ERP isn't a survey: it checks the address against state records of natural and industrial risks, soil pollution and radon.

Look first at flood risk. A property in a flood-risk plan zone (PPRi) can face higher insurance premiums and limits on some building work. The Var river and its tributaries, the lower Paillon near Nice and some coastal areas carry flood designations. Inland, around Grasse and Vence and in the Var, check the forest fire risk too.

Carrez floor area for apartments

Required for a flat or any lot in a copropriété. It states the floor area under the loi Carrez rules, which leave out areas under 1.8 metres high, garages and cellars. If the real area turns out more than 5% smaller than stated, you can claim a proportional price reduction within one year of completion. If the figure looks generous, pay for your own measurement before signing.

Septic system report (assainissement) for houses off mains drainage

Required for houses not connected to mains sewers, which includes many rural and hillside properties in the Alpes-Maritimes and the Var. The report says whether the septic system (fosse toutes eaux) meets current rules. If it doesn't, the buyer has one year from completion to bring it up to standard. A new system is major work, more so on a steep plot with poor access, so get two quotes and build them into your offer.

How do you use DDT reports in property price negotiation?

Use the DDT before you sign the compromis de vente. Once it's signed, you're committed at the agreed price, subject only to conditions such as financing. Common approaches:

• Ask for a price reduction equal to the estimated cost of the necessary work
• Ask the seller to carry out specific work before completion, with a deadline written into the compromis
• For a non-compliant septic system, negotiate an allowance off the price

Sellers usually have no legal duty to fix what the reports find, and you can pull out of a signed compromis only on limited grounds.

How do you find help reading a French diagnostic report in English?

Some notaires on the Côte d'Azur work in English or can arrange certified translations. Independent bilingual property lawyers can also review the DDT.

For the electrical and plumbing findings, quotes from English-speaking contractors before you sign give you real figures to negotiate with. Get in touch if you'd like a referral to a local contractor for a pre-purchase assessment.

More on DPE ratings, energy audits and electrical checks

• DPE: energy performance certificate explained
• Audit énergétique: the detailed energy report
• NF C 15-100: the French electrical standard
• CONSUEL: electrical compliance certificate
• MaPrimeRénov' explained: grants for energy renovation
• How to improve your DPE rating