The French Ministry of the Economy has confirmed reports, initially published by Le Parisien, that an extensive update to property descriptions will affect 7.4 million homes starting in 2026. This initiative is part of a large-scale operation by the tax authority, the DGFiP (Direction Générale des Finances Publiques), to verify and correct land registry data.
Paid by around 32 million property owners, the taxe foncière (property rates) is expected to rise by an average of €63 per affected home, due to this update of the tax base, representing an additional €466 million for local authorities.
According to the office of Amélie de Montchalin, Minister for Public Accounts, this update serves an objective of “efficiency and fairness in taxation: that everyone pays according to the type of property they own.”
As regular readers will be aware, the taxe foncière is payable annually by all property owners. The level of the rates depends on the local rental value of the property, itself based on the size, characteristics and location of the property.
However, there has been no review of local rateable values since 1970, as a result of which many property descriptions and local values are out of date.
The DGFiP stated that the revision aims to integrate ‘comfort’ features that were previously missing from the records.
These include basic amenities such as running water, electricity, toilets, bathroom and kitchen sink, which are now assumed to be present.
Historically, each of these elements increases the weighted surface area, which raises the calculation base.
The exclusion of certain amenities artificially lowers the level of taxation.
The announced increase does not include:
any potential rate hikes voted by municipalities,
the annual revaluation of rental bases linked to inflation.
It results solely from updating existing cadastral (land registry) data.
The tax authority state that 25% of houses and 15% of apartments are affected by the change. In early 2026, they state that a letter will be sent to the owners concerned. Later, a document summarising the changes will be available on-line in the personal space of their tax account.
Appeal
The DGFiP has stated that property owners whose homes truly do not have the installations now considered to be present will be able to contest their tax assessment.
In such cases, they may obtain a tax reduction, provided they supply the necessary proof.
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