France Bail Vide vs Meublé vs Mobilité Compared

A French landlord letting residential property has three principal lease formats to choose from: bail vide (unfurnished), bail meublé (furnished), and bail mobilité (short-term furnished, ELAN 2018). Each is a distinct legal regime under the Loi du 6 juillet 1989 with its own duration, termination rules, deposit framework, and tax treatment. Choosing the wrong format costs the landlord time, tax efficiency, or — at worst — leaves the lease subject to default rules that contradict the parties’ intent. This compare-and-contrast piece sets out the three regimes side by side for 2026.

1. The Statutory Framework

Primary source: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/LEGITEXT000006069108/

2. Side-by-Side Comparison

3. Bail Vide — The Long-Term Foundation

3.1 Profile

The traditional unfurnished principal residence lease. Suited for tenants seeking long-term housing stability and landlords seeking continuity with limited turnover.

3.2 Key Features

• Duration: 3 years for individual landlords, 6 years for legal-person landlords (SCI, SAS, SARL)
• Renewal: tacit, same duration
• Termination: limited grounds for landlord (sale, reprise, motif légitime); no restriction for tenant
• Deposit: max 1 month rent; protected and returnable within 1–2 months of exit
• Tax: rental income is revenu foncier, taxed at marginal IR + 17.2% social charges. Two regimes: micro-foncier (50% abatement up to €15,000 gross) or réel (deductible expenses)

3.3 Best For

• Family tenants
• Long-term stability landlords
• SCI patrimoine investment

4. Bail Meublé — The Tax-Optimised Furnished Lease

4.1 Profile

Furnished principal residence lease, governed by the same Loi du 6 juillet 1989 since ALUR 2014. Lasts 1 year (or 9 months for students) but tacitly renewable.

4.2 Key Features

• Duration: 1 year (9 months for students)
• Renewal: tacit, same duration; student lease becomes 1 year automatically
• Termination: tenant can leave with 1 month notice; landlord 3 months for term-end with statutory ground
• Deposit: max 2 months rent (the only lease type with 2-month max)
• Furnishings: must comply with Décret n° 2015-981 du 31 juillet 2015 — 11-item mandatory list (bed with bedding, oven, cooking plates, fridge, freezer, kitchenware, table, chairs, shelves, lamps, cleaning equipment)
• Tax: rental income is BIC (LMNP/LMP) regime:
  • LMNP — Loueur en Meublé Non Professionnel: micro-BIC (50% abatement up to €77,700) or réel
  • LMP — Loueur en Meublé Professionnel: thresholds (€23,000 + > 50% of household income)

4.3 Best For

• Urban areas with student / mobile professional demand
• Landlords seeking better tax treatment via BIC and amortisation deductions
• Properties suitable for short-stay quality (1–2 years)

Reference: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2042

5. Bail Mobilité — The Short-Term Newcomer

5.1 Profile

Created by Loi ELAN 2018 to fill the gap between traditional furnished leases and tourist rentals. Strictly time-limited and reserved for specific tenant categories.

5.2 Key Features

• Duration: 1 to 10 months, fixed (cannot be modified — only renewed once if total ≤ 10 months)
• Renewal: not allowed beyond 10 months total
• Termination: tenant 1 month notice; landlord cannot terminate during term
• Deposit: forbidden — landlord can require Visale guarantee instead
• Charges: forfait mandatory
• Tenant categories (article 25-12): higher education, professional internship, apprenticeship, professional training, civic service, professional mission, mobility-driven (e.g., new job posting)
• Tax: BIC, same as bail meublé

5.3 Strategic Use

Bail mobilité allows landlords to host genuine short-term residents (3–9 month stays for students, interns, mission-based professionals) without the deposit-return friction of meublé and without the regulatory complexity of tourism rentals (Airbnb registration, taxe de séjour).

Reference: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F35325

6. The Furnishings Test — Décret 31 juillet 2015

For both bail meublé and bail mobilité, the mandatory furniture list under Décret n° 2015-981 includes:

1. Bed with bedding (duvet/blanket)
2. Window blackout (curtains or blinds in bedrooms)
3. Cooking plates
4. Oven or microwave
5. Refrigerator with freezer compartment ≥ −6°C
6. Sufficient kitchenware (utensils, plates, glasses)
7. Table
8. Seating
9. Shelves for storage
10. Lighting
11. Household cleaning equipment adapted to the dwelling

Missing any item = lease can be requalified as bail vide by the tenant or court, with consequences for duration, deposit, and termination. Tax position may also be challenged.

7. Tax Comparison — Why Furnished Often Wins

For most landlords with mid-range investment properties, LMNP réel offers the highest after-tax yield, often by 15–25%.

8. Common Mistakes — Gyoseishoshi View

9. Strategic Selection Matrix

10. Conclusion — Three Tools for Three Profiles

The three lease formats are not interchangeable. Each is calibrated to a specific tenant profile and landlord strategy. Bail vide for stability, bail meublé for tax efficiency and shorter cycles, bail mobilité for genuine short-term residents under tightly controlled conditions. The 2026 regime is settled and predictable.

A Gyoseishoshi cannot represent French landlords or tenants in court. Scrib🐮 produces compliant templates for all three formats — with Décret 31 July 2015 furniture inventories, Visale-aligned guarantee notes for bail mobilité, and tax-regime-aware boilerplate.

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Disclaimer

Legal information, not legal advice. MmowW Scrib🐮 is operated by a licensed Gyoseishoshi (行政書士) office in Japan. We are not avocats.

Sources

• Loi du 6 juillet 1989: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/LEGITEXT000006069108/
• Service-public.fr (bail meublé): https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2042
• Service-public.fr (bail mobilité): https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F35325
• Décret n° 2015-981 du 31 juillet 2015: https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/loda/id/JORFTEXT000031006848/