Furnishing a holiday rental: the compulsory, the benchmark and the expected

What we are talking about

Under the French Tourism Code, a furnished tourist rental (“meublé de tourisme”) is a villa, flat or studio, furnished, for the tenant's exclusive use, let to passing guests who do not make it their home, for a few days, weeks or months (article L324-1-1).

Compulsory: the smoke detector

Every home must have at least one. When it is let as a holiday or furnished rental, the owner installs, maintains and replaces it (article R142-3 of the French Construction and Housing Code). We check that it works on every visit.

The benchmark: the 2015 list

The decree of 31 July 2015 lists the minimum furniture for a furnished home let as a main residence. It does not apply as such to a furnished tourist rental, but it is a good benchmark. The decree lists:

• bedding with a duvet or blanket;
• a way to black out the windows in bedrooms;
• a hob;
• an oven or a microwave;
• a fridge with a compartment at −6 °C or colder;
• crockery and kitchen utensils;
• a table and chairs;
• storage shelves;
• light fittings;
• cleaning equipment suited to the property.

The expected: what guests take for granted

• Wi-Fi that works, with the code displayed;
• sheets and towels;
• a way to make coffee;
• room to unpack;
• a hairdryer;
• a welcome book: how the property works, a number to call, addresses nearby.

Our advice, seen from the cleaning side

• ordinary crockery, easy to replace like for like;
• white linen, washable at high temperature;
• mattress and pillow protectors on every bed;
• smooth surfaces rather than materials that trap everything.