The Carrez law ensures the protection of buyers of co-owned housing by imposing total transparency on the surface area of houses and apartments put up for sale. It requires sellers of real estate to include in the deed of sale the private area, also called “Carrez law area”. This non-universal legislation can make the difference in a development project. Explore the details of this regulation and the ceiling height imposed by the Carrez law.
What ceiling height is required for the Carrez law?
The ceiling height imposed by the Carrez law guarantees the notion of decency in co-ownership housing of more than 8 m². It covers the distance between the floor and the finished (visible) ceiling. This measurement must be 2.50 meters for new constructions, but it varies for older properties. As the upper floors of old buildings generally have lower ceilings, the law grants them a standard height of 1.80 meters. This measurement does not take into account parts of rooms with too low ceilings.
How to comply with the Carrez law?
Although the Carrez law authorizes owners to calculate the surface area of a property themselves, this task requires rigor, good methodology and above all experience. Furthermore, there are rooms that are particularly difficult to measure, such as a convertible attic or an attic room, without forgetting that the law only allows a margin of error of less than 5%. Above this limit, the buyer can request a reduction in the sale price of the property in the first year following its acquisition. It is therefore preferable to entrust this mission to a certified real estate diagnostician.