What is the minimum height and surface area of a dwelling to rent?

Verified 21 March 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

When rented to serve as a principal residence to the tenant, the dwelling must have a minimum area and height under ceiling. The minimum area differs depending on whether the accommodation is rented or rented colocation. If this obligation is not respected, the owner is prohibited from renting the accommodation. We'll explain.

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For rent

A rental unit must respect a minimum surface area. This is one of the criteria for decent housing.

The dwelling must include at least 1 main room having:

  • Let's say one living space of at least 9 m² and a ceiling height of at least 2,20 m
  • Let's say one habitable volume of at least 20 m³.

Warning  

Departmental health regulations may impose more restrictive conditions.

In colocation

A flatshare is the rental by several tenants of the same dwelling constituting their main residence. It can take the form of a single lease signed by all roommates (joint lease) or several lease agreements signed between each roommate and the owner (or his representative).

The rental of a dwelling to a couple entered into at the time of the signing of the lease or to a married couple is not a colocation.

The housing must respect a minimum surface area. This is one of the criteria for decent housing.

The dwelling must include at least 1 main room having:

  • Let's say one living space of at least 9 m² and a ceiling height of at least 2,20 m
  • Let's say one habitable volume of at least 20 m³.

Departmental Health Regulations (DHR) may impose more restrictive conditions. To consult it, you can contact your city hall.

Warning  

So that roommates can be entitled to personal housing assistance, housing must have a living space at least 16 m² for 2 roommates. For each additional roommate, an additional 9 m² is needed, up to a limit of 78 m² for 8 people and more.

Each roommate must have a room with an area of at least 9 m2 and of a volume of not less than 20 m3 (common parts not taken into account).

The decent housing is evaluated by taking into account all the elements, equipment and rooms of the dwelling (and not just the room of which the tenant has private use).

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