Are you planning to sell an apartment in Soissons, in an old downtown building or a newer condominium? Even before a compromise is signed, a data must be established precisely: the private area of the lot, calculated according to the Carrez law.
This guide explains the goods involved, the method of calculation, the parts excluded, the choice of the professional and the consequences of an error. Its goal is to help owners and buyers understand the documents, without confusing floor surface, living area and Carrez surface.
The Carrez law obliges, for sales entering its field, to mention the area of the private part of a condominium lot in the pre-contract and authentic act. It allows the buyer to know a surface calculated according to the same legal criteria, rather than relying on an old commercial estimate or plan.
It applies to Soissons as elsewhere in France: it is not a city centre regulation or a rule reserved for old buildings. An apartment in a contemporary residence may be concerned in the same way as a dwelling in a building of character.
Measurement is required when the lot falls within the scope of section 46 of the Act of 10 July 1965. The notary shall check the indication of the area in the acts.
The Carrez Act does not apply to a house sold on its land outside the condominium regime. A house constituting a condominium lot may be concerned.
The Act provides for exclusions for cellars, garages, parking spaces and lots or fractions of lots less than 8 m2. It would be wrong, however, to mechanically remove from the living area the small rooms of an apartment: the physical assembly of several lots, for example, may lead to a particular calculation. Where the legal composition of the property is complex, re-read the condominium rules, the descriptive statement of division and the measurement by a competent professional.
The Decree of 17 March 1967 defines the private area from the floors of enclosed and covered premises. In particular, surfaces occupied by walls, partitions, stairs and stairwells, sheaths and door and window openings are removed. Parts with a height of less than 1.80 m are not retained.
The main rooms, bedrooms, entrances, corridors and other enclosed and covered private spaces may be included in the calculation if they meet the criteria of height and qualification of the lot. Depending on their configuration, an attic, attic, or veranda can be covered by the Carrez measurement when they are not necessarily counted in the living area.
| Space or peculiarity | Treatment to be considered |
|---|---|
| Balcony, terrace, open loggia | In principle excluded: they are not enclosed and covered spaces within the meaning of measurement. |
| Cellar, garage, parking | Excluded by law, even when sold with the apartment. |
| Subslope or mansard | Only the part with a height of at least 1.80 m may be retained, subject to the other criteria. |
| Staircase and stairwell | Regulatoryly deductible surfaces must be subtracted. |
| Mezzanine, veranda, attic | To be studied according to physical and legal characteristics: the title of the exhibit is not sufficient. |
| Several batches combined | Verification of the actual consistency of the good and the descriptive statement of division; the threshold of 8 m2 requires a specific analysis. |
In Soissons' old houses, the built-up attices, mansard ceilings or old appendices integrated into the dwelling therefore deserve special attention. These are possible situations, not presumed characteristics of all the apartments in the city.
The said surface « habitable » is another definition, used in particular for certain lease obligations. The rules of inclusion and exclusion do not overlap completely with those of the Carrez Act. Therefore, an owner may hold a private area certificate and a living space measure that are not identical, without necessarily making an error.
Similarly, the surface in an old act, in tax documents or in an energy diagnosis is not automatically a Carrez law measure. The method actually used must be identified.
The height under the ceiling varies. A precise survey makes it possible to distinguish the ground surface from that to be retained according to the threshold of 1.80 m.
Two old lots may have been grouped into one apartment. The calculation sometimes requires to cross physical reality and co-ownership documents.
A mezzanine, the closure of a space or the modification of partitions may make a new measurement necessary. Any authorizations must also be verified.
Cave, attic, pantry, balcony or reservation do not treat interchangeably. Their use, configuration and legal qualification matter.
The case of lots of less than 8 m2 illustrates this complexity: the Court of Cassation has already held, for an apartment resulting from the meeting of several lots, that the surface of the housing unit had to be assessed as materially presented. ANIL presents this decision. It is better to have the file reviewed rather than apply a simplified rule that could distort the announced area.
The law does not require the use of a certified diagnostician to perform the Carrez measurement. The seller can legally measure himself. However, an error may be a liability. For an apartment with mansards, mezzanines, bundles or special annexes, using an experienced professional is a serious precaution.
Depending on his/her skills and insurance, you can apply for a real estate measurement professional, a diagnostic expert or a geometer-expert. It must be checked that it does a good measurement Carrez law, and not just a ground surface or living area survey.
Our local directory lists real estate diagnostic companies located in Soissons. Before choosing an intervenor for a Carrez measurement, check directly that he offers this service and have the appropriate qualifications and assurances.
TheANIL expressly states that the use of a professional is not compulsory, but advised for this measurement. Do not confuse this situation with the DPE, which meets specific certification requirements.
The law provides for special remedies where the actual area is not the area included in the act. They depend in particular on the nature of the error and the legal deadlines.
Where the actual area is less than more than one twentieth to that mentioned in the act, the purchaser may request a proportional reduction in the price. Action must be taken in the year following the authentic act. A measurement error therefore does not automatically result in the cancellation of the sale.
Where the actual measure is greater than that indicated in the act, the excess does not give the seller an automatic right to a price supplement.
The absence of a mention of area in an act to which the Carrez Law applies may initiate an action for nullity, subject to specific conditions and time limits. Article 46 provides, in particular, for a period of one month after the authentic act to invoke the absence of any indication of area; a statement in the authentic instrument may also have an effect on the action relating to the pre-contract.
These rules are technical. As soon as a serious deviation is identified, the certificates must be communicated to the notary and a legal opinion must be sought before announcing a certain effect on the price or validity of the sale.
Whether the property is located in the old centre, near a residential area or in a recent condominium, the same precautions avoid a discrepancy between the area displayed in the advertisement and that worn in the acts.
The area certificate does not provide information on the roof condition, the building's strength, the charges, the works voted or the risks of the condominium. These issues need to be addressed through other documents, including minutes of general meetings and documents provided by the trustee.
Nor does it replace regulatory diagnoses. In an old building, the seller may have to provide, depending on the situation, a identification asbestos1 lead1 electrical diagnosis or Statement of risks. Each control has its own conditions of application.
To prepare for sale, you can visit our page dedicated to the real estate estimate in Soissons. A verified area provides a solid basis for presenting the property and explaining its price.
No. It is aimed at the sale of condominium lots entering its field. An individual house on its land, outside of its condominium, is not subject to it solely because it is sold to Soissons.
No. The seller can legally perform the measurement, but it may be prudent to entrust it to an insured and experienced professional. The mandatory certification of certain technical diagnostics does not automatically apply to Carrez measurement.
There is no uniform legal period of validity comparable to that of a DPE. However, an old measurement must be reviewed if the housing configuration has changed or if there is doubt about its reliability.
No, an open balcony or terrace does not correspond to a closed and covered space. The outer surface may be valued in the presentation of the property, but it should not be added to the Carrez surface.
No. Only parties meeting the criteria of the law, including the height of at least 1.80 m, may be taken into account. An accurate survey is required below the slopes.
The decree provides for an exclusion, but apartments resulting from the physical assembly of several lots may require a particular reasoning. The notary or the measuring professional must examine the specific dossier.
No. Where the actual area is more than 5 % less than that applied to the act, the purchaser may, within the legal period, request a proportional reduction in the price. The absence of a surface indication is subject to other rules.
The Carrez law defines the private area sold in condominiums; the living space is another method, including rental; DPE assesses energy performance. These three measures should not be mixed.
Find the other guides in this collection to prepare a sale, identify the applicable controls and know to whom contact you.
File 10, « Termites and merule », is not yet published. Its link uses a planned permalink, which will only be publicly accessible after publication.
To find a professional offering surface measurement or other diagnostics, consult our real estate diagnostics directory in Soissons (02200). Always check the services actually offered before making an appointment.
Information verified as at 1 November 2026. This page presents the general framework for sales of condominium lots. Special situations require the examination of documents specific to the property and, if necessary, the opinion of the notary or a competent professional.
