Carrez law: definition and calculation rule

When the time comes for you to sell or buy a condominium unit, the Carrez Law will make perfect sense for you. But do you know exactly what this law is for?

Our ultimate goal is to help you understand the ins and outs of this law. In this article, you will find out everything you need to know about the Carrez Law.

What does the Carrez Law mean?

Thanks to the Carrez Law, you can calculate the living area of a condominium accurately. Indeed, there are a multitude of rules for accurately calculating the area of a home. Among other areas, we can mention the following: weighted area, useful area, SHON, Loi Boutin, SHOB...

Each of these calculation methods considers a certain number of elements at the expense of others. When it comes to calculating living space, several factors must be taken into account. This varies according to the situation, namely: doorways, gardens, walls, annexes and outbuildings, etc...

However, in order to facilitate the acquisition for the person who makes the purchase, the Carrez Law establishes regulations dating from December 18, 1996 and specifying exactly the measures of a condominium. With such a law, no more confusing situations in order to truly know the private area of a dwelling intended for housing.

In addition, the measured dimensions must be listed in all official documents relating to the transaction.

Who is this Carrez law really about?

Written by Deputy Gilles Carrez, the Carrez Law makes it possible to know the living area of a property.

It is therefore obvious that this law makes the purchasers of a condominium much safer. In addition, it ensures their safety even better than that of buyers of a single-family home.

The rules for measuring an area in Carrez law

In normal times, taking measurements is a task reserved exclusively for a professional surveyor. In fact, the Carrez Law takes into account all of the private areas reserved for housing with a ceiling height of at least 1.80 m.

The professional surveyor is in charge of the diagnosis. But in the worst case, you can always do it yourself. But in any case, there are some data that should be taken into account, namely:

- We only take measurements of the surface of the pieces. According to the Carrez Law, the measurement of partitions, stairwells, walls, stairs, walls, steps, door and window embrasures and ducts is not taken into account. - The area calculation excludes condominium lots that do not reach a minimum of 8 m2. However, if during a sale, several adjacent lots of this size or less are considered. The operation can take its own course depending on the context... - The Carrez Law does not take into account rooms that are unsuitable for living or not private. These rooms include: parking spaces and garages, boxes and annexes, non-convertible attics, gardens and cellars.

- The Carrez Law only considers permanent and closed premises. It therefore excludes open terraces or balconies.

There is a tendency to confuse this law with the Boutin Act. However, these two laws are quite distinct, and the Boutin Act is much more stringent.