Renting furnished in France requires eleven minimum items (decree 2015-981). An incomplete furnished letting can be reclassified as unfurnished. The list.
For a property to be legally "furnished" in France, it must contain at least eleven items set by decree no. 2015-981 of 31 July 2015: bedding, window coverings, hobs, oven or microwave, fridge-freezer, crockery, kitchen utensils, table and seating, storage shelves, lighting and cleaning equipment. If one is missing, the property risks being reclassified as an unfurnished letting, with a different lease, notice and tax regime. This guide gives the full list, item by item, then the right habits for equipping a room or studio for an international student.
The eleven mandatory items (decree 2015-981)
The list is set by decree no. 2015-981 of 31 July 2015, issued under article 25-4 of the 1989 law. It is a minimum: nothing stops you adding, but you cannot remove.
| # | Mandatory item | What it means in practice | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bedding with duvet or blanket | A bed and something to sleep under | service-public.fr |
| 2 | Window coverings | Shutters, blinds or curtains in the rooms meant for sleeping | service-public.fr |
| 3 | Hobs | For cooking | service-public.fr |
| 4 | Oven or microwave oven | Either one is enough | service-public.fr |
| 5 | Fridge and freezer (or compartment ≤ -6 °C) | Food storage | service-public.fr |
| 6 | Sufficient crockery | Plates, glasses, cutlery to have meals | service-public.fr |
| 7 | Kitchen utensils | Pans, a frying pan, what is needed to prepare meals | service-public.fr |
| 8 | Table and seating | A dining corner | service-public.fr |
| 9 | Storage shelves | Storage for belongings | service-public.fr |
| 10 | Lighting | Lights in the rooms | service-public.fr |
| 11 | Household cleaning equipment | Suited to the property (broom, vacuum cleaner, etc.) | service-public.fr |
The official list is on service-public.fr, in the text of decree no. 2015-981 on Légifrance and in ANIL's analysis. If in doubt about an item, check there: those are the references that count.
Why compliance really matters
This is not an administrative detail. If the property lacks one of the eleven items, it may be reclassified as an unfurnished letting in a dispute. The consequences are not neutral for you:
- the applicable lease changes (the furnished regime no longer applies);
- the term and notice differ;
- the tax regime switches: an unfurnished letting falls under property income, not the BIC of a furnished letting (see our guide on the taxation of a furnished student letting).
In other words, a missing oven or absent bedding can cost you the benefit of furnished status, and call into question the mobility lease or student lease you had planned. An inventory attached to the lease, and a careful check-in inspection, protect both parties.
The smart essentials for an international student
Beyond the legal minimum, a few practical choices make the difference for an Erasmus audience that arrives with a suitcase and leaves one or two semesters later:
- Sturdy and easy to clean. A student changing every semester means furniture that has to withstand several turnovers. Favour solid and washable over "pretty but fragile".
- Turnkey. An international student will not buy appliances. Working wifi, hobs that work, complete crockery: the property must be liveable from the first evening.
- A "first night kit". Sheets, a duvet, a clean set of crockery, a few cleaning products: this small gesture avoids a bad first impression when the person lands off a flight, often late.
- Clarity. A simple guide (heating, appliances, waste sorting), ideally bilingual, cuts your back-and-forth and small incidents.
These touches are not mandatory, but they smooth the relationship and show in the quality of your listing. A well-equipped property re-lets faster at every intake, a profitability lever we detail for Bordeaux in profitability of a student letting in Bordeaux.
Got a room or a studio to let in Bordeaux? List it for free on Studroof and reach Erasmus students arriving on fixed dates. You sign and get paid directly — 0% commission, Studroof never handles the money. Studroof is neither an agency nor a property manager: it is a listings platform that puts you in touch, nothing more. List your room now from the landlord hub.
FAQ — Furnishing a student rental
What does a property need to be considered "furnished"? It must contain the eleven items on the list of decree no. 2015-981: bedding, window coverings, hobs, oven or microwave, fridge-freezer, crockery, utensils, table and seating, shelves, lighting, cleaning equipment. Official list on service-public.fr.
Are a bed and a hob enough? No. They are only 2 of the 11 items required. A property that does not contain the whole list is not legally "furnished" and may be reclassified as an unfurnished letting.
What is the risk if the furnished letting is incomplete? Reclassification as an unfurnished letting in a dispute, with a different lease, notice and tax regime (property income instead of BIC). Better to complete the list and attach an inventory to the lease.
Does a microwave replace the oven? Yes. The decree requires "an oven or a microwave oven": either one is enough. Check the current text on service-public.fr.
Do I have to provide sheets and crockery? Bedding (with duvet or blanket), crockery and utensils are among the mandatory items. A clean "first night kit" is a real plus for a student arriving from abroad, even if it is not required as such.
This article is for information and does not replace official sources or legal advice. Studroof is a passive listings platform, not an estate agency or a property manager. The list of mandatory items is set by decree 2015-981: always check the version in force on service-public.fr and Légifrance. Last updated: September 2026.