Paris Rent Control Extended to 2028? What the Senate Vote Means for Tenants

On 21 October 2026, the French Senate voted by 325 to 17 to extend rent control until November 2028. Good news for Paris tenants, on one condition: the National Assembly must pass the very same text, without changing a word, before the experiment ends on 24 November 2026. Here is what the text contains, what remains uncertain, and what we advise if you are signing a lease in the coming weeks.

What the Senate voted on 21 October

Rent control in France is not a permanent rule. It is an experiment created by the ELAN law in 2018, extended to eight years by the 3DS law in 2022, and it expires at the end of November 2026. In our article of 6 October, we explained that a bill passed by the National Assembly in December 2025 sought to make it permanent.

The Senate chose another path. It rejected a permanent scheme (230 votes to 96) and adopted a compromise backed by the government:

• Two more years: the experiment goes from eight to ten years and runs until November 2028.
• No new cities: only the areas already involved keep the scheme. Paris, Plaine Commune and Est Ensemble (including Montreuil) remain covered.
• Early exit possible: a town or a group of towns may ask to leave the scheme.

What changes for you if the text is adopted

The Senate text also includes several measures that help tenants:

• One year to challenge a rent supplement (complément de loyer), instead of three months today. This is the most practical change: many tenants only realise a supplement is unjustified long after signing, once they have moved in.
• Rents reported to the tax authorities: from 1 January 2027, landlords will declare their rent excluding charges, supplement included, so that compliance with the caps can be measured more reliably.
• Checks closer to the ground: inspections and fines, currently handled by the prefect, may be delegated to town councils.

On the other hand, the Senate removed what the deputies had added against workarounds: capping the rent supplement at 20% of the reference rent, covering co-living, and doubling fines. Rent supplements therefore remain possible under the same conditions as today, and they are what you need to keep an eye on.

The final step: an identical vote in the National Assembly

As the government did not use the fast-track procedure, the text goes back and forth between the two chambers. To become law in time, deputies must adopt it exactly as the Senate wrote it. A single amendment would send it back to the Senate, just days before the deadline.

The text was sent to the National Assembly on 22 October and has been before the economic affairs committee since early November. The Socialists, who wrote the original bill, have said they will vote for this compromise even though they find it too limited. The timetable is tight, as the 2027 budget takes up much of the debating time until mid-November.

As of this article (4 November 2026), final adoption is not yet secured. We will update this article as soon as the deputies vote.

What if the text is not adopted in time?

Without a law enacted before the experiment ends, rent caps would lose their legal basis for new leases. Two protections would remain:

• A lease signed while rent control applies remains subject to the cap in force when it was signed.
• The rule that limits rent increases when a property is re-let in high-demand areas still applies, regardless of rent control. It has been extended until 31 July 2027.

Our advice if you are signing a lease this autumn

• Check the rent before signing. In Paris, the maximum reference rents range from €18.1 to €45.8 per m² for unfurnished lets and from €20.6 to €52.2 per m² for furnished lets, depending on the neighbourhood, number of rooms and construction period.
• Ask for a justification of any rent supplement. It is only allowed for features that are exceptional compared with similar homes in the area (view, terrace, rare amenities), and never if the home has defects such as an F or G energy rating or signs of damp.
• Keep the listing, the lease and all written exchanges. They are your evidence if you challenge the rent later, especially as the deadline may move to one year.
• Read the annual rent review clause. Our article on rent reviews and the IRL index helps you check the calculation.

Our view on this vote

For our clients, the extension is above all a matter of clarity. When we shortlist a home, we compare its rent with the legal cap before we even visit: it is one of the first filters in our search. Evaluations published this year measure rent moderation of 2 to 4% in cities with rent control. Not spectacular, but on a Paris rent it adds up to several hundred euros a year. Two years of stability also means two years in which tenants can assert their rights under known rules.

FAQ

Has rent control been extended in Paris?

Not yet definitively. The Senate voted to extend it until November 2028; the National Assembly must adopt the same text before the experiment ends on 24 November 2026.

Will new cities apply rent control?

No. The Senate text keeps the scheme only in the areas already involved: Paris, Plaine Commune, Est Ensemble, Lille, Lyon and Villeurbanne, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Grenoble and the Basque Country.

Can my current rent go up if rent control ends?

Not simply because rent control ends. During a lease, your rent can only change through the annual review set out in the contract, capped by the IRL index. The question would mainly concern new leases.

How long do I have to challenge a rent supplement?

Today, three months from signing the lease. If the Senate text is definitively adopted, this deadline will become one year.

Conclusion

Between now and the end of November, everything depends on the National Assembly. Whatever the outcome, the right reflex stays the same: check every rent before signing. Looking for a home in Paris and want to be sure you pay a fair price? Book an appointment with APPARTE: your property hunter checks the rent of every home before presenting it to you.

This article provides general information that is accurate at the time of publication. For your specific situation, have your rights checked by a professional (ADIL, lawyer or notary).