Renovating a property
to let.

Chautagne does not have a uniform housing stock, and this is something to know before investing. The municipalities along the lake and the Canal de Savières concentrate the second homes: Conjux at more than 42%, Chanaz at nearly 33%, Saint-Pierre-de-Curtille at around 20%. Inland, the rates fall to around 10 to 16% in Serrières-en-Chautagne, Vions, Ruffieux, Chindrieux and Motz.

At the same time, vacancy is significant in some municipalities: 10.6% in Serrières-en-Chautagne, nearly 10% in Motz. A vacant home is often a property whose condition discourages letting — and therefore, for an investor, an entry point.

The housing is overwhelmingly individual, with houses making up 79% to more than 96% depending on the municipality. So we are mainly talking about village houses, farmhouses and lakeside houses to be upgraded, and more rarely flats.

A property intended for letting is not renovated like a main residence. Three requirements dominate: durability — materials and fittings must withstand a turnover of occupants —, energy performance, which determines appeal and compliance, and budget control, since every euro must be justified by rent.

The energy performance certificate (EPC) has become central for every landlord: regulations on the least energy-efficient homes have been tightened and continue to change. A poorly rated property is harder to let, sometimes impossible to let. It is often the first lever to address, and it ties in directly with insulation work.

Then there is bringing up to standard: electrics, plumbing, safety, ventilation. These items are not very visible but non-negotiable, and it is better to deal with them in the same project as the decoration.

Many owners aim for seasonal letting or furnished holiday lets, which is understandable in a tourist area crossed by the ViaRhôna cycle route and bordered by the lake. In terms of works, this points to a higher level of finish, well-designed outdoor spaces and year-round comfort.

On the regulatory side, however, we prefer to be cautious: the rules for furnished tourist lets — declaration to the town hall, possible change of use, classification — come under schemes that vary between municipalities and change regularly. Check directly with your town hall and the Grand Lac services before finalising your rental project.

Our role stops at what we master: designing and carrying out quality works, in compliance with the planning rules applicable to your plot. We will not advise you on taxation or the status of your rental: it is not our field, and bad advice would cost you more than silence.

Three points specific to Chautagne deserve checking before any purchase with a view to letting. First, the Loi Littoral (coastal and lakeshore protection law): in Chindrieux, Conjux and Saint-Pierre-de-Curtille, a property in the shoreline strip can be refurbished but not extended — if your business plan relied on an extension, it falls apart.

Next, the PPRi flood risk prevention plan for the Plaine de Chautagne, which covers seven of the eight municipalities: it governs the creation of living space on lower levels and therefore, sometimes, the possibility of adding bedrooms on the ground floor.

Finally, on an old building, the PLUi appearance rules regulate facades and roofs. We check everything before costing: this is what allows us to announce a budget and timeframe that hold, and to prevent an investment from being blocked after signing.