• inform the lessee about the property location in a seismic area, and/or in a prevention plan of natural and technological risks (PPRn or PPRt) area;
• inform the lessee about any compensation of the property due to an officially recognized act of God or technological disaster.

In case of breach of these obligations, the lessee is entitled to sue the lessor and the judge can order a rent reduction.
A comprehensive statement on risks includes copies of the prefectorial decree, maps of the administrative towns, the property localization map, and the list of the risks to which it is exposed.
It is the responsability of the landlord to establish the risks statement report. The statement must be less than six months old at the moment of signing the rental lease. However, it is not necessary to have it up to date during the lease period. On the contrary, in case of renewal by signing a new rental lease, the lessor has to produce a new risks statement of less than six months old.
This obligation apply also to co-lessee agreements and when a co-lessee is added during the lease period.

Useful information: if the lease rental is tacitly renewed, the production of a new statement of natural and technological risks is not mandatory.

The landlord must consult the Administrative towns Information File (DCI: Dossier communal d'information), which is available at the town hall, in the prefecture or subprefecture or on the prefecture website. To have a list of departments having published information on risks, consult: www.prim.net/actu/archives/ial.html

More information: prefectures websites addresses are all made up as follows: www.departement.pref.gouv.fr/

Example: www.marne.pref.gouv.fr/

For Paris, from the website www.paris.pref.gouv.fr, select « Informations sur les risques majeurs », then « Information des Acquéreurs et des Locataires (IAL) ». You will be then able to consult the information report, the legal texts and access to the mapping of risks areas. The mapping of these areas is also available on http://paris-a-la-carte-version-pl.paris.fr/carto/mapping

If the property is located in a risks area, the landlord/lessor has to fill in the "Etat des risques naturels et technologiques" form downloadable from www.prim.net, or he can ask for a copy at the town hall.
The landlord is then able to fill in the form and attach to it the appropriate appendixes.

To learn more about it

www.prim.net/citoyen/
Downloadable information publication about IAL (French Information to Buyers and Lessees):
www.prim.net/citoyen/moi_face_au_risque/PDF/223_FAQ_IAL.pdf
www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr