Lead-containing habitat

Verified 13 February 2025 - Directorate for Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

Lead is a toxic metal generally present in paints in homes built before 1er January 1949. When ingested or inhaled, lead can cause lead poisoning, which is particularly serious for pregnant women and young children. What to do if lead is present in a dwelling? We explain the information you need to know.

Lead can be detected:

  • in connection with the screening by a doctor of a lead poisoning
  • or during the implementation of the lead exposure hazard finding (Crep), which is compulsory in the case of the sale or rental of a built dwelling before 1er january 1949.

Screening

When a doctor detect lead poisoning, he must fill in a form:

Notifiable disease - Lead poisoning and lead poisoning

The doctor must send this form to the regional health agency (RHA) under confidential cover.

Who shall I contact

This statement triggers a environmental survey to determine the origin of the poisoning.

The survey is usually carried out by the LRA and/or the municipal health and hygiene service (SCHS).

As part of this survey, a diagnosis is carried out on the coatings of the dwelling (paint for example). This survey may be supplemented by a diagnosis of the coatings of the building or part of a building inhabited or frequented regularly.

The results of the investigation are communicated to the prefect.

When the diagnosis shows a lead level above 1 mg/cm², the prefect notify the owner of the dwelling is obliged to have work carried out.

This work consists in placing covering materials on the degraded coatings containing lead which are revealed during the diagnosis. They may include the replacement of certain building elements and the removal of immediate causes of degradation of the coatings (e.g. leakages).

The work must not result in harmful release of lead dust.

The owner of the dwelling must inform the prefect of his commitment to carry out the work indicated. It must also specify the conditions under which it will ensure the accommodation of the tenant, if the carrying out of the work requires the temporary release of the accommodation.

This information must reach the prefect by registered letter with notice of receipt in a 10-day period from the receipt of the notification.

General case
Who shall I contact
In Paris

The time limit for the execution of the work is limited to 1 month. However, if within the same period the landlord ensures the accommodation of the tenant in other premises, the time limit for carrying out the work is then increased to Maximum 3 months.

Please note

In the absence of information from the landlord, the prefect has the works carried out on his behalf and if necessary ensures the temporary accommodation of the tenant at the owner's expense.

Realization of Crep

Crep can show the presence of lead in the housing.

If lead is present at concentrations above the threshold of 1 mg/cm², the owner-seller or owner-landlord must carry out the workwithout waiting.

This work consists in placing covering materials on the degraded coatings containing lead which are revealed during the diagnosis. They may include the replacement of certain building elements and the removal of immediate causes of degradation of the coatings (e.g. leakages).

The work must not result in harmful release of lead dust.

If the Crep is not provided and the purchaser or tenant discovers the presence of lead in the dwelling, the seller owner or landlord can be held liable before the court of the place where the property is situated for hidden defect.

The purchaser may request the cancelation of the sale or obtain damages. The tenant can request the cancelation of the lease or a reduction in the rent price.

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