Termination of rural lease

Verified 16 October 2026 - Entreprendre Service Public / (Prime Minister)

The rural lease contract is in principle concluded for a minimum period (e.g. 9 years for the farm lease). In certain specific cases, the lessor (owner) or lessee (tenant) may decide to terminate it before the due date. Such termination may also be decided by mutual agreement. The lessee is entitled to compensation when he has improved the leased property.

Lessor

The landlord may obtain the termination of the rural lease in the following cases:

The lessor may request the termination of the rural lease by assignment of the lessee before the joint tribunal for rural leases.

The judge may declare the lease terminated on one of the following grounds:

  • 2 defaults of payment of the lessee. Termination is possible after the expiry of a period of 3 consecutive months to 2 formal notice sent to the lessee by LRAR: titleContent
  • Actions of the lessee compromising proper operation the leased fund (for example, the lack of cultivation of a land or the lack of manpower necessary for the proper functioning of the holding)
  • Non-compliance by the lessee with environmental clauses (for example, a clause to preserve water resources or biodiversity...))
  • Assignment of lease or subletting carried out by the lessee without the agreement of the lessor
  • Exchanges of enjoyment of plots without notifying the lessor. This applies, for example, to cases where farmers exchange land use in order to group or facilitate the use of their land.
  • Input from the lease to a business or group without the agreement of the lessor

In the event of the lessee's death, the lease shall continue in a automatic for the benefit of the spouse, entered into a civil partnership partner, ascendants or descendants. This transmission is however conditioned by certain requirements, such as the obligation to participate in the operation at the time of death, or to have participated effectively in the operation during the 5 years preceding it.

The lessor may request the termination of the rural lease when the lessee dies without leaving of spouses nor of entered into a civil partnership partner, or even of right holders participating in the operation or having participated in the operation during the 5 years preceding the death.

The landlord has 6 months from the day he knows of the death to oppose the transmission of the lease.

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Change of destination of leased goods

The lessor may at any time terminate the lease of rented plots of which the destination agricultural may be modified. This applies in particular to the case of leased parcels that may become constructible under a MORE.

The request for termination shall be notified by the lessor to the lessee by extra-judicial act. The landlord must mention his commitment to change or change the destination of the leased plot within 3 years.

This termination is effective 1 year after notification.

FYI  

Even in this case, the lessee is entitled to a compensation calculated as a function of the time remaining until the end of the lease. He may not be compelled to leave the premises before the expiration of the crop year in progress.

Destruction of rented property

In case of total destruction of leased property, the lease is terminated from full right, i.e. without any formality or action being required of the lessor or lessee.

The landlord may decide to terminate the rural lease at any time of the lease with the agreement of the lessee. It is then a question of amicable termination. In this situation, the parties decide together on the conditions of termination (termination date, payment of an exit indemnity...))

Lessee

In some cases, termination may be initiated by the lessee. This may of course result from his wish to terminate.

This early termination of the lease may also be authorized by virtue of an event that may affect the lessee's situation or his entourage. Thus, the termination can be imposed on the lessor by the lessee in the following cases:

  • Retirement: the lessee may terminate the lease at the end of one of the 1-year periods during which he has reached retirement age. If, for example, the lessee reaches retirement age in February, he may notify his request for termination to the lessor so that it is effective on 31 December of that year
  • Disability at work more than 2 years affecting the lessee or one of his family members essential to the work of the farm
  • Death of one or more members of the lessee's family essential to the work of the holding
  • Acquisition by the lessee of a farm to be operated by the lessee
  • Refusal of authorization to operate obliging him to bring his holding into conformity with the provisions of the regional master plan for agricultural holdings.

The request for termination on any of these grounds must be addressed to the lessor, at least 12 months in advance, by act extra-judicial or by LRAR: titleContent.

FYI  

In case of total destruction of leased property, the lease is automatically terminated, without any formality or action being required of the lessor or lessee.

The lessee may also terminate the lease at any time of a common agreement with the landlord. We are talking about amicable termination.

The two parties then decide together on the conditions of the termination, such as the date of termination or the payment of an exit indemnity.

Please note

Where a sole lessee of the lease operates the property with his spouse and in the usual manner, then he cannot request its termination without the latter's express consent.

Where the lessee has made improvements to the leased fund, he shall be entitled to a exit allowance from the lessor.

The upgrades must correspond to repairs necessary for the conservation of a farm building or to works allowing the exploitation of the land (such as upgrading buildings, or installing drainage systems...))

The lessee must request this exit allowance from his lessor in the 12 months from the end date of the lease.

The parties agree on the amount of compensation. Without response or in case of refusal of the lessor on the amount of the compensation, the lessee can ask the joint tribunal for rural leases set the amount.

FYI  

Works made by the lessee may sometimes require the agreement of the lessor, or respect a certain formality. More information is available on the sheet Rights and obligations of lessee and lessor in farm lease

In the event of the lessee's death, the rural lease is part of the estate. It may therefore be passed on to the spouse, entered into a civil partnership partner, ascendant or descendant of the deceased lessee.

To benefit from this transfer of the lease, rights holders eligible must participate in works of the holding or have actually participated in it during the 5 years prior to death.

If the heirs do not wish to continue the operation of the rented plots, they must ask the lessor to terminate the rural lease. Termination must be requested by LRAR: titleContent or by extra-judicial act within 6 months of the lessee's death. After this period, the heirs are considered to have accepted the continuation of the lease and must therefore pay the rents.

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