Fees are dependent upon the location, age, size and condition of the property. The expert will spend less time inspecting a well maintained 3-4 bedroom property than a chateau that is located in a remote area and needs a major renovation.

Every owner has to pay for the obligatory Dossier Diagnostic Technique. French Property Surveyors appreciates that you may not be keen to pay for yet another inspection - how useful that inspection might be. It therefore offers owners of properties the opportunity to choose between payment in advance or later.  

The average fee for a STAR Inspection is 499 euros, if payment is made in advance. The minimum fee is 425 euros.

If you prefer, you can use the proceeds of the sale of your property to pay for the STAR Inspection. In that case certain Terms & Conditions apply. Although the STAR rating should increase the chances of selling your French property significantly, the current economic climate could mean that FPS will receive the agreed fee only after a considerable delay. You will therefore pay less for the inspection when you pay in advance.

The minimum fee for a STAR Inspection, with payment after your property is sold, is 749 euros, irrespective of the delay.

Payment is due when the property is sold or taken off the market.

It is impossible for FPS to check if one of the many properties it inspects has been sold. Owners of properties are requested to instruct their "notaire" to confirm to FPS in writing that the agreed fee for the STAR inspection will be transferred by this "notaire" to FPS, immediately after the sale of the property has been completed. FPS will only carry out the inspection when that confirmation has been received.

It is possible that you decide not to go ahead with the sale. FPS will therefore ask you to agree in writing that payment of the fee will be made by you, immediately after you have taken the property off the market.

Why not share the costs with your estate agent?