Who pays for repairing a party wall?

Upkeep shared in proportion to each owner's right (Article 655)

Article 655 of the French Civil Code states that the repair and reconstruction of a party wall fall on everyone who has a right to it, in proportion to each person's right. Since party-wall ownership is most often equal, each neighbour bears half of the cost.

This covers work that benefits the shared wall: strengthening, renewing the coping, rebuilding after wear and tear. By contrast, a neighbour who damages the wall through their own fault bears sole liability on the basis of Article 1240 of the French Civil Code and pays the full cost of putting it right.

Avoiding the costs by abandoning party-wall rights (Article 656)

Article 656 offers a way out: any co-owner may avoid contributing to repairs and reconstruction by abandoning their party-wall right. They then give up ownership of their half of the wall, which becomes the exclusive property of the neighbour, and lose the right to use it.

This option has an important limit: abandonment is not possible where the party wall supports a building belonging to the person who wishes to abandon it. An owner who draws a benefit from the wall, such as a wall retaining their own construction, therefore cannot avoid the costs.

How costs are split according to the type of work

Cost allocation depends on the nature of the work carried out on a party wall. Repair or reconstruction of the shared wall is split in proportion to each owner's right, generally by half (Article 655). Damage caused through one neighbour's fault falls entirely on the person responsible for it. A raising decided by a single neighbour is borne solely by the one who carries it out (Article 658). And where a co-owner abandons their party-wall rights, other than for a wall supporting a building, the wall becomes the exclusive property of the neighbour (Article 656).