Renovating your second home?
My family has a chalet in the Alps, but it's old and apparently very expensive to renovate. I'd like to demolish it, rebuild it and use the opportunity to extend it a little, but a neighbour has told me that if I demolish it, I won't be able to do what I want to do because of the law on second homes!
Is this true?
Jean
Up on the mountain, your neighbour isn't entirely wrong about your old chalet, but he doesn't seem to be aware of the latest legal provisions on the subject.
Since 1er On 1 October 2024, the famous Federal law on second homes, which has imposed so many restrictions since its adoption, was amended to clarify and relax the rules applicable to so-called "old law" homes, i.e. those built or authorised before 11 March 2012.
The aim of this revision is to allow a degree of modernisation of the housing stock while respecting the constitutional limit of 20 % of second homes per municipality, adopted following a popular initiative that surprised many.
Until recently, demolishing an old second home could result in the loss of certain advantages, in particular the possibility of rebuilding it for the same purpose. From now on, homes built under the old law can be renovated, converted, demolished and rebuilt in building zones, with much greater freedom as to how they are used. The major new feature is that the main floor area can be increased by up to 30 % over that existing on 11 March 2012, without losing second home status. It is even possible to create additional dwellings or buildings on the plot, subject to certain conditions.
If your chalet falls into this category under the old law, you can demolish it, rebuild it and even extend it within the limits laid down by law, i.e. 130 % of the original floor area. Expansion beyond this limit remains possible, but only if the new dwelling is intended to become a principal residence or tourist accommodation, with the corresponding restrictions on use recorded in the Land Register.
Please note, however, that these rules apply only to building zones and do not allow acquired rights to be transferred to another plot. Above all, they only apply to the original legal surface area. Any part of the old chalet built without permission will not count towards the right to rebuild.
So you can let your neighbour know that the law has changed: owners of old cottages can renovate them completely without having to wait for the snow and rocks to unite and rip them off!
