Before buying appliances for an unfurnished rental, check what’s already there, then measure the spaces, access routes and connections. Next, choose appliances for refrigeration, cooking and, if needed, laundry based on how you’ll use them. Even an appliance with all the right features may be impossible to install in your home.
If your home doesn’t have a confirmed way to store food, cook or do the laundry, start by noting what’s actually there. The list of equipment required for furnished rentals under the decree of 31 July 2015, published on Légifrance, is not an inventory of what you’ll find in your unfurnished rental.
A small kitchen or utility room means measuring both access routes and the final location, without forgetting how the doors will open. For a washing machine, you’ll also need to check the water supply, drainage and electrical installation. Promotelec sets out specific requirements for bathrooms and shower rooms.
If you’ll use your appliances often, choose a capacity that suits your habits and compare the features you’ll actually need. ADEME recommends checking the energy label and also highlights the durability index as a useful guide when choosing a washing machine.
When equipping an unfurnished rental, first work out what’s missing. Then rule out any sizes that won’t fit before comparing features. This table is for consumers planning to buy at least one refrigeration, cooking, laundry or food-preparation appliance.
| What matters | What to check | Consumers concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Appliances you actually need | Compare your tenancy agreement and check-in inventory with the appliances already there, then make a list of the functions you’re missing. | I want to avoid ordering an appliance that’s already provided and buy what I need to make the home usable first. Around 31% of consumers prioritise identifying their needs. |
| Space and installation | Measure the appliance, its delivery route and the clearance it needs. For a washing machine, check the connections too. | In a narrow room, I need to be able to get the appliance in and use it once it’s installed. Around 25% of consumers put this compatibility ahead of other factors. |
| Regular use | Choose a suitable capacity. Compare the energy labels of similar appliances and, for a washing machine, check the durability index. | If I store food or do laundry frequently, I want enough capacity without overlooking energy use. Around 25% of consumers put everyday use first. |
| Preparing meals | Decide what you need the appliance to do — reheat, blend or cook — and check there’s enough room for it. | I’d rather choose an appliance that suits the meals I prepare than end up with features I never use. Around 19% of consumers prioritise a specific food-preparation or cooking function. |
A fridge or washing machine might fit the space you’ve chosen but still not get through a doorway, up the stairs or into the lift. Once in place, its door also needs room to open. An integrated model will need a compatible cabinet too.
Measure the entire route and the final location, then compare your measurements with the dimensions and installation instructions for the exact model.
The location must have suitable connections. In a bathroom or shower room, Promotelec specifies that the washing machine must be outside zones 0, 1 and 2 and the hidden zone. It must also have an earthed power supply protected by a 30 mA residual-current device.
Check the water supply, drainage and electrical installation before choosing an appliance. If you’re unsure about the location, ask a qualified professional to inspect the installation rather than improvising a connection.
The decree of 31 July 2015, published on Légifrance, lists cooking and refrigeration equipment among the items required in furnished rentals. It doesn’t tell you which appliances are in any particular unfurnished rental.
Use your tenancy agreement and check-in inventory to make a list of the appliances in your home.
If an appliance needs replacing, taking it away and arranging access for the delivery team may require separate arrangements from delivery of the new one. ecosystem describes a ‘one-for-one’ take-back service linked to the purchase of a replacement appliance.
Before ordering, confirm the take-back arrangements, which floors the delivery team can access, where the appliance will be left and what installation services are included.
These brands offer useful points of comparison across categories you may need when moving in. First choose the type of appliance and dimensions that suit your home.
Worth considering for a freestanding or integrated fridge freezer, once you’ve decided on the installation type and capacity you need.
Worth considering if the door-opening direction and overall size of a freestanding fridge freezer are important to you.
Worth considering when comparing refrigeration, laundry or cooking appliances after you’ve noted the constraints of your home.
Worth considering if your kitchen is missing a specific food-preparation or cooking function.
These appliances cover two possible needs when you move in: keeping fresh and frozen food, or having a freestanding microwave. Compare their dimensions and features after checking what’s already installed in your home.
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A single appliance for both refrigeration and freezing. The title specifies a 153 L fridge, a 74 L freezer, a width of 54 cm, a reversible door and an E energy rating.
Check the route to the kitchen, the space needed to open the door and the model’s annual energy consumption as stated on its product information.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a 360 L, three-door refrigeration appliance. The title mentions Total No Frost, an E energy rating, Wi-Fi and My Zone.
Measure the access routes and the space where it will go, then check that the doors can open fully in your kitchen layout.
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For a space where height matters as much as having a freezer. The title specifies a 174 L capacity, a height of 150 cm, a reversible door and an E energy rating.
Also check the width, depth, access routes and door clearance. Check annual energy consumption when comparing suitable models.
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Worth considering if you need 467 L of refrigeration capacity and four doors. The title specifies Total No Frost and an E energy rating.
Before choosing this size, measure the delivery route and the space needed to open the doors in your kitchen.
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A countertop microwave for homes that don’t already have one. The title specifies a 21 L capacity and 800 W microwave power.
Check the socket, the space on your worktop and the required ventilation clearance. If you also need an oven or hob for cooking, consider that separately.
Use your tenancy agreement and check-in inventory to list the appliances already there, then note which functions you’re missing. The equipment list for furnished rentals set out in the decree of 31 July 2015, published on Légifrance, doesn’t tell you what’s included in your unfurnished rental.
Yes, provided its location and power supply meet the applicable requirements. Promotelec specifies, among other things, that a washing machine must be outside zones 0, 1 and 2 and the hidden zone, be earthed and be connected to a circuit protected by a 30 mA residual-current device. If in doubt, have the installation checked.
First choose a capacity that suits how you’ll use the appliance, then compare the energy labels of appliances of the same type and suitable capacity. For washing machines, ADEME also presents the durability index as an additional guide. Neither of these indicators replaces checking the dimensions and connections.
Tell the seller about the old appliance before delivery and confirm the take-back arrangements. ecosystem describes a ‘one-for-one’ take-back service when you buy a replacement appliance. Also check that the delivery team can access your home and confirm what services are included for the new appliance.
Yes. Make sure you have an electricity contract in place so you can use your appliances as soon as you move in. Enedis recommends contacting an energy supplier one to two weeks before moving into your home, particularly to allow time for a possible service activation.