« I'd rather have a simple mandate, I want to keep my freedom. » It is the most common sentence at the point of signing, and it is perfectly logical. It rests, though, on a mistaken idea: that the mandate mainly commits the seller. In practice, the type of mandate decides first of all what the agency can reasonably invest in your property. Here is what each form allows, what French law requires, and how to choose without kidding yourself.
The three forms of mandate
| Simple mandate | Semi-exclusive | Exclusive | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Several agencies | Yes | No | No |
| Sell it yourself | Yes | Yes | No |
| Fees if you find the buyer | None | None or reduced | Payable to the agency |
| Compulsory lock-in | No | No | 3 months |
| Automatic renewal | Possible | Possible | Not permitted |
In all three cases the mandate must be written, dated, signed and drawn up in two originals, one of which is handed to you. A verbal mandate does not exist in French law. Nor does a mandate with no stated duration.
What the law requires on duration and exit
This is the part sellers know least, and the part that reassures them most.
- An exclusive mandate carries a three-month irrevocable period which cannot be waived. During those three months you cannot bring it to an end.
- After those three months you may terminate at any time, giving fifteen days' notice by registered letter.
- An exclusive mandate cannot renew itself automatically. At the stated end date it stops; extending it requires a fresh document.
- A simple or semi-exclusive mandate may contain an automatic renewal clause. Read that clause — it is the one that catches people out.
Put plainly: exclusivity ties you for three months, not for a year. And it is the simple mandate, not the exclusive one, that can roll on without you signing anything again.
Why exclusivity sells better in practice
It is not a question of motivation, it is a question of economics. An agency that knows it is one of four on the same property commits what it can afford to lose: a listing, a few photographs, and patience. An agency alone on a mandate commits what the sale justifies.
Three consequences a seller can actually see:
One asking price. This is the most underestimated argument. A property marketed by three agencies often appears at three different prices on the portals, sometimes with three different sets of photographs. A buyer who spots the gap draws one conclusion: the price is negotiable, and they open lower. The property loses value before the first viewing.
A property that does not look like it is struggling. The same home seen four times in a results list does not look sought after. It looks like it is not selling.
A real presentation budget. Professional photography, paid distribution on French and international portals, qualifying buyers before they view — all of that costs money, and the cost is only justified on a mandate the agency knows it will see through.
The real drawback of exclusivity
It exists, and it should be said plainly: if you find the buyer yourself under an exclusive mandate, the fees are still payable to the agency. That is the honest reason many sellers refuse exclusivity, and there is nothing irrational about it. In a valley where everybody knows everybody, a neighbour or a cousin may well come forward.
That is precisely the point our mandate corrects. If you find your own buyer, the fees are reduced by 50 %. You keep the agency's full commitment on presentation and distribution, and you do not pay full price for a buyer you brought.
Our guarantees are written into the mandate rather than promised verbally: a five-year resale guarantee, which protects the buyer against a loss on resale should their circumstances change unexpectedly and so makes your property easier to sell, and a three-month breakdown guarantee after completion. The Mandat Garanties in detail is published on the site.
What our own figures say
Rather than an argument, three figures taken from our agency software and recalculated automatically:
- 96 sales recorded since 2016 across the valley.
- 38 % of those sales completed at or above the asking price. That is the statistic that matters to a seller: almost four sales in ten with no price reduction at all.
- A median of 147 days between going to market and signature.
These are medians across all our sales, not a selection. They also appear adviser by adviser on each team page — including where an adviser sits below the agency average. A seller needs to compare, not to be reassured.
How to choose, depending on your situation
An exclusive mandate makes sense if: the property is your home or second home and you want the price held; the property needs genuine presentation (a chalet, something unusual, a view, a large volume); or you are aiming at international buyers, who come through the overseas portals and want a single point of contact.
A simple mandate is defensible if: you already have a near-certain buyer and mainly need a legal framework; the property is very standard in a very liquid commune, where demand does the work; or you are in no hurry and accept minimal presentation.
In every case: the mandate should not be discussed before the valuation. A mandate signed on an unrealistic price is worth nothing, whatever its form — and that is the single most common reason properties sit on the market.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a simple and an exclusive mandate?
A simple mandate lets you instruct several agencies and sell the property yourself; only the one that completes the sale earns a fee. An exclusive mandate reserves the sale to one agency, with a three-month irrevocable period, and the fee is owed to that agency even if the buyer comes from you — unless the contract says otherwise.
How long am I committed for?
Three months of irrevocability on an exclusive mandate, after which you may terminate at any time with fifteen days' notice by registered letter. An exclusive mandate does not renew itself automatically.
Can I terminate a simple mandate?
Yes, at the end of the initial period, with fifteen days' notice by registered letter. Watch the automatic renewal clause, which is permitted on this type of mandate.
Do several agencies sell a property faster?
Rarely. Agencies advertise on the same portals, so the audience is almost identical. What changes is that the property appears several times, often at different prices. The practical effect is downward pressure on the price, not a shorter time to sell.
Who pays the fees?
The mandate states it, and it has a tax consequence: fees borne by the seller are deducted from the sale price when the capital gain is calculated. Check it when the mandate is drafted, not afterwards.
What if I am not satisfied?
Beyond three months you leave with fifteen days' notice. That is why we prefer written guarantees to promises: they can be checked, and they give you a remedy.
What to take away
- The mandate commits the agency as much as it commits you: it decides what gets invested.
- Exclusivity ties you for three months, not a year, and never renews itself automatically.
- It is the simple mandate that can roll on without a new signature. Read the clause.
- Several agencies usually means several asking prices — and a negotiation that opens lower.
- The real objection to exclusivity is solved by a clause: with us, fees are halved if you find the buyer.
Before choosing a form of mandate, have the property valued. We provide a written, costed valuation, with the comparable sales from your own street. That document is what makes the mandate question worth deciding.
Sources: service-public.gouv.fr (sales mandate given to an estate agent), decree no. 72-678 of 20 July 1972 implementing the Hoguet Act. Agency figures recalculated from our own software. Checked in October 2026.