French Civil Lawsuits
My Apartment in Paris, Part 6
September 1st, 2026 / µ
4 years and 6 months ago, I won in court in France against my landlord on Rue Malebranche. 4 years and 6 months after this happy event, I have decided to give up on the rest of what he owes me.
A Meal Ticket?
When a court in France orders someone to pay you money, it stops there. The court does not help you retrieve the money. For this, you need to hire a huissier.
In the early spring of 2022, I hired a huissier company. After switching to a second huissier company, I did get my deposit back, but that was it. And when the second huissier company stopped responding to my inquiries, I decided to end the battle and resume it if I went back to Paris.
I didn’t go back to Paris, and 4 and 6 months later, I am officially giving up on retrieving what a French court told me someone should pay me. Not just because I am not going back to Paris, but because it feels like pouring money down the drain.
As a foreigner hiring a huissier, I felt like an easy meal ticket, and I was also quite offended when they ghosted me. It is a system that may work well if you are in France, but it is a system that feels anything but reliable when you are outside France.
A huissier: A person or company that provides auxiliary services to the judicial system and also acts for private individuals and companies, often in landlord-tenant matters. Their full title is Huissier de Justice. In July 2022, the profession huissier changed its name to Commissaire de justice. A Commissaire de justice is basically a new term for the same role. You can read about the new profession and title here.
The Legal Process
How the Civil Lawsuit System Works in Paris in Disputes Between Landlord and Tenant:
You file the lawsuit. Don’t worry if you are not up to date on the law; the courts are helpful if you consult them.
Then your case goes before a judge who decides who is right and who is wrong. You can appear yourself or have someone represent you. This can be anyone; it does not have to be a lawyer.
You win, or you lose.
If you win and someone has to pay you a sum of money, the second battle begins. For this part, you need the commissaire de justice – formerly known as huissier, as described above – who will contact the person, persons, or company in question to demand payment. The commissaire de justice charges an hourly fee.
Was It Worth It?
I paid more in fees to representatives and huissier companies than I ever got back. But it was worth it because I was angry. I was angry that my landlord treated me the way he did in the end, which was not only unlawful but also shockingly rude. I wanted justice.
I assume the landlord’s change of behavior was due to the libel spread by the Danes, but I am not sure; a lot of things indicate communication between the landlord and the Danes, but that is not quite clear yet.
So even if it goes against everything in my nature to quit, I have accepted things as they are because I know deep down this is as good as it gets. And throwing good money after bad is a fool's errand.
Plus, the fact remains that I won in court, and that's worth more than money.
On that note, thanks for reading. I hope you found it valuable and worth your time. Until next time, remember to get your facts straight!
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