Landlord or SCI:
how to properly manage your rental properties
Discover all the tasks of a landlord, the specificities of a SCI, common difficulties and the keys to efficient and stress-free rental management.
🏡 Investing for retirement, but at what cost?
Many owners acquire one or more properties as a form of investment, often to prepare for their retirement . But once the properties are rented, rental management can quickly become time-consuming and complex . Between legal obligations, administrative follow-up, tenant management, and maintenance, it is essential to organize yourself effectively—whether you own your own property or through a real estate investment company (SCI).
🧩Landlord profiles
In the world of real estate rentals, two main types of landlords stand out: the sole proprietor and the SCI (Société Civile Immobilière). Each has specific advantages and constraints, depending on the asset objectives and the desired level of involvement.
1. The lessor in his own name (natural person)
This profile is the most common. The owner buys and rents a property in their own name. They directly manage rental-related tasks: drafting the lease, collecting rent, maintaining the property, and filing tax returns. Taxation depends on the chosen regime: traditional rental income or LMNP (Non-Professional Furnished Rental) status, which is more advantageous in some cases. However, the landlord is liable for their personal assets in the event of a dispute or debt related to the rental. This method of ownership is simple to implement, but can become restrictive as the rental portfolio expands.
2. The SCI (Civil Real Estate Company)
The SCI (Société Civile de Gestion) is a legal structure that allows several partners (family, partners, investors) to own and manage one or more real estate properties. It offers great flexibility in the distribution of shares and facilitates the transfer of assets. Taxation can be chosen between IR (income tax) or IS (corporate tax), depending on the asset management strategy. Management can be collective or entrusted to a manager. In return, the SCI imposes more rigorous accounting, administrative obligations (general meetings, minutes), and a more structured organization.
👉 The choice between a personal name and a civil property company (SCI) depends on the number of assets, tax objectives, and the transfer project.
📊 Comparison: proper name vs. SCI
| Criteria | Natural person | SCI |
|---|---|---|
| Simplicity of management | ✅ | ❌ |
| Flexible taxation | ✅ | ✅ (IR) |
| Asset optimization | ❌ | ✅ |
| Easy transmission | ❌ | ✅ |
| Collective management possible | ❌ | ✅ |
| Accounting | Simple | Complex |
📋 All the tasks of a landlord
Being a landlord involves much more than collecting rent. It's an active, structured, and sometimes demanding management process that revolves around three main phases: before, during, and after the rental.
🔹 Before renting
It all starts with an accurate rental estimate, consistent with the local market. The landlord must then carry out the mandatory inspections (DPE, ERNMT, gas, electricity, etc.) to ensure the property's compliance. The drafting of the lease must comply with current legal standards, including essential clauses. Selecting the tenant is a crucial step: verifying the application, guarantees, and solvency. Finally, the presentation of the property—professional photos, writing an ad, organizing viewings—plays a key role in its attractiveness.
🔹 During the rental
Once the tenant has moved in, the landlord must ensure regular monitoring: collecting rent, issuing receipts, and reviewing the rent annually according to the IRL index. They also manage rental charges, ensure routine maintenance of the property, and respond to tenant requests. From a tax perspective, they must declare income received and keep rigorous accounting records, especially in the case of a real estate investment scheme or a SCI (real estate company).
🔹 When the tenant leaves
When the tenant gives notice, the landlord organizes the exit inventory, compares it with the entry inventory, and returns (or withholds) the security deposit depending on the damage noted. The landlord may have to carry out repairs or renovations before relaunching the rental, starting over with the same cycle.
👉 Good organization and, if necessary, the support of professionals make it possible to transform this management into a real asset lever.
🏢 Tasks specific to an SCI
The Société Civile Immobilière (SCI) is a popular legal structure for managing real estate assets together. It offers flexibility and tax benefits, but also imposes specific responsibilities, both administratively and in terms of accounting and law.
🔹 Administrative management
The SCI must hold general meetings , at least once a year, to validate the accounts and important decisions. Each meeting gives rise to the drafting of minutes , which must be kept and accessible to the partners. Monitoring of the company shares is essential, particularly in the event of transfer or transmission. Finally, any change in the structure (change of manager, modification of corporate purpose) requires an update of the statutes .
🔹 Accounting and taxation
The SCI subject to corporate tax (IS) must keep complete accounts, with balance sheet, income statement and annexes. Even for income tax (IR) , rigorous management is recommended. It is necessary to declare the results , distribute the profits among the partners according to their shares, and pay corporate tax if applicable. This complexity often justifies the use of a chartered accountant.
🔹 Legal obligations
The SCI is required to comply with transparency rules , particularly with respect to partners. Clear and regular communication is essential to avoid tensions. In the event of disagreements, conflict management must be legally regulated, with possible recourse to mediation or the courts.
👉 Well-managed, a real estate investment company (SCI) is a powerful tool for enhancing and transferring assets. But it requires rigor, method, and professional support.
Common difficulties for landlords: between management, unforeseen events and heritage issues
Being a landlord, whether in your own name or through a SCI, may seem attractive on paper: additional income, asset valuation, retirement planning, etc. But in reality, rental management comes with many difficulties that must be anticipated to avoid unpleasant surprises.
🔹 Lack of time to manage everything The first and probably most common challenge is lack of time. Between viewings, discussions with tenants, administrative procedures, tax obligations, and work to coordinate, landlords quickly find themselves overwhelmed. Without rigorous organization or the use of professionals, management can become a source of stress and errors.
🔹 Tax and Legal Complexity Real estate taxation is constantly evolving, with different regimes depending on the type of rental (unfurnished, furnished, LMNP, LMP, SCI with IR or IS, etc.). It is also important to understand the legal rules of the lease, the tenant's rights, the landlord's obligations, and the procedures in the event of a dispute. Misinterpretation can lead to penalties or financial losses.
🔹 Unpaid rent or disputes with tenants Even with careful selection, the risk of unpaid rent exists. Collection procedures are lengthy and costly, and disputes can quickly escalate. The landlord must know how to react tactfully, but also firmly, while respecting the legal framework. Unpaid rent insurance can limit the risks, but does not eliminate them entirely.
🔹 Unforeseen or poorly coordinated work Water damage, a boiler breakdown, a roof that needs to be redone... Unforeseen work is common and often urgent. You have to find reliable tradespeople, obtain quotes, monitor the work, and sometimes manage tenant dissatisfaction. Poor coordination can lead to delays, additional costs, and even disputes.
🔹 Poorly Anticipated Transfer of Assets Finally, many landlords neglect the issue of transfer. In the event of death or inheritance, poorly structured assets can lead to family conflicts, high transfer taxes, or a rushed sale of assets. Creating a real estate company (SCI) or planning ahead through a shared gift allows for better preparation for this step, but requires legal support.
👉 In short, being a landlord requires much more than signing a lease and collecting rent. It's a full-fledged activity that requires time, skills, and strategic vision.
🧭 How to organize yourself well as a landlord: methods and tools for smooth management
Being a landlord is much more than collecting rent. It's an activity that requires rigor, foresight, and method. To avoid oversights, disputes, or financial losses, good organization is essential. Here are the pillars of effective rental management.
📁 Centralize information
The first step is to group together all the data relating to your properties: contracts, diagnostics, receipts, tenant contact details, tax deadlines, etc.
Using rental management software allows you to have everything at your fingertips: rent tracking, automatic alerts, archived documents, etc. Solutions like Rentila, Smartloc or Locagestion are very accessible.
Creating a personalized dashboard (Excel, Notion, or via software) helps you visualize at a glance the rents collected, expenses, upcoming work or tax deadlines.
Archiving all documents in a secure cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox) ensures quick access and reliable backup in the event of an audit or dispute.
📅 Plan deadlines
Forgetting to file a rental declaration or review can be costly, so it's crucial to plan all important dates.
The tax calendar must include the dates for declaring property income, advance payments, and any adjustments.
Rent reviews (according to the IRL) must be anticipated each year, on the anniversary date of the lease.
SCI general meetings , if you manage through a company, must be scheduled and documented, with supporting minutes.
👥 Surround yourself with professionals
Even if you manage independently, certain aspects deserve the expertise of professionals.
A real estate accountant helps you optimize your taxes, avoid errors and structure your assets.
A rental manager can take care of all or part of the management, especially if you are short on time or have several properties.
A lawyer or notary is invaluable for securing leases, anticipating transfers, or managing disputes.
⚙️ Automate what can be automated
Automation is a powerful lever for saving time and avoiding oversights.
Automatic rent collection ensures regularity without manual reminders.
The sending of receipts can be programmed via software or by automatic email.
Payment reminders are essential in the event of a delay: a simple text message or automatic email may be enough to resolve the situation.
In short, good organization is based on three principles: centralize, anticipate, and delegate intelligently. By combining digital tools and professional support, you transform rental management into a seamless and controlled activity. You gain peace of mind, your tenants gain satisfaction, and your assets increase value.
Practical cases: typical profiles of landlord owners
Every landlord has their own goals, constraints, and strategies. Here are three typical profiles illustrating different approaches to rental management, depending on their family, financial, or professional situation.
👨👩👧👦 Family with two apartments in their own name
This profile is very common: a couple or a family having invested in two rental properties, often to secure the future or supplement income.
Direct management : Owners manage rentals themselves, from tenant selection to routine maintenance. This allows them to maintain control, but requires time and careful planning.
Property income : Rents received are declared as property income, with the possibility of opting for the actual system in order to deduct expenses (work, loan interest, insurance, etc.).
Need for tax support : This profile benefits from being supported by an accountant or tax advisor, particularly to optimize declarations, avoid errors and anticipate regulatory changes.
🧓 Retired with a family SCI
This owner has often set up an SCI (Société Civile Immobilière) to pass on his assets to his children while retaining a certain control.
Early transfer : The SCI allows for the gradual transfer of company shares, via donations, while avoiding excessively high inheritance tax.
Shared management with children : Decisions are taken collectively during general meetings, which promotes family cohesion but requires good communication.
Delegated accounting : The accounting management of the SCI is often entrusted to a professional, particularly if it is subject to corporate tax (IS) or if it holds several assets.
👩💼 Entrepreneur investor
This profile is more technical and performance-oriented. This is a seasoned investor, often an entrepreneur, who owns several properties through one or more SCIs subject to IS.
Several assets via SCI at IS : This arrangement allows you to benefit from advantageous taxation on profits, with depreciation of assets and easy reinvestment.
Tax optimization : The investor works with experts to maximize profitability, arbitrate assets, and structure operations (holding, dismemberment, etc.).
Complete outsourcing of management : Rental management is entrusted to professionals (agencies, managers), allowing the investor to concentrate on strategy and development.
🎯 These practical cases demonstrate that rental management isn't a one-size-fits-all activity. It must adapt to each individual's objectives: security, transmission, profitability, or autonomy. Whatever the profile, good structuring and appropriate support can transform real estate into a real asset lever.
🧭 Invest, yes - but manage it intelligently
Investing in rental property means building wealth, preparing for the future, and generating income. But behind this attractive promise lies a demanding reality: that of daily, technical, and strategic management. Being a landlord can't be improvised—it must be organized.
Whether it is an apartment in your own name or a portfolio structured via an SCI, success is based on four essential pillars:
A rigorous organization , to leave nothing to chance: tax deadlines, rent reviews, monitoring of work, etc.
Suitable tools , such as rental management software or personalized dashboards, which allow you to centralize information and automate repetitive tasks.
A network of competent professionals , capable of providing their expertise where it is crucial: accounting, taxation, real estate law, rental management.
A clear heritage vision , which integrates transmission, tax optimization and the long-term valuation of assets.
At Propriétés De Charme , we believe every property owner deserves tailored support. Our mission: to transform the constraints of rental management into levers for performance and peace of mind. Because a well-managed property is a property that increases in value—and a property owner who sleeps soundly.
Invest, yes. But always manage wisely.
In a world where real estate remains one of the pillars of French wealth, property management often remains a complex challenge. Multiplication of documents, legal obligations, taxation, relations with tenants or even monitoring market values… all parameters that require time, rigor and constant expertise. It is precisely at this intersection that OMEDOM , by providing a clear and modern response to the expectations of owners.
Since its creation in 2021 in the Tarn region, OMEDOM has set itself the mission of democratizing wealth management by making it simpler, more transparent, and more efficient. Its intuitive platform not only centralizes all data and documents related to real estate, but also allows you to anticipate and better manage the future thanks to powerful tools.
Innovation lies not only in the technology, but also in philosophy : putting the user at the heart of the system, giving them back control of their assets. Where other solutions are limited to an administrative aspect, OMEDOM opens a broader perspective, connecting owners, real estate professionals, notaries, bankers, and insurers within a single ecosystem.
Looking to the future, OMEDOM is establishing itself as a key player in the French and European proptech landscape , ready to support the evolution of uses and respond to the challenges of a society in search of fluidity and trust.
More than an application, OMEDOM is a real estate life partner , designed for demanding owners who want to manage their assets with serenity, security and performance.
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