A cat net on a rented or shared-building balcony: the permission to ask for before you drill
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Before you fit a cat net on a balcony in a rented flat or a shared building, find out who has the final say. If you rent, get your landlord's written agreement before you drill; if you own, read the building rules and write to the managing agent, because a visible change to the façade may need a vote at the general meeting.
Why does a cat balcony net need permission?
A cat balcony net needs permission for two reasons: it is fixed into the wall, and it can be seen from the street.
The Pelux balcony net is no exception. Its product page answers “Do I need to drill?” plainly: “For the hooks supplied, yes: they fix to the wall or ceiling of the balcony. If you rent, ask your landlord's permission before drilling.” The net is 3 m high and closes off the whole railing: it changes how the balcony looks.
And the balcony is not always yours. According to ANIL, France's national housing information agency, it is the building's co-ownership rules that say whether a balcony is a common or a private part, and “generally, these are common parts for private use”. You get to use it, but the wall, the façade and the look of the building concern everyone.
For other ways to make a balcony, terrace or garden safe, see our guide to a safe outdoor space for cats.
What should you check in your lease and the building rules?
Between them, the lease and the building rules say what you can do on your own and what needs someone's agreement. What follows is French law; elsewhere, check your own tenancy and strata or body corporate rules.
According to Service-Public, the French government's information site, a tenant may fit out their home freely, but may not carry out major alterations without the landlord's written consent. Without it, the landlord can keep the alterations without compensating you, or require you to restore the flat at your own expense. Whether a few holes for hooks count as fitting out or as an alteration is not for us to settle: written consent settles it.
Again according to Service-Public, the co-ownership rules bind every owner and their tenants too. Ask your landlord for them first; failing that, the managing agent or the letting agency. In these two documents, look for:
- The status of the balcony: a private part, or a common part for private use.
- Clauses on the building's exterior: façade, the building's overall look, railings, objects visible from the street.
- Restrictions on works: drilling into outside walls, fixings on the façade.
- In the lease: a clause on works, fixings or the balcony itself.
A clear request is easier to say yes to
The Pelux balcony net is black, with a 3 cm mesh, and comes with its rope and hooks: everything you need to describe your project precisely in your request. Discover the balcony net →
Who should you write to: landlord, managing agent or general meeting?
Who you write to depends on your situation: tenant or owner, shared building or not.
| Your situation | Who to write to | What may follow |
|---|---|---|
| Renting a house or a flat in a building with a single owner | Your landlord | Their written consent, before you drill |
| Renting in a shared building | Your landlord, who turns to the managing agent if the rules require it | If a vote is needed, your landlord, as an owner, puts the request forward |
| Owner-occupier | The managing agent | If the net affects the building's exterior, an item on the agenda and a vote |
| Every case | The town hall, if in doubt | Local rules on how façades may look |
According to ANIL, permission for an owner to carry out works at their own expense “affecting the common parts or the exterior appearance of the building” is voted by the majority set in article 25 of the French law of 10 July 1965, and the project must be on the meeting's agenda. So allow for the timing of general meetings: write to the managing agent well before spring.
With your request, include a photo of the balcony, the length of the railing, the colour of the net and where the hooks will go. Black, the product page says, “blends into the view”: that is an argument to put forward, not a permission.
What if drilling is refused?
If your landlord or the building rules refuse drilling, the Pelux balcony net is not the right answer: its product page only provides for its hooks, fixed to the wall or ceiling of the balcony.
Other systems go up without drilling, wedged between the balcony floor and ceiling with telescopic poles. Pelux does not sell them. Such a system is still caught by clauses on the building's exterior: reread the rules before you buy one.
While you wait for an answer, keep the French window shut whenever you are not out on the balcony with your cat, and make indoor life rich: an indoor cat can be happy without a balcony. For a specific case in France, your local ADIL gives free advice; a solicitor or notary for a dispute.
Once you have the go-ahead and the net is up, stay with your cat for the first few days, as the product page advises: no net is unbreakable. The rest of the kit is in our safety and care range.
Frequently asked questions
Can the managing agent ask for a net already fitted to come down?
The answer depends on the building rules and on whether permission was given: it is not for a blog post to decide. Ask the managing agent, in writing, which clause of the rules they rely on, tell your landlord if you rent, and take your case to your local ADIL, which gives free advice.
Do you also need to ask the town hall?
Sometimes. According to ANIL, rules specific to each town govern how buildings look from outside, even when the other owners agree. ANIL advises checking with the town hall before asking the co-ownership.
Does a black net go down better than another colour?
A black net is less noticeable than a light one, which catches the light: that is a good argument in a request. But colour is no substitute for permission. If the rules ban any fixing or visible addition on the façade, black changes nothing.
Key takeaways
- The Pelux balcony net fixes with hooks to the wall or ceiling of the balcony: you have to drill, so ask first.
- According to Service-Public, a tenant in France may not carry out major alterations without the landlord's written consent, and the co-ownership rules bind them too.
- According to ANIL, an owner's works that affect the building's exterior are voted at the general meeting: write to the managing agent months before spring.
- If drilling is refused, the Pelux net is not the answer; for a specific case, the ADIL gives free advice.