If a tenant in an apartment wants to have a satellite dish fitted, does he have to obtain permission from the co-owners?

The law of 2 July 1966 states that the installation of an antenna for receiving television by satellite or other means is a fundamental right guaranteed by the law to any owner or tenant.

However, the tenant is obliged to inform the owners' syndicate of the apartment block of his intention to install a satellite dish, and the syndicate is obliged to put the installation to the vote at a co-owners' general meeting within three months.

If this deadline is not adhered to, the tenant is free to fit his satellite dish.

If the general meeting refuses the request, the tenant has the option of requesting a ruling from the small claims court on the merits of the refusal, and permission to fit the satellite dish where applicable.

Even so, the right to a satellite dish is not an absolute right.

The Court of Cassation considered that the tenant was bound to respect the conditions laid down by the general meeting where the co-owners of the property had not objected to the request to install but had made the installation subject to a number of technical conditions designed to guarantee the integrity of the building (appeal court decision of 9 September 2000, appeal No. 98-15.495).