La. Civ. Code § Art. 2695
Attachments, additions, or other improvements to leased thing
Operative Text
Art. 2695. Attachments, additions, or other improvements to leased thing In the absence of contrary agreement, upon termination of the lease, the rights and obligations of the parties with regard to attachments, additions, or other improvements made to the leased thing by the lessee are as follows: (1) The lessee may remove all improvements that he made to the leased thing, provided that he restore the thing to its former condition. (2) If the lessee does not remove the improvements, the lessor may: (a) Appropriate ownership of the improvements by reimbursing the lessee for their costs or for the enhanced value of the leased thing whichever is less; or (b) Demand that the lessee remove the improvements within a reasonable time and restore the leased thing to its former condition. If the lessee fails to do so, the lessor may remove the improvements and restore the leased thing to its former condition at the expense of the lessee or appropriate ownership of the improvements without any obligation of reimbursement to the lessee. Appropriation of the improvement by the lessor may only be accomplished by providing additional notice by certified mail to the lessee after expiration of the time given the lessee to remove the improvements. (c) Until such time as the lessor appropriates the improvement, the improvements shall remain the property of the lessee and the lessee shall be solely responsible for any harm caused by the improvements.
Louisiana Civil Code art. § Art. 2695 governs what happens to tenant-made attachments, additions, and improvements when a lease ends, in the absence of a contrary agreement. Under this rule, tenants retain the right to remove their improvements if they restore the property to its prior condition, while landlords gain specific options if the tenant leaves improvements behind—including reimbursing the tenant for the lesser of cost or added value, or demanding removal within a reasonable time. Until a landlord formally appropriates an improvement (including by certified mail notice), the improvement remains the tenant's property and the tenant bears responsibility for any harm it causes.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under La. Civ. Code art. § Art. 2695, property owners and managers should document the condition of the leased premises before and after tenancy so that any improvements made by the tenant are clearly identified at lease termination. If a tenant leaves improvements behind, a compliant operator typically chooses one of the paths the article provides—either reimbursing the tenant for the lesser of cost or enhanced value, or formally demanding removal within a reasonable time before taking further action. Landlords who wish to appropriate ownership of unclaimed improvements must follow the certified-mail notice requirement after the removal deadline has passed, or they risk the improvements remaining the tenant's legal property.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
La. Civ. Code art. § Art. 2695 gives tenants the right to take their improvements with them at the end of a lease, as long as they return the space to its original condition. If a landlord demands removal and the tenant does not comply within the time allowed, the landlord may remove the improvements at the tenant's expense or claim ownership through a certified-mail notice process—so tenants generally benefit from understanding these timelines. Tenants who believe a landlord has improperly claimed or disposed of their improvements may wish to review the article's requirements, consult a tenant-rights organization, or explore available legal remedies.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 17, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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