Setting up an SCI is no easy task? We tell you more about the 1st step in creating your company: domiciliation!

From an administrative point of view, setting up an SCI can quickly seem an impossible task. That's why, in order to shed more light on this type of business and its domiciliation possibilities, we invite you to discover it with the following article.

Definition: what is an SCI?

DEFINITION

SCI definition: The Société Civile Immobilière(SCI) is one of today's best legal tools for purchasing and managing real estate.

In fact, the purpose of creating an SCI is to ensure that co-owners of a property do not have to deal with problems of indivision. And with good reason: the SCI is a legal entity created by the union of at least two natural persons who are partners. It is the company, divided into shares between the partners, that owns the real estate.

This type of legal arrangement has therefore rapidly earned its spurs and is generally used in two situations today: 

  1. First of all, in line with its original purpose, it has become a must for individuals wishing to avoid the disadvantages of condominium ownership.
  2. But its use is no longer confined to the previous case. The SCI has also rapidly become an ingenious way of transferring assets.

What type of domiciliation should you choose for your SCI?

If you're in the middle of drafting the articles of association for your new company, you'll probably want to consider the question posed here. Here's a quick overview of the different types of domiciliation:

Leasing office space from another company

An SCI may choose to be domiciled in offices rented from another company. It therefore enters into a commercial lease with the latter.

This may be the simplest choice of domiciliation, but it has one major drawback.

The term of the lease varies according to the type of SCI, and is of short duration. For a family SCI, the lease can be concluded for a maximum of three years, and for other types of SCI for a maximum of nine years. At the end of the lease, the SCI will have to take further administrative and financial steps to move its head office.

Manager's or partner's address

The SCI 's registered office can also be the manager's or partner's home. In fact, a ruling by the Paris Court of Appeal states that there is no time limit on this type of domiciliation for SCIs.

However, this type of domiciliation can have a number of disadvantages.

On the one hand, you'll need to fill in a file at the French Post Office to demonstrate the real existence of the SCI. This application must include a copy of the identity document of the company's manager/partner, proof of address and an extract from the company's Kbis register.

In the event of a change of address, the company's articles of association will also have to be amended.

Lastly, the manager's condominium charter may restrict his right to choose his domicile as his registered office.

These restrictions will have the effect of limiting the company 's domicile to five years in the chosen premises. At the risk of repeating ourselves, changing the registered office address is a costly and time-consuming administrative process.

In addition, the manager/partner will be required to inform the condominium manager and/or lessor of his or her choice by post.

Commercial domiciliation

Commercial domiciliation is another option for your company. You can have your SCI domiciled with a domiciliation company.

What are the advantages of commercial domiciliation?

Commercial domiciliation is a quick and easy way to domicile an SCI.

First and foremost, it avoids the restrictive clauses that can be included in rental leases or condominium charters. The disadvantages associated with the other types of domiciliation described above will therefore be non-existent in this context.

Commercial domiciliation also makes it possible to clearly distinguish between the assets of the manager and those of the SCI, thus avoiding any ambiguity.

How can you benefit?

To benefit from this type of domiciliation, all you need to do is select a domiciliation address, choose the mail management options and the desired commitment period. At SeDomicilier, domiciliation is carried out entirely online, in just 5 minutes, and we offer you a selection of prestigious addresses, including modern, fully-equipped business centers of over a hundred square meters.

Commercial domiciliation seems to be the surest way to perpetuate your SCI. All that remains is to find the address of your dreams!