Short answer. One year — the same as the premises lease. Under Article 1688, when a lessor of a house also leases the furniture, the furniture lease is deemed to run for the same duration as the premises lease. No separate end date needs to be stated for the contents.
What the law says
When the lessor of a house, or part thereof, used as a dwelling for a family, or when the lessor of a store, or industrial establishment, also leases the furniture, the lease of the latter shall be deemed to be for the duration of the lease of the premises.
Civil Code, Article 1688 — Lease of Furniture With the Premises. Read the full provision →
Why the law ties the two leases together
A furnished house is rented as a package. Article 1688 recognizes this practical reality and imposes a default rule: the furniture lease runs co-terminous with the premises lease. This prevents awkward situations where the premises lease and the furniture lease expire at different times, and eliminates disputes about what happens to the contents at the end of the tenancy. The lessor and tenant deal with one end date for everything, which simplifies the restoration of the property when the tenant leaves.
What happens at the end of the year
When your one-year lease expires, the furniture lease also expires. You are expected to return the house and its contents in the same condition you received them, ordinary wear and tear excepted. The landlord cannot demand the furniture back before the year ends simply because they leased it separately — the furniture and premises leases run together. Similarly, you cannot claim any right to keep the furniture after the premises lease ends on the ground that no separate end date for the furniture was ever agreed upon.
Renewals and extensions follow the same rule
If your premises lease is renewed or extended for another term, the furniture lease extends with it under the same Article 1688 principle. The furniture remains part of what you have legitimately leased for as long as the premises lease continues. Conversely, if the premises lease is terminated early by mutual agreement or for valid cause, the furniture lease terminates at the same time. The contents cannot be separated from the premises lease once they were bundled together at the start.
Parties may agree on a different arrangement
Article 1688 sets a default, not an immovable rule. If your contract expressly specifies a different duration for the furniture — for example, stating that you may keep certain appliances for six months after moving out — that express agreement governs. The statute fills the gap when the lease is silent on the furniture's term. Because most residential furnished leases do not separately address when the furniture must be returned, Article 1688 keeps things simple: one year for the house means one year for the furniture too.