Manage an empty query

There is more than one way to handle this. In your case it might be most easily done by not returning FALSE from the model. Why? Because $query->result() returns an empty array when no records are found and that fact can be used in the view.

Here's a revised model that potentially will return an empty array.

PHP Code:

 public function biens_location()
  {
 return $this->db->select('')
 ->from('biens')
 ->where('actif', '1')
 ->where('rent', '1')
 ->get()
 ->result();
  } 


Your controller is unchanged.

On the view your check the var and respond with your message if the var is empty.

PHP Code:

if(empty$biens))
{
    echo "There are no properties for rent.";
}
else
{
   foreach ($biens as $bien)
   {
      ...
   }
} 


You could also leave the model as is and revise your controller to conditionally provide an empty array to the view just described.

PHP Code:

public function location()
{
  $data = $this->Biens_model->biens_location();
  if($data === FALSE)
  {
     $data = array();
  }
  $this->data['biens'] = $data;
  $this->data['title'] = "Location";
  $this->render('location_view');
}