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🏠 General Accommodation Guide

Julie Noronha
  • Updated

 

Finding accommodation can be tough, but this guide will help you understanding the best practices to find housing in France:

 

Ressources: 

You will find resources to find accommodation in the two articles listed below, according to the campus on which you will study. If you don't know which campus to chose yet, the general resources for accommodation in France are also listed in both those two articles.

 

For resources regarding accommodation in Dijon : Here

For resources regarding accommodation in Lyon: Here

 

 

Tips: 

  • Begin looking for accommodation as soon as possible.

  • Define priorities, and become familiar with public transportation options.

  • If possible, plan to spend some time in France to visit flats as pictures online may be deceptive.

  • Contact current or prospective students with Facebook Groups.

  • Consider that you will have to pay a damage deposit as well as your first month’s rent and insurance (= 1 or 2 months of rent, that should be given back to you 2 months after your departure if you have not caused any damage, or left the flat before the arranged date without giving sufficient notice, and have paid all the outstanding bills)

  • Do not pay any agency fees before you ‘ve visited a property, signed the contract and received the keys.

  • Unless you are using a reputable agency/online platform, do not make any payments to book or reserve a flat in advance without seeing it. This includes ‘secured’ cash deposits at the Post Office or Western Union.

  • Never pay an agent for showing you around a property or selling you a list of ‘housing offers’.

  • Always ask for a rent receipt called a « quittance de loyer » which your landlord must provide free of charge.

Tenant file: Documents to provide

The rental file allows your future landlord to be sure that he can trust you to rent his property. The rental file is mandatory step in the rental process.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of the documents you need to provide:

  • A photocopy of your passport
  • An enrollment certificate or acceptance letter to prove your student status.
  • If you have a student job in France a copy of your employment contract and, if applicable, your last 3 pay slips.
  • Information about your guarantor (informations below)
  • French bank details (RIB)

On the other hand, the rental company or the landloard cannot require documents that are too personal or unrelated to the rental:

  • Medical records
  • An extract from your criminal record
  • Direct debit authorization

This list is not exhaustive. If in doubt, please contact us!

 

Garantor: 

Finding a garantor is mandatory to find accommodation. A garantor is someone who ensures that the outstanding fees will be paid if the rentor is not able to do it.

 

It can be a friend or family member living in France and having sufficient resources to pay, but if you don't have family in France, there are two options to find a garantor.

VISALE (Free, for persons between 18-30 yo). 

GarantMe (Paying for persons below 18 yo and above 30 yo). 

 

 

Housing Insurances : 

Home insurance and civil liability insurance covers the different risks and damages in your flat and to third party. It is mandatory.

Home insurance: Study Assur, MAIF, SMENO, MAE,...

Civil Liability Insurance: LMDE, SMENO, La mutuelle des Ă©tudiants,...

Please note that the civil liability insurance might be included into your private insurance or your Home Insurance.

 

 

CAF (Financial support to pay rent):

You may or may not be eligible for housing benefits. 

 

To verify your eligibility and register to the platform, you will need: 

  • A copy of your passport/ID
  • Valid residence permit/OFII attestation
  • Original copy of your birth certificate
  • Bank details (RIB)
  • Proof of residence: Rental Agreement (attestation d'hĂ©bergement)