RENTING A PROPERTY IN FRANCE

This guide contains practical advice to take you step by step through the process of renting a home in France. It will help you avoid some of the most common mistakes, save time and gain useful insights.

A number of international relocation agencies offer services to support individuals and families moving to France. They take care of everything from finding you a home, to helping you with all aspects of French administration. If you are moving to France without the support of an agency, careful research and preparation will make for a smoother move.

FINDING A PROPERTY

Most properties in France are rented through real estate agencies (agents immobilier). It is worth contacting several in order to cast your net as widely as possible. They can be found through the French Yellow Pages or by going into local offices in the area where you have chosen to live.

As a tenant (locataire) you should expect to pay the agency the equivalent of one month's rent as commission. You should not pay the fee until your rental agreement is signed.

Both furnished and unfurnished properties can be rented directly from private owners via ads posted on websites and in weekly publications such as De Particulier à Particulier. Although this is a way of avoiding agency fees, it can be time-consuming and offers fewer guarantees.

All local and some national newspapers carry rental offers posted by both agencies and owners and there are many websites listing French properties. See our recommendations on Where to Look to begin your search.

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THE CONTRACT

Many apartments are rented on a monthly basis under a contrat de location. You may also be offered a renewable lease (bail), which binds the owner to rent the property for a given period, usually 1 year for a furnished apartment and 3 years for an unfurnished apartment. As long as you respect the notice period in the contract (usually 3 months), you may leave at any time.

Under French law, tenants cannot be evicted during the winter. During the period of the lease the tenant cannot be evicted either due to the sale of the property or if an owner wishes to re-occupy the premises. Owners are therefore very cautious and generally require future tenants to provide a variety of papers and financial guarantees.

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WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO PROVIDE

• Proof of identity in the form of a residence permit or passport.
• Pay slips (fiches de paie), for the previous 3 months. You generally need to prove that your monthly income is at least 3 times the monthly rent and that you are not employed on a trial period, which means providing a copy of your employment contract.
• Some agencies and landlords require tenants to have a guarantor (garant). The guarantor must also be able to prove monthly earnings of 3 times the rent and is obliged to pay any rent which the tenant does not pay.
• If you are self-employed, you will need to provide your previous year's tax returns and up to 2 letters from financial guarantors.
• If you have neither French pay slips nor French tax return statements, you may be asked to open a bank account with enough cash to cover your rent for a number of months.
• A bank account slip (relevé d'identité bancaire, or RIB), showing your bank account details. You may be asked to have your rent automatically withdrawn (prélèvement automatique) each month from this account.
• If you have previously rented in France, you may be asked for a document from your former landlord called a quittance de loyer, to prove that there is no outstanding amount owed.
• You may need to have a valid residence permit (carte de séjour). To find out if you need one, see our guide to Moving to France.

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THE DEPOSIT

On signing your rental agreement you will need to pay a deposit (caution) of 2 months' rent in addition to your first month's rent. This deposit should be returned to you in full at the end of the rental period, as long as no damage has been done to the premises.

You may also be asked to pay between 1-3 months' rent in advance to insure against your leaving without notice.

THE ETAT DES LIEUX

Before you move in, the owner or agency and you will assess the condition of the premises and sign an inventory (état des lieux). You should clearly indicate any existing damage, such as scratches on the floor, or you may be held responsible for their repair when you leave. It is a good idea to take photos of the property during the état des lieux.

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HOME INSURANCE

All tenants are required to take out a home insurance policy, which must be in place from the day you occupy the premises. Be aware that the tenant is responsible for any damage caused to the property or to the property or person of third parties, as in the case of a water leak or a fire. The owner is responsible for insuring the common areas.

MAINTENANCE FEES

In addition to the rent, each tenant has to pay maintenance fees (charges communes) which cover miscellaneous expenses for the building, such as cleaning or gardening services. Many buildings hire an on-site caretaker (gardien or concierge), or a company (syndic) to maintain common areas.

Local expenses are often included in the rent, in which case it will be described as charges comprises, as opposed to charges non comprises. The fees do not usually include utilities, but they might cover water or rubbish collection.

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TAXES

Tenants are required to pay an annual tax, called taxe d'habitation. The amount varies greatly according to the region of France you live in, the size of your home and the number of occupants. It is worth finding out from the local town hall (mairie) the amount paid on your residence the previous year.

Where to Look

FUSAC (France USA Contacts) is a free English-language listings magazine published fortnightly. Its classified ads for housing and relocation services for expats are also available online.

De Particulier à Particulier carries housing ads placed by private owners

The International Herald Tribune lists real estate ads in English.

Le Figaro has an online database of properties throughout France, searchable by area, price and size.

Many of the larger networks of French real estate agencies have information in English on their websites.

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