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Housing
Housing is one of the most important aspects of life in France. Here you can find information on rental and purchase, tenant rights, service connections and assistance available.
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After the keys are handed over: insurance, electricity, water and internet
On the day the keys are handed over, record the condition of the housing and meter readings, check that the home insurance already takes effect, and then open or transfer the electricity and gas contracts. Ask the lessor or trustee if water and heating are included in the charges, test the internet eligibility and keep the first invoices as proof of domicile.
Moisture, Moisture and Undecent Housing: Evidence and approaches
A dwelling shall allow sufficient ventilation and moisture removal during normal occupation. Photos are not enough to attribute the cause: leak, ventilation, built, heating or use may occur. Document, notify the lessor in writing, use ADIL and Signal Housing and never stop paying rent on your own initiative.
Retrieving the security deposit and contesting deductions
The deadline is from the date of delivery of all keys: usually one month if the state of the exit is in accordance with the entry, and up to two months in case of differences. The lessor can only retain justifiable debts and degradations, outdated deducted. In case of delay, a legal increase may apply; start with a notice of formal notice and then the conciliation or the judge.
The rental market in France: how to search without getting lost
The search for housing in France usually starts with advertisements. Before you answer, decide which format is right for you: furnished, unfurnished, shared accommodation or mobility lease. Then prepare your file and respond quickly, as the good goods leave quickly.
Tenant file: authorized parts and secure shipment
The lessor or agency may only request the documents contained in the exhaustive official list: identity, current residence, employment status and resources. A photo ID is allowed; a separate photo, medical data, bank statement or any document missing from the list may not be required. Facile folder checks the folder for free and protects copies.
Visale: get the visa before signing the lease
Visale is a free deposit of Action Housing for tenants and eligible housing. The tenant first obtains a visa indicating its validity and the maximum guaranteed rent, and then gives it to the future lessor. The owner must create the suretyship agreement before the lease is signed. In case of payment, Visale compensates the lessor according to its rules, but the lessee's debt remains due to Action Logement.
Types of leases: how to choose without being wrong
In France, a residential lease can take several forms: empty (non-furnished) housing, furnished housing, mobility lease or co-location. Depending on the case, the duration, security deposit and departure do not follow the same rules. Here's how to see the difference before signing.
The state of the place: how to check the accommodation calmly and protect your deposit
The condition of the accommodation is used to record the condition of the accommodation when you arrive and when you leave. It is this document that is then used to decide whether the security deposit (guarantee deposit) is due to you in whole or in part. It's a normal procedure, and if you do it calmly, you avoid much discussion later. Here's how to proceed without rushing.
Rental scams: how to avoid the trap
When you look for accommodation in France, you can quickly run into a false advertisement or an owner who wants to be paid too soon. It's not uncommon, especially at a distance. Here's how to check an ad, locate alert signals and react if you are urged to pay.
Social housing (HLM)
Social housing offers less-than-market rents for low-income households. Only one online application covers the department's donors — the deadlines are long but the process is worth it.
Lease Charges: Verify what is recoverable
The rental charges are limited to the recoverable expenses provided for in the texts. You often pay for provisions and then annual regularization. The tenant may request the details and supporting documents.
This section helps you if you...
- Those looking for accommodation in the region: renting or purchasing
- Current tenants wishing to know their rights
- Owners who rent property
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The steps to be taken not to delay or forget.
APL and housing aids: conditions and demand
The APL (personalized housing assistance), the ALF and the ALS are subsidies from the CAF to pay the rent. They don't cover all the rent but reduce your remaining expenses. The request is made on caf.fr after opening an alloting account.
Open GuideRental scams: how to avoid the trap
When you look for accommodation in France, you can quickly run into a false advertisement or an owner who wants to be paid too soon. It's not uncommon, especially at a distance. Here's how to check an ad, locate alert signals and react if you are urged to pay.
Open GuideTenant file: authorized parts and secure shipment
The lessor or agency may only request the documents contained in the exhaustive official list: identity, current residence, employment status and resources. A photo ID is allowed; a separate photo, medical data, bank statement or any document missing from the list may not be required. Facile folder checks the folder for free and protects copies.
Open GuideThe state of the place: how to check the accommodation calmly and protect your deposit
The condition of the accommodation is used to record the condition of the accommodation when you arrive and when you leave. It is this document that is then used to decide whether the security deposit (guarantee deposit) is due to you in whole or in part. It's a normal procedure, and if you do it calmly, you avoid much discussion later. Here's how to proceed without rushing.
Open GuideTypes of leases: how to choose without being wrong
In France, a residential lease can take several forms: empty (non-furnished) housing, furnished housing, mobility lease or co-location. Depending on the case, the duration, security deposit and departure do not follow the same rules. Here's how to see the difference before signing.
Open GuideVisale: get the visa before signing the lease
Visale is a free deposit of Action Housing for tenants and eligible housing. The tenant first obtains a visa indicating its validity and the maximum guaranteed rent, and then gives it to the future lessor. The owner must create the suretyship agreement before the lease is signed. In case of payment, Visale compensates the lessor according to its rules, but the lessee's debt remains due to Action Logement.
Open GuideNext steps
Useful procedures to continue your process.
Deportation procedure: process and rights of tenant
The expulsion of a dwelling in France is a lengthy procedure, protecting the tenant. The lessor cannot put you out by force: you need a judge's decision, the intervention of a commissioner of justice and the assistance of the police. He added the winter truce, a moratorium on the expulsion of the 1st November to the 31 March. Here are the steps, your rights and where to find help in case of threat of expulsion.
Open GuideLeave for sale: the lessor sells, your rights
The leave for sale is the notice of the lessor that he sells the accommodation you occupy (only in non-furnished, principal residence). The law gives you a preemptive right of 2 months to buy first. This is not an immediate expulsion: even without a purchase, you get strong time protection. Here's what selling leave means, how to use it, and what happens to your lease.
Open GuideAfter the keys are handed over: insurance, electricity, water and internet
On the day the keys are handed over, record the condition of the housing and meter readings, check that the home insurance already takes effect, and then open or transfer the electricity and gas contracts. Ask the lessor or trustee if water and heating are included in the charges, test the internet eligibility and keep the first invoices as proof of domicile.
Open GuideAPL as a couple and a couple: how it's calculated
The APL (CAF housing assistance) is calculated differently as a couple or as a share over a single tenant. In couples, the incomes of the two partners add up and the APL is unique for the household. As a co-location, everyone can have their own APL if each has an individual lease. The structure of the leases depends on the amount and the fee. Here is how the APL is calculated according to the configurations and how to declare itself correctly.
Open GuideAPL for students: housing assistance for the CAF
The APL (Customized Housing Assistance) is a monthly support from the CAF which covers part of the rent. For a student, she often represents 100 at 300 € per month. Since 2021, the APL is calculated in real time, on the revenues of the last 12 months. This is who it is due, how to ask it and what to know.
Open GuideBail mobility: short term rental up to 10 months
The mobility lease is a furnished rental contract for a duration of 1 to 10 months. It is intended for those who are temporarily staying: studies, internships, temporary contracts, missions, or waiting for social housing. This is not a classic lease: it is not automatically renewable and does not commit in the long term. This is the right thing to check in the contract and how to get out of it properly.
Open GuideComplete rental folder: for delicate situations
Here is the extensive checklist of the rental package for cases where the minimum is not enough: foreigners without French credit history, self-employed (self-entrepreneurs), students, newcomers. A complete file compensates for "weaknesses" (no guarantor, no local income) and increases the chances in a tense area. Here's what to add as a minimum.
Open GuideCondominium regulation: the rules of the building
The by-law of co-ownership is the internal document of a condominium that sets out the rules of life: what is common (common parties) and private (private parties), what can or cannot be done, how the charges are distributed and how decisions are made in assembly. The tenant must comply with the settlement, and the lessor bears the charges. Here is the essential to know for a tenant and where to find the settlement.
Open GuideCROUS Housing: Student Social Housing
The CROUS (Centre Régional des Oeuvres Universitaires et Scolaires) provides students with social housing — university residences — at a rent lower than the market. This is the most accessible option for students, but places are rare and long waiting. Here's to whom she addresses, how to apply (SSD) and the particulars of life in residence CROUS.
Open GuideDPE: Energy label of housing and what it changes for rental
The DPE (Energy Performance Diagnostic) indicates the energy and heating consumption of the housing and assigns a label of A (economist) to G (energy efficient). Since July 2021, the DPE is mandatory for any rental or sale; since 2023, G-classed dwellings are considered "thermal passory" and their rent can no longer be increased in the frame area. Here's what the DPE changes for you tenant and what you need to check on the lease.
Open GuideHome insurance: tenant's housing insurance
In France, the tenant is obliged to insure his housing (home insurance / multi-risk housing). It is the law (of 1989): without insurance, the lessor can terminate the lease or sign up for it himself and rewrite you. The insurance covers fire, water damage, theft, and your civil liability rental. This is what is covered, how to choose and how to report a disaster.
Open GuideLease Charges: Verify what is recoverable
The rental charges are limited to the recoverable expenses provided for in the texts. You often pay for provisions and then annual regularization. The tenant may request the details and supporting documents.
Open GuideLeasing: lease, rights and obligations
Co-location is several tenants in a single dwelling. In France, the single lease (solidarity between roommates) must be distinguished from individual contracts. This determines who pays the rent, how the security deposit is shared and what happens if a roommate leaves.
Open GuideMoisture, Moisture and Undecent Housing: Evidence and approaches
A dwelling shall allow sufficient ventilation and moisture removal during normal occupation. Photos are not enough to attribute the cause: leak, ventilation, built, heating or use may occur. Document, notify the lessor in writing, use ADIL and Signal Housing and never stop paying rent on your own initiative.
Open GuideNotice: how to officially sum the lessor
Formal notice is a written and official summons addressed to the lessor to perform an obligation: to do works, to return the deposit, to regularize the rent. It is a mandatory step before any court, and it is often on its date that deadlines run. Here's when and how to send, what to write and what to do if the landlord doesn't answer.
Open GuidePurchase VEFA : buy accommodation on map
The VEFA (Sale in the Future State of Completion) is the purchase of a new apartment under construction. You pay in stages (depending on the promotion) and receive the keys on delivery. It's a way to acquire new ones with benefits (ten-year guarantee, reduced bills, sometimes Pinel), but there are risks: delays, plan deviations, developer bankruptcy. This is the process, what needs to be checked and how to protect yourself.
Open GuideRental supervision: control of rents in large cities
The rent framework is a mechanism that caps rent in tense areas: in the region, Lyon (Métropole de Lyon) and Grenoble (Grenoble-Alpes Métropole). The lessor cannot set a rent higher than the "reference rent" defined by the authorities. Here's how to check that your rent meets the ceiling and what if it exceeds it.
Open GuideRetrieving the security deposit and contesting deductions
The deadline is from the date of delivery of all keys: usually one month if the state of the exit is in accordance with the entry, and up to two months in case of differences. The lessor can only retain justifiable debts and degradations, outdated deducted. In case of delay, a legal increase may apply; start with a notice of formal notice and then the conciliation or the judge.
Open GuideSeasonal rental: short term rental (Airbnb) for the owner
The seasonal rental consists of rental furnished to tourists for short periods (Airbnb, Booking, Abritel). Rentable for the owner, but strictly supervised: in large cities (including Lyon and Grenoble), a declaration in town hall is mandatory, with a limit of 120 days a year and tax obligations. This is what it takes to rent legally, limits and taxes.
Open GuideSharing and solidarity: how the solidarity clause works
The central concept of co-location is the solidarity clause: if one of the roommates leaves or no longer pays, the others remain responsible. This protects the lessor but puts the occupants at risk. This is what solidarity means in your lease, how to limit the risks and what happens at the departure of a roommate.
Open GuideSocial housing (HLM)
Social housing offers less-than-market rents for low-income households. Only one online application covers the department's donors — the deadlines are long but the process is worth it.
Open GuideStatus: How to protect your security deposit
The state of the place is the document which fixes the state of the dwelling at the entrance and exit. It depends directly on the return of the security deposit: the lessor can only retain what differs from the state of entry. Here is what to note, how to photograph and what to do if the state of the place has been bleaked.
Open GuideStudent lease 9 months: rent for university year
The student lease is a fixed term furnished rental contract of 9 months, based on the university year. It is proposed by student residences and some private donors. Its peculiarity: it ends automatically, without notice of departure. Here's who it is, what to check and how to recover your security deposit.
Open GuideSub-rent: rules for sub-renting your home
The sub-lease consists, as a tenant, of renting your accommodation (part or all) to another person. In France, it is legal only on two conditions: the written agreement of the lessor and a price that does not exceed your rent. Without agreement, the sublease is unlawful and is subject to termination of the lease. Here's how to get the agreement, formalize the sublease and what risks to anticipate.
Open GuideTermination of the lease: how to give leave and leave your home
Termination of the lease is the end of the contract at your initiative. The tenant may leave at any time, without reason, but must notify the lessor in advance (pre-notice) and follow the procedure. The duration of the notice depends on the lease: 3 months for the unfurnished, 1 months in tense area and for the furnished. Here's how to give off properly, what to send and recover his deposit.
Open GuideThe rental market in France: how to search without getting lost
The search for housing in France usually starts with advertisements. Before you answer, decide which format is right for you: furnished, unfurnished, shared accommodation or mobility lease. Then prepare your file and respond quickly, as the good goods leave quickly.
Open GuideUnsustainability and indecent housing: tenant rights
In France, rented accommodation must meet a legal threshold of "decency" — the lessor has an obligation to rent a place that does not threaten health or safety. If the housing is indecent or unhealthy — no heating, dangerous electricity, moulds of defect, non-waterproof roof — the tenant has powerful levers: lower rent, work at the expense of the lessor, or even compensation. This is what is considered indecent, how to act, and where to complain.
Open GuideVisale for tenants: the state's free deposit
Visale (Visa for Housing and Employment) is a free housing action guarantee that replaces a private guarantor. In case of unpaid payments, Visale covers the lessor's debt, and then you repay Action Logement. Particularly useful for foreigners without a French guarantor. Here's to whom she addresses, how to get it and what to know.
Open GuideWorks: who pays what — tenant or lessor
In France, repairs to housing are clearly distributed: small (rental / small) repairs are the responsibility of the tenant, major works (large repairs) are the responsibility of the lessor. The border is not always obvious and disputes about it are a frequent cause of withholding from the deposit. This is the responsibility of everyone, how to seek redress from the lessor, and what to do in case of disagreement.
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Important remark
The right to housing has many nuances. This information is for information purposes only. For specific situations (litigations, commercial rentals), a consultation with a professional or ADIL is recommended.
