Housing

And after ?

If your application is accepted by the landlord, you and your guarantor will be asked to sign a rental agreement.
When you sign the lease, you will have to pay your security deposit. This deposit allows you to secure the accommodation.

Home insurance is mandatory and will be requested when you receive the keys.

Every rental must be covered by a rental agreement (also called a lease). This contract lists the rights and obligations of the owner and the tenant. It must contain the following elements: name and address of the owner, name(s) of the tenant(s), effective date and duration of the lease, characteristics of the property, amount of rent and charges, and terms for renewal or termination of the lease.

The guarantor is the person who, in a written document called a deed of guarantee, commits to the owner of the rented accommodation to pay the tenant’s rental debts. For students, it is often the parents who act as guarantor, but it is not mandatory that the guarantor be a family member.

Even though it is not mandatory, few landlords or organizations do not require a guarantor.

For students who do not have a guarantor, or whose guarantor is not considered acceptable (this is often the case when the person lives and works abroad), there are joint guarantor systems, such as VISALE or Studapart.

The security deposit is a sum paid by the tenant to the owner at the time of signing the contract to cover possible risks related to the rental: unpaid rents or charges, carrying out of rental repairs in case of material damage for which the tenant is responsible, etc.

The amount, the payment and the return of the guarantee are strictly defined by law. These terms must also be included in the rental contract:

• Furnished rental: the security deposit cannot exceed 2 months’ rent excluding charges
• Non-furnished rental: the security deposit cannot exceed 1 month’s rent excluding charges
• Return of the security deposit: 2 months from the date of handing over the keys, or 1 month if no damage is noted in the inventory of fixtures at the end of the rental period (longer periods for the Crous). Remember not to close your French bank account before the deposit is returned!

Le dépôt de garantie est une somme versée par le locataire au propriétaire au moment de la signature du contrat pour couvrir d’éventuels risques liés à la location : loyers ou charges impayés, réalisation des réparations locatives en cas de dégâts matériels de la responsabilité du locataire etc

Le montant, le versement, ainsi que la restitution de la garantie sont strictement encadrés par la loi. Ces modalités doivent également figurer dans le contrat de location :

• location meublée : le dépôt de garantie ne peut pas être supérieur à 2 mois de loyer hors charges
• location vide : le dépôt de garantie ne peut pas être supérieur à 1 mois de loyer hors charges
• Restitution du dépôt de garantie :  délai de 2 mois à compter de la remise des clés, ou 1 mois si aucune dégradation n’est constatée dans l’état des lieux de sortie (délais plus longs pour les Crous). Pensez à ne pas clôturer votre compte bancaire français avant la restitution de la caution

Le locataire est tenu de verser le montant du loyer du mois (avec les charges) à une date prévue dans le contrat de location.

La loi prévoit que le locataire peut payer son loyer par tout moyen (chèque, virement bancaire ou espèces). Cependant, dans la pratique, le règlement en espèces est parfois refusé et mieux vaut en discuter avec son propriétaire ou l’organisme locataire en amont.

En cas de paiement complet du loyer, le locataire peut demander au propriétaire de lui transmette gratuitement une quittance de loyer.

The tenant is required to pay the monthly rent (including utilities) by a date specified in the rental agreement.

The law provides that the tenant may pay the rent by any means (check, bank transfer or cash). However, in practice, payment in cash is sometimes refused and it is better to discuss this with the landlord or the rental agency beforehand.

In case of full payment of the rent, the tenant can ask the landlord to send him a rent receipt free of charge.

See the Housing Assistance and Home Insurance sections on this same page.

Leaving your accommodation on the date specified in the rental agreement

You have to inform your landlord to fix an appointment for the inventory of fixtures at the end of the contract (to make sure that you leave your accommodation clean and in good condition) and for the return of the keys. Your deposit will be returned to you within a maximum period of 1 month (longer in the case of the Crous).

Leaving your accommodation before the date specified in your contract

You must inform your landlord of your departure date by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or by hand-delivered letter against a receipt: this is called the “préavis”.

This notice must be given 1 month before the date of departure for furnished accommodation and 3 months before for unfurnished accommodation. Even if you leave before the notice date, and in the absence of a new tenant, you must continue to pay your rent.

At the end of your notice period, you will have to make the inventory of fixtures, hand over the keys to the owners, and get back your deposit within 1 month (except for Crous where the delays can be longer).

Subletting is the action of allowing someone to rent all or part of a building that you are renting from someone else.

In the private rental sector, this practice is authorized on the condition that the tenant obtains the owner’s agreement before subletting.
The amount of rent requested by the tenant cannot be higher than that paid by the tenant to the owner.
It is advisable to draw up a sublease contract that will allow the subletter to benefit from CAF housing assistance.

At the Crous and in private residences, subletting is strictly forbidden and can be sanctioned by the immediate dismissal of the tenant from the accommodation.

In France, the taxe d’habitation is a tax that applies to every person (owner, tenant or free occupant) who owns a property. It is paid by the person occupying the property on January 1st of the tax year. The housing tax is payable before November 15 of the year.

A foreign student occupying a dwelling in France on January 1st will have to pay the taxe d’habitation, except if he/she lives in a dwelling belonging to a student residence or a furnished room rented by an owner. If he/she arrives in France after January 1st, the student can be exempted from the contribution.

How to be exempted from the taxe d’habitation? The taxe d’habitation can be very expensive (more than one month’s rent!). To be exempted, we advise you to file a tax return with your local tax office.

You have a housing related problem and are looking for legal advice?
Le Conseil départemental de l’accès au droit du Calvados (CDAD 14) holds two drop-in sessions each month at the Pierre Sineux university library on campus 1 of the university. These drop-in sessions provide an opportunity to meet with professionals and law students for information and advice.
Further information: https://www.unicaen.fr/un-probleme-juridique-des-permanences-pour-connaitre-ses-droits-et-ses-devoirs/

When you move in, don’t forget to put your name on your mailbox. Without it, you may not receive your mail.

When you move out (or if you’re going to be away for a long time), give your new address to state agencies and other organizations that may send you mail.

A website offers a simplified procedure for notifying your new address to most government agencies (EXCEPT the prefecture): https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/R11193

To be sure to continue to receive your mail, you can also opt for the mail redirection (paying service) proposed by La Poste.