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Top five problems faced by renters in France

Renting

24/02/2010Top five problems faced by renters in France

France may have the best tenancy protection laws in the world but there is still a need for renters to exercise caution before renting.

Renting a property in France is very simple in principle: You find a place you like, you sign a lease and you move in. When you are ready to buy or move on, you just move out. But the reality is slightly more complex and here are some common problems that many renters face.

Problem 1: Slow estate agents

You need a house in less than a month but the agency you are working with is very slow to respond to email or even telephone requests for viewings and information. This is simply because they do not have to try very hard as rental demands far exceed what is on offer.

In these circumstances, using a reputable property finder is invaluable and will you save lots of time and frustration as they will do the hard work for you at no extra cost to yourself.

You can trawl the internet but may find that the properties on display are no longer available and are only left online to attract new customers.

Generally, you have more protection renting a property through agents immobiliers (estate agents) than with propriétaires (private landlords), but check what fee the agent will charge you before agreeing terms, as many estate agents will have the same properties on their books but at varying fees. It is worth shopping around.

Problem 2: It really is an unfurnished apartment?

Whether you choose to rent furnished or unfurnished is really up to you, but beware; the same law does not apply to both. Some landlords try to make you accept a “furnished” tenancy agreement for what is really an unfurnished property because it is more favourable for them, which of course is unacceptable.

An “unfurnished” contract must last for at least three years and is automatically renewable. If it is your primary residence, a “furnished” property is for one year minimum and automatically renewable. You should also keep in mind that furnished properties for long term lets are very difficult to find outside of the major cities like Paris and you will pay significantly more.

It should also be noted that unfurnished property means just that. This means no oven, no refrigerator, no kitchen cabinets or counters or shelves, no light fixtures etc. This is slowly changing thankfully and usually houses will have some sort of kitchen already.

Problem 3: Long list of French paperwork requirements

What you will need to provide:
· A French bank-account slip (R.I.B)
· Pay slips for at least the previous three months
· Your most recent income tax return
· Proof of identity
· You may also be asked for proof of home ownership abroad or your three last rent receipts from your last rental home.
· Work contract (in French)
· Attestation de l’employeur, this can sometimes replace the work contract

Before you plan to view any properties you should begin with the opening of a French bank account. Although this sounds quite simple to do, here we encounter the chicken and the egg syndrome in its full glory. In order to have a bank account you must prove you have a residence and in order to obtain a residence you must have a bank account...frustrated?

Most people overcome this by getting a temporary address or an “attestation” from an immobilier saying that you are planning to sign a lease on a property before making an appointment to open their new account.

Other areas that frequently pose problems are in providing French tax returns, or even French pay slips since you have presumably just moved to France and are starting a new contract, these can be impossible to obtain. Most of these issues can be overcome by dealing with landlords, agents and property finders that are used to renting to expats and will somewhat bend the rules to accommodate a potential tenant.

Problem 4: My landlord is asking for a higher deposit

If you do choose to deal directly with a landlord to obtain a rental, it is wise to know French law pertaining to rental properties. This is constantly changing and what was valid last year may no longer be the case now. To give one example, the security deposit for an unfurnished property is now the equivalent of one month’s rent (excluding charges) and not the previous two. Unscrupulous landlords may ask for two or more months rent but this is illegal.

Problem 5: My landlord says I have dented his front door and refuses to return me my deposit

To ensure that this happens you must take every precaution at the beginning of the rental period when you sign the état des lieux (inventory), ensure that you understand exactly what is listed, check that everything is in working order (open cupboards, try the shutters etc). If it isn’t already, make sure it is noted in the inventory. Only then should you sign it.

Sometimes the état des lieux is conducted by a huissier (bailiff) and you may want to hire one privately to avoid any future disputes. Without strong evidence to the contrary, the landlord’s word is incontestable in a court hearing.

However, if all goes well, the depot de garantie (deposit or bond) must be returned to you within two months of leaving the property, provided that the property is in the same condition as when your rental agreement began.

It may sound like renting in France is a minefield of potential problems but with the right assistance; this need not be the case at all. It would be wise to remember that France has the best tenancy protection laws in the world and it is for this reason that landlords need to get it right from the very beginning.

Happy house hunting!

Susan Toursel / Expatica

Susan Toursel is an accredited property finder and advisor who moved to France 18 years ago from Ireland. Together with her French husband, they both enjoy welcoming newcomers to the lovely Chantilly and Senlis region, just outside of Paris.

6 reactions to this article

Mimi posted: 2010-02-25 02:45:05

"It would be wise to remember that France has the best tenancy protection laws in the world and it is for this reason that landlords need to get it right from the very beginning"" This article sounds rather one sided, it should also be pointed out that renters need to maintain their obligations to pay the rent on time and to comply with the rental agreement or "bail" - if each side complies with their obligations, then hopefully a happy rental all round.

Ji posted: 2010-10-22 19:20:36

And what is the recourse if the landlord does not pay back the deposit? Who can we contact? Our landlord had new people immediately move in. It's been almost 3 months and we haven't gotten our deposit back.

Mike posted: 2011-01-26 11:34:07

What is the situation if you have assets and income and are self employed (writer) and will not have an employment contract in France?

Cynthia Feldman posted: 2011-11-23 00:08:40

I, too, did not receive a 1300 euro deposit back. It wasn't until I had investigated that I found out the rental agent Philipe Gordon was a scam artist and did this to many people. As a bit of advice to all renters, NEVER wire money into a French bank account if asked. You have no protection against fraud.

Lynne Brooks posted: 2012-01-16 22:23:29

We need advice in respect of un returned security bond from a French landlord who has written to us via their Avocat they will not be returning the bond. The studio was rented via Paris Attitude they have refunded the agency fee and are trying to help.
Can anyone advise organisations who can investigate what is theft. The police as it is a commercial crime are not able to help.
Thank you

Annette posted: 2012-04-24 17:07:44

To Mike

You could very well be facing Hell; This was my situation, more or less as a freelance translator, when I moved to France. What you will be asked for is to put up one year's rent as deposit, they call it something else, otherwise it would be illegal. What you will learn is that in France money will be the way to deal with everything; whenever there's a problem, there's always a sum of money, that can solve the issue. This may not be PC to say, but it has been my experience over the last 5 years.
Good Luck

Annette

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