Acommodation & Housing

If you prefer to stay with a host family, you can check out Homestay

If you prefer to live in a shared apartment, you can consult :

• The roommate map
• Koliving
• Share
• Colodge

If you prefer to live in intergenerational housing, you can consult :

• Ensemble2generations
• Camarage

If you prefer to live in a studio or one-bedroom apartment, you can consult :

If you are looking for temporary housing, you can consult :

• Residhome
• Airbnb
• Hostelworld
• Hostelz

When looking for housing in France, French or foreigners are required to provide a guarantor. The guarantor is legally responsible in case of non-payment by you. It provides financial security that reassures your landlord: with a guarantor by your side, the landlord has confidence in your ability to pay your rent in full on time. Your guarantor must be a French tax resident and must provide a pay slip proving that his or her financial income is at least equal to three times the amount of the rent for the apartment. This is a big commitment, which is why it can be difficult to find one when moving to France.

1. Garantme (see “Our accommodation partners”).

2. The VISALE system

Through the VISALE system, the French government provides rental guarantees if you rent an apartment or room in a student residence. We advise you to start the VISALE process as soon as possible – even before you arrive in France – because the process takes a long time. To be eligible, you must be between 18 and 30 years old. It is not necessary to know your address in France to obtain a VISALE certificate of eligibility (called a “visa”).

Please note: When presenting the VISALE certificate to the landlord, the landlord has the option of accepting or rejecting prospective tenants who wish to use the VISALE system to guarantee payment of their rent and other charges. The VISALE must be accepted by the landlord prior to the signing of the rental agreement.

Please find the Campus France tuto here: Campus France tutorial: the VISALE guarantee

Whether you live in a student residence or in a private apartment, you must purchase home insurance from an insurance company or bank. Basic insurance covers household damage and incidents such as fire, burglary and flooding. Proof of homeowner’s insurance must be given to the landlord before receiving the keys to the apartment. If you can’t get one from your bank, you can consult the French insurance companies below:

• Homebrella
• MAE
• MAAF
• Direct Assurance

Disclaimer: The housing insurance websites listed above are provided as a guide only. OMNES Education does not benefit financially from any of them and cannot be held responsible in case of litigation or prejudice caused by the insurance providers listed above.

The room check is a crucial and non-mandatory document that is usually attached to the lease. We urge students to insist on one. The room check consists of two parts:

• the “état des lieux entrant” (when you begin renting the flat)
•  the “état des lieux sortant” (when you leave the flat)

The tenant is responsible for drafting the ”état des lieux entrant” with the landlord or agency. Typically, the tenant and landlord visit the apartment together and go over every detail of the apartment asking and answering a series of questions, such as: Do the doors shut properly? Are there any holes in the walls? Has the apartment been freshly painted? Do the shower and sink drain properly? Are any tiles broken in the kitchen? Is the apartment clean? Are there any major scratches on the floors, etc.

Together the tenant and landlord answer and document all these types of questions. Once the visit is complete, both parties sign the “état des lieux entrant.” When the tenant is ready to leave the flat, both parties will use the “état des lieux entrant” as a reference document and together they will look for new problems or damage to the apartment. If there is no new damage, then the “état des lieux sortant” will be exactly the same as the “état des lieux entrant” and the deposit will be fully refunded to the tenant. If there is new damage, then this damage will be documented on the “état des lieux sortant” and the tenant will not receive a full refund of the security deposit as the tenant will have to pay for the damages. For example, if the apartment was very clean and documented on the “état des lieux entrant”, but very dirty for the “état des lieux sortant”, the tenants will have to pay for a maid service to clean the apartment. It is therefore important to create a detailed “état des lieux entrant” and to keep a copy so you know what you are responsible for and what was already there when you moved into the flat. 

TIPS:

• During the room check, it is preferable to be accompanied by a native French speaker, it could help you.
• It is also recommended to take digital photos or a video of the apartment before moving in and send them to the landlord to avoid any future disputes. If you discover a hidden defect after you move in (during the first 20 days), inform the landlord immediately by sending a registered letter.
• Your deposit cannot exceed two months’ rent and this amount must be returned to you, less any charges for damage you may have caused.
• The deposit cannot be used to refurnish the apartment.

For all types of accommodation, a deposit will be required. The security deposit is a sum paid directly to the owner by the tenant before moving in. It must be mentioned in the lease. The amount varies between one and two months’ rent (excluding charges) depending on the type of accommodation concerned (furnished or unfurnished). The security deposit is a sum intended to cover the damages noted at the time of your departure and which are directly attributed to you justifying a non-refund of the security deposit. This amount must cover all or part of your rental debt at the time of your departure. Except in the case of major damage or unpaid rent, the security deposit will be refunded in full or in part after your departure – at the latest two months after the return of the keys.

If you are renting an apartment, and electricity and gas are not included in the rent, you will have to open an account with suppliers.

Many energy suppliers operate in France. There are the traditional utilities (EDF, ENGIE) and others have appeared with the opening of the market to competition (Direct Energie, Total Spring, Eni, Planète Oui, among others).

If you rent a room in a university residence, the cost of electricity and gas will probably be included in your rent. In this case, you will not have to contact the electricity and gas suppliers.

Below you will find several suppliers:

• EDF electricity
• Enercoop
• Engie
• Ilek
• Total direct energy

To subscribe to an offer, you must provide the following information:

• The housing contract
• The name of the last tenant (don’t forget to ask your landlord)
• The electricity (and/or gas) meter identification number

• Your bank statement (IBAN or RIB) – if you have a French bank account.

For more information, visit particulier.edf.fr

Disclaimer: The electricity and gas websites listed above are for information purposes only. OMNES Education does not receive any financial benefit from them and cannot be held responsible for any dispute or damage caused by the above mentioned service providers.

PLEASE NOTE:

The tension of the French electrical system is different. The French electrical system, like that of most European countries, is 220 volts at 50 cycles. The plugs take a standardized format with two or three round pins. Hairdryers, chargers, electric shavers and all other electrical appliances require an adapter and a voltage converter. Most can be adapted fairly easily, but seek advice and be sure to purchase an adapter and converter before leaving your home country, especially for expensive devices. The residence or school does not have voltage adapters or converters.

Once you have your rental contract, you can apply for housing assistance from the Caisse d’allocations familiales (CAF). This is a social fund that helps subsidize student housing on a monthly basis. The most common subsidy is the Aide personnalisée au logement (APL), which you can obtain if you are an international students or an EU students studying in France and holding a temporary student visa or residence permit.

The amount of the allowance depends on the amount of rent you pay, your personal situation and the type of apartment you rent. The APL can be sent directly to you, the recipient, or it can be sent to the landlord, which means you will pay less rent each month.

FOR EXAMPLE:

a 20 m² studio apartment for a single person, with a monthly rent of €700, can receive a subsidy of up to €200 per month. Please note that grants do not begin until the month following the date of application (not when you move in). We therefore advise you to make your request as soon as you arrive in your apartment.

The requirements are:

• live in a studio or individual apartment named on the rental agreement.
• have a French bank account (to receive the bank transfer)
• have a French health insurance or a European Health Insurance Card for EU citizens
• have a home insurance
• have applied for your residence permit (if applicable).

To apply steps-by-step:

1. Run a simulation: you can find out your average subsidy amount by running a simulation. To do so, go to CAF – Faire une simulation (page in French)
2. Create an account here: you will need to have with you your social security number, your visa (or residence permit) and your passport, as well as your telephone number and email address.
3. Apply as soon as your tenancy starts: to do so, you will need the following documents: passport, visa/residence permit, school certificate, French bank details (RIB), the amount of your income (if you have any), your lease or rental contract, CROUS certificate (if you live in a CROUS residence)
4. Keep track of your application: by accessing your space on MonCompte or on the Caf MonCompte mobile app.
5. Receive your payment: it will be paid into your French bank account two months after you move into your accommodation, as the first month of residence does not count (if you move into your accommodation in September, your first payment will be made at the beginning of November).

Having a problem? You can call the dedicated student housing assistance number at any time :

09 69 32 52 52 (price of a local call), accessible anywhere in France.

If you live in a shared apartment:

When you apply for the APL, your name must appear on the lease, as well as that of your roommates, and each occupant must make their own application to the CAF. Note that the resources of each roommate are also taken into account to determine the amount of APL paid.

The taxe d’habitation is an annual tax that concerns all persons who rent a dwelling on January 1st of each year. Your landlord can also pay this tax directly. They may ask you to pay the tax up front when you move in, or they may include the amount in your rent. In both cases, ask for written confirmation and receipts. This tax is collected for each type of accommodation (house, apartment, studio, residence, student, etc.), and if there are several students living in the accommodation, the tax must be shared among all the roommates. The amount is approximately equivalent to your monthly rent. Please note that any student staying for a year or arriving in the accommodation in January will have to pay this tax. It is mandatory under French law.

If you wish to have a phone package during your stay in France, you have several options. You can get a package from your home country or buy a prepaid card in France. Make sure your phone accepts international Sim cards.

Cell phone operators in France: there are four main cell phone operators: Orange, SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free Mobile. They offer offers that would probably suit you: unlimited calls to mobiles in France, USA, Canada + unlimited calls to landlines to 45 countries + unlimited SMS + unlimited internet (3G/3G+). Their package is without commitment, so you can end it at any time. These offers are “Sosh”, “Red”, “B&You” and “Free Mobile”. Note that in France, you only pay for outgoing calls and messages, not for incoming calls (although this may be different for international calls). We recommend that you use Facetime, or WhatsApp to call your family as international calls are often very expensive.

Internet: If Internet connection is included in your rent, you don’t have to worry about finding an Internet provider. If the landlord does not provide one, you will need to obtain a connection. The main Internet service providers in France are Free, Orange, Bouygues Telecom and SFR. In Paris and its suburbs, you can get a triple play offer almost everywhere that includes unlimited Internet access (usually from 4 to 20 Mb/s depending on where you live), phone line (usually with unlimited international calls), and a number of more or less interesting TV channels. A triple play offer costs about 30 €/month. Please note that it may take a few weeks to open your line.

Tips:

• Look for student offers!

• Check with your bank to see if they offer
• Do not hesitate to consult the comparative platforms on the internet

Once you have found your home, it is time to furnish it, if it is not already furnished.

Partner of OMNES Education, MondoPal is an online platform where you can order and have delivered all the essential items per room: bedroom (sheets, pillows, duvet, etc.), kitchen (plates, cutlery, ustensil, pans, etc.), bathroom (towels, bath, carpet) to move into your new accommodation. Practical and fast, this platform will avoid you to rent a car to go to IKEA or to a shopping mall. Indeed, you will be delivered at your home or in a pickup relay, the day and at the time you want, from Monday to Saturday.

As a student at OMNES Education, a discount is given, make sure to ask for the discount code in order to benefit from it.

Geev: Geev is a platform where users donate various objects and furniture for free. This is an opportunity to complete your home without spending a dime.

*1 Charges are expenses related to the accommodation that are paid by the landlord, and for which the landlord is entitled to claim reimbursement from you (these may include water, electricity, heating, and others).

*2“960 euros TCC” means that you will only pay 960 euros per month (900 € of rent and 60 € of charges).