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The Parisian housing market can be difficult to navigate for international students; there is much higher demand than availability. Tenant rights are also afforded great protection in France, which means that landlords can be extremely selective when choosing a tenant. There are, however, a variety of resources available to both international students and residents and an increasing number of options for securing rentals in Paris. While the Housing Office is not able to intervene directly in students鈥� independent or external searches, we remain available to provide advice and insight on the search process, review leases with students, discuss best practices, and connect students to resources should they have a housing issue.

The most important part of looking for apartment rentals in Paris is the听dossier听(file) landlords and agents expect you to have. In France, tenants need to have a French financial guarantor (meaning a person who pays taxes in France) who agrees to be financially responsible for your rent if you do not pay it; they often have to show a salary equivalent to three times the rent. As most of our students are international, they often obtain financial guarantors either through their bank or through third-party providers. More information about compiling and sending our dossier is available in the next section.

There are a variety of agencies and websites that you can use to start your apartment search. The more traditional French websites, used by both French agencies and landlords directly, will be more rigid in requiring the typical French dossier 鈥� it may be difficult for a student without a French guarantor to secure housing through those resources. Student-centered housing search engines may have options that cater more to international students and accept guarantor services. Finally, a few websites and services cater specifically to international residents and expats, and may often accept international guarantors, though they offer more expensive options as a result.

As you review offers, please be cautious and vigilant before responding to a listing. If the offer looks too good to be true, it usually is. Below are some general tips to avoid scammers:

• You should not make any payment before having an actual rental agreement with the landlord or agency. Listings that require a security deposit or rent payment before accepting your application (or to schedule a visit) are typically scams.
• It is not unusual for agencies or landlords to require documentation (guarantor salary slips, tax revenues, proof of previous rent payments, etc.) to screen applicants before scheduling a visit. It is entirely your decision, however, which listings you feel comfortable responding to with paperwork and which you do not. Be selective when sending your dossier to landlords and agencies.
• Large and luxurious apartments available in the center of Paris for very low rent are almost always scams. The reality is that the Parisian housing market is an expensive one, and any legal gems you may find will also be found by other applicants looking for housing, most of whom will likely have a French guarantor and thus a preferable profile to landlords or agencies.
• Some agencies or landlords may ask you to 鈥渂lock鈥� an amount equivalent to a few months鈥� rent in your bank account as a substitute to having a French guarantor, or to pay that sum in advance. This is not advisable, especially if you are not familiar with the agency or landlord.

Your dossier is the tenant application you send the landlord or agency to try to secure the rental. Many agencies or landlords will require a dossier before confirming a visit, as they review applications to select initial candidates; they prefer to first verify income and eligibility to live in France before moving forward with a visit.

Other landlords and agencies may not require the dossier for the visit. They will, however, require this documentation prior to confirming the rental, as they will still need to ensure that the tenant鈥檚 application meets their requirements.

A dossier typically includes the following:

• Proof of identity (passport and titre de s茅jour/Validated Visa)
• Proof of student status (enrollment certificate)
• Proof of residence/prior rental (proof of ownership through property tax payment, or rent receipts for past three months)
  • Note that, if this is not applicable to you, it will at the very least be required for your guarantor.
• Proof of income (last three months鈥� pay stubs, in addition to last three years鈥� tax return documents to demonstrate yearly income after tax)
  • As a student, you would not be expected to provide these; they will, however, be required for your guarantor.
• Guarantor documents 鈥� in addition to the proof of residence and proof of income outlined above, your guarantor will also be asked to provide proof of identity (passport).

Many agencies and landlords now accept guarantor services as alternatives to having a French guarantor. Those resources are listed at the bottom of the page.

Different agencies or landlords may have additional requirements for the dossier. If you are unsure whether a request for a specific document is standard or reasonable, feel free to check in with our housing office.

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Sending your Dossier

It is entirely your decision to send (or not to send) a dossier for a visit. This is not an unusual practice in France; however, do keep in mind that a dossier includes sensitive documents. This is why you should remain vigilant of the rental posting itself for any red flags or inconsistencies.

is a governmental resource for tenants in France to have their dossier sent through a governmental portal. Using Dossier Facile serves two main purposes: a) it indicates to the landlord that the documents are valid, as they are verified and approved by the portal, and b) it helps minimize the risk of documents being fraudulently used by scammers, as the platform requires registration and authentication for access.

Please do note that Dossier Facile works best for French documentation; students have indicated that documents originating from other countries do not always meet the validation requirements within the platform.

The platform allows you to upload documentation and download it with a watermark 鈥� some of our students have used it solely for this purpose, as it allows them to send watermarked documentation to landlords and agencies for visits, and only send the documentation without a watermark once they have been selected for the rental and wish to move forward with the rental agreement.

THE LEASE

Most lease agreements (bail) for furnished apartments have a duration of nine months to one year; however, the contract can be terminated with one month's notice given in writing and sent by registered mail. Please be sure to check your lease as the landlord may require advance notice of up to three months.听

The standard security deposit (caution) consists of one month鈥檚 rent which, by law, may be returned up to two months after the student's departure. Under some circumstances, the landlord may request a deposit equivalent to two month鈥檚 rent. When you move in (and out), an inventory meeting (茅tat des lieux) must be scheduled and a form filled out and signed by the student and landlord. The inventory is for your mutual protection and will be used to determine if any damages will be deducted from your security deposit upon departure.

Be sure to review all the clauses of your lease before signing it: there are standards set by French law that cannot be circumvented by a lease, even one signed by both parties. While we are not able to offer legal expertise, please feel free to reach out to the Housing Office should you wish for us to review the lease, and flag any potential concerns that may require follow-up on your part.

MANAGING YOUR RENTAL

It is your responsibility, as a tenant, to ensure that maintenance issues threatening the integrity of the accommodation are properly flagged to the landlord or to the managing agency. The resolution of those maintenance issues will depend on the type of rental (furnished or unfurnished) and insurance you have. Typically, issues that arise after move-in such as clogged drains, damaged furniture or malfunctioning appliances will be the responsibility of the tenant. Leaks resulting from structural issues and electrical or plumbing problems not resulting from misuse will be the responsibility of the landlord. In most cases, however, tenants must work to provide access for necessary interventions, even if they are coordinated and paid for by the landlord. You will find more details about tenant and landlord responsibilities in our Housing Resources section.

SECURITY DEPOSIT

Upon moving out, you should always schedule a walkthrough with your landlord to review the inventory and condition of the apartment. Both parties need to sign the walkthrough: the signature signifies that you are both in agreement about the details listed, and that any damages or missing inventory are to be deducted from your security deposit.

In France, landlords have two months following the move-out date to assess repairs (based on the damages or missing inventory agreed upon during your walkthrough), schedule interventions, and secure the bills. The final amount deducted from your deposit should be equal to the cost of the repairs and purchases required 鈥� it always good practice to ask for official bills documenting those repairs.