Renting an Apartment in France: Real Challenges for Expats

The Challenges of Renting an Apartment in France

Finding a rental in France has been the most frustrating part of my move here. Many Americans arrive expecting to sign a lease on a fully renovated, air-conditioned apartment within a few weeks, and the reality is very different. The French rental market is tight, competitive and often unforgiving, even for people who speak the language and live in the country.

I wrote this article so you don’t romanticize the rental process. If you know what to expect, you can plan for it, adjust your criteria and avoid the worst surprises.

Air conditioning and other American comforts are rare

Air conditioning is rare in French rentals outside the south of France, and even in the south, many rentals don’t have it. If A/C is a must for you, expect to compromise on location, budget or both.

I moved from Houston, where I had a 3-zone A/C and heating system, large open spaces and a large washer and dryer. You may not find these in France, especially on the rental market. Part of moving to a new country is accepting that some of these comforts won’t come with you. That reality pushes many newcomers to buy right away, which I understand but don’t recommend given the high notary fees and agency fees, making it a costly mistake if you don't buy in a location you want to stay in for 5+ years.

A tight market, even for French citizens

The market is tight enough that even French citizens with a CDI (permanent contract) struggle to rent. Landlords and agents typically want a CDI and an income of at least three times the monthly rent, and with many applicants for each listing, they pick the profile that looks safest on paper.

If you are a foreigner with a recent arrival, a foreign employer or an income that doesn’t meet the 3x rule, you start at a disadvantage. Local agents usually don't consider your pension or investment income from overseas, you can pay for a guarantor service to solve this, which I will come back to later.

My experience: Rennes versus the western Paris suburbs

We lived for a year in Rennes. When we were moving, the entire city had only two apartments above 100 m² available to rent. We visited both and chose the better option for us, but it was frustrating to have so little choice. It wasn’t a question of budget; there was simply no availability and none of the apartments had an elevator, so if that would have been a criteria, there would have been zero apartments to choose from. The situation in Rennes improved since then, but when we were moving there was simply nearly nothing available.

We then moved to the western Paris suburbs, where we were looking for a house to rent. There were no houses available to rent with A/C in the areas we were searching. We submitted our dossier with our guarantor, and the owners selected more secure profiles with CDI contracts and lifetime income. We speak fluent French and were already in France while searching, and we still struggled.

To secure our house, we had to start the lease 10 days before we could actually move in, because we were afraid the owners would choose another dossier. The house isn't perfect and doesn't have A/C, but it is the best we could find this last summer. We also visited a house in our town where the real estate agent didn’t care about my guarantor and wanted only a CDI with three times the rent. Funnily enough, that more expensive house was still for rent three months later, so maybe they should have considered my dossier.

Using a guarantor service when your salary doesn’t cover 3x the rent

My French salary didn’t cover three times the rent, so I used Cautioneo to guarantee my rent. It helped me get my dossier accepted, but as the house search showed, some owners and agents still prefer a traditional profile with a CDI and a salary at 3x the rent.

I cover the options in more detail in my article on renting an apartment in France without a French guarantor.

What works: avoid the most competitive segment of the market

If you have the financial means, the best strategy I found is to stay out of the most competitive segment. Before choosing a city, check what apartments or houses cost there on SeLoger or Leboncoin.

Be careful with Leboncoin: there are many scams on the site. If a listing looks too good to be true, it probably is.

In Rennes, our budget was above the market, so there was little competition for the few large apartments available. In the western Paris suburbs, we were right in the heart of the market’s budget range, and that is what made the search so much harder.

If you are in the heart of the market, you may need to:

• change your criteria (size, features, location)

• consider a service to help with your search

• consider an alternative city within your budget

Rental search services and managing expectations

Several of my clients have used services to help them find a rental, with varying degrees of success. When expectations are managed, these services can be a great help, especially if they know the city well, do not outsource the search, and your requirements are in line with the market.

They can’t work miracles. If you want a 100 m² apartment in Paris with a view of the Eiffel Tower for under €3,000 a month, no service will find it because it doesn't exist.

Final thoughts

If you have time and your budget is above the market for the city, you can find a great place to live, even if it lacks some of the American comforts mentioned above. That is part of moving to a new country. If you are in the heart of the market, expect real competition and be ready to adapt. If you aren't prepared to sacrifice, then you might need to consider another town which lower real estate prices.

If you are moving to France and have questions about renting, feel free to reach out to me at Timothy@mybestmoneylife.com. I am not a real estate expert and do not offer real estate services, but I am happy to provide feedback and could refer you to a service if it is the right fit for you.

If you have more general financial coaching and moving to France questions, you can book a consultation with me here: https://www.mybestmoneylife.com/book-an-appointment

My Best Money Life

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