Accommodation

As many cities in the world, finding a suitable flat can be difficult. Sometimes, it will often take some time to find what you are looking for.
Here are some explanations regarding the notations you will find on French real estate advertisement.

T1, T2, T3…: “T” corresponds to the type of appartment with the number of rooms (kitchen and bathroom excluded). 

T2 = 1 bedroom flat
T3 = 2 bedrooms flat
Etc.

T1 bis, T2 bis, T3 bis...: Those are privated lodgings for which one of the rooms is large and can be separated in two distinct zones.

Studio: When the kitchen is part of the living room or bedroom. It is an apartment with one main room with a kitchen corner and a separated bedroom.

Flat share: Sharing a large flat between two or more students is an interesting and less expensive alternative, particularly in big cities with a shortage of single-living accommodations. The most common option is a single tenancy agreement signed by all tenants, when two or more persons share the flat. This means that you will all have exactly the same responsibilities and rights vis-à-vis the landlord. All flatmates are considered joint tenants and are mutually and individually responsible for paying the rent.

Mutual obligation: The agreement usually contains a solidarity clause that binds all co-tenants for the duration of the tenancy, even if one individual were to move out. This clause can still be valid even when the agreement makes no explicit mention of the term “solidarity”: if the tenants are said to be responsible “l’un pour l’autre” (for one another), “chacun pour le tout” (one for all and all for one), or “ont obligation au tout” (are obligated for all) then they are bound by a solidarity clause and equally liable for the payment of rent and service charges.

A problem may occasionally arise at the end of the period of the tenancy with regard to the deposit. At the start of the tenancy, the co-tenants pay, in most cases, a single deposit to the landlord (usually the equivalent of one month’s rent). However, following the departure of the tenants, the landlord is not required to reimburse each tenant his/her share of the deposit. The landlord will return the deposit to one of the tenants, who in turn will be responsible for reimbursing the others their share.

Departure of a joint tenant

When one of the persons sharing the flat decides to move out, there are two possibilities:

If the agreement does not contain a solidarity clause, the tenant must notify the landlord of his/her pending departure by means of a registered letter. He/she will continue to be liable for the rent and charges until the end of the notice period.

If the agreement contains a solidarity clause, the departing tenant will continue to be responsible for the rent and additional charges until the end of the tenancy, despite having notified the landlord by means of a registered letter. This rule also applies to the guarantor of the departing tenant.

In all cases, the conditions of the agreement will remain unchanged for the remaining tenant(s). However, the departing tenant will not be reimbursed his/her share of the deposit until the end of the period of the tenancy.

A new tenant can be included in the agreement, either by way of an addendum that will be attached to the initial agreement to substitute his/her name, or a completely new tenancy agreement can be drawn up (at the risk of a rent increase).

Sharing household expenses

Insurance: co-tenants should all be insured in order to avoid potential conflicts.

Electricity: up to three co-tenants may request to feature on the EDF account. This implies that the persons whose names appear on the contract are jointly responsible. The bills may also serve as proof of residence.

Housing benefit: each tenant may qualify for housing benefit, but will be required to provide a copy of the tenancy agreement for the calculation of his/her benefit entitlement. The benefit amount will be lower than if the individual were residing alone while paying the same rent.

It may be useful to establish ground rules and each person’s share of the household expenses.