| When relocating to Paris for a sabbatical | | | | is this Parisian rental your primary home |
| year, an internship, or a permanent job, the | | | | address or your secondary home (holiday |
| most convenient way to tackle your housing | | | | home)? If this rental is considered your |
| needs is to rent a furnished apartment at | | | | secondary home, the lease can be arranged |
| least for the first months or year of your | | | | from as short as 3 months or as long as one |
| Parisian stay. Of course, finding and renting | | | | year. The tenant must give three (3) months |
| a long-term rental in Paris can be | | | | notice in case of early termination of the |
| challenging if you don't speak French and if | | | | contract. The notice can be reduced to one |
| you don't know the specific French laws about | | | | (1) month only in the case of special |
| furnished apartments. Once you've found your | | | | circumstances (e.g. end of your work |
| Paris apartment, or once your real estate | | | | contract, or relocation elsewhere, for |
| agency has found you the perfect gem, the | | | | example). If this rental will be your |
| following details below should provide better | | | | primary home/address, a recently-passed |
| understanding and footing when negotiating a | | | | French law (from 2005) requires that you sign |
| apartment rentals in Paris, on your own or | | | | a lease for one (1) year (with an implied new |
| with a bilingual real estate agency. | | | | lease at the end of the year). For students, |
| Short-term apartment rentals : Renting a | | | | the requirement is a nine (9) month lease. |
| furnished apartment for less than 90 days is | | | | Tenants must give one (1) month notice if |
| called "location saisonniere", which requires | | | | vacating the property before the end-date on |
| a signed short-term lease agreement between | | | | the lease. If the landlord needs his |
| landlord and tenant. It's a flexible lease, | | | | property, he/she must notify the tenant at |
| one that ends naturally on the end date | | | | least three (3) months before termination. |
| written on the contract, and requires no | | | | Before 2005, landlords could terminate the |
| special notice should you need to vacate the | | | | lease at will; now they are required to |
| rental earlier. However, with a short-term | | | | justify the lease termination and is granted |
| rental, the total rent is due up front | | | | the right under special circumstances -- a |
| (meaning on your arrival day and at the | | | | family member needs the property, the owner |
| beginning of each month) and no refund is | | | | wants to sell it, or the tenant didn't |
| provided if you shorten your stay. If you | | | | respect the signed terms and conditions (e.g. |
| need further flexibility on the lease | | | | didn't pay rent, for example). The above |
| end-date, the best is to purchase "lease | | | | points are the main issues to know before |
| cancellation insurance". Those cancellation | | | | signing any document for a rental. It is |
| insurance or more often provided for weekly | | | | important to also note that all the documents |
| stay. You can find such companies in your own | | | | will be in French. Hiring a bilingual agency |
| country or in France, they reimbursed you | | | | to help you with the legalese will cost you |
| (under conditions). Long-term apartment | | | | fees but will be money well spent to protect |
| rentals : Renting a furnished apartment for | | | | you from signing unnecessary documents or |
| more than 90 days up to one year, is called a | | | | unclear contracts. A real estate agency |
| "location meublée" (furnished long-term | | | | specialised in those type of rental is also |
| rental). The terms for renting these are not | | | | here to help you through your search Once the |
| the same as a location saisonniere. The | | | | lease is signed, and the paperwork is done, |
| lease terms depend on the following question: | | | | it will be time to enjoy life in Paris. |