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