Building a rental file: Paris edition 🗼🇫🇷

If you are a student looking for a place to rent in Paris or anywhere else in France, you’ll need to build a proper rental file “Dossier”. Not only is this a requirement in becoming a tenant, but it will also convince property owners/landlords to enter a lease with you even if you’re still just studying.

Nevertheless, it’s also understandable that as a student, you’re more focused on your studies than earning money at a job. In this situation, it’s highly advisable to rely on financial support from those around you. They can be your parents, relatives, friends, or even sponsors. With their help, you can easily convince your future landlord to choose you as their tenant.

What are the documents to be provided?

The documents included in your rental file should prove that you do, in fact, study in France and that you have the necessary means to pay your rent every month. These include:

Your Valid ID (i.e. passport)
Proof of address (i.e. utility bills)
Proof of your studies in France (i.e. student card, internship contract, work-study program, student employment contract, etc.)
Certificate of resources (i.e. salaries if you receive them, housing benefits, scholarship, etc.)

What other aids are available?

Since you’re still a student, you likely have no job to help you earn the money to pay rent. In this situation, you can always seek financial aid. These are what’s available to you:

Mobili-Jeune Assistance
partial coverage of your rent ranging from €10.00 to €100.00 per month for one year; renewable. Your current salary must be less than 100% of the SMIC
APL (by CAF)
The ALS (social housing allowance by the CAF)
The property must serve as your main residence in France. It must also offer a minimum surface area of 9 m² per person and 16 m² for two persons (i.e. married couples).
The ALF (family housing allowance, by the CAF)
Intended for specific types of individuals including:
tenants of non-contracted housing
people who receive family benefits or education allowance for disabled children
people under 21 years of age and who do not receive the benefits mentioned
Single women who are at least 4 months pregnant
Couples who have no dependents

What documents are not required?

Under the Laws of 6 July 6, 1989, and January 17, 2002, the property owner/landlord has no right to ask for certain documents that are deemed too personal and/or confidential such as:

VITALE card
Photocopy of bank account
Certificate of proper maintenance of the bank account
Certificate of no credit, authorization of direct debit
Marriage contract or cohabitation certificate
Personal medical record
Criminal record extract
Extract from the family record book
Any financial proof intended to reserve or guarantee your accommodation

Is it mandatory to have a guarantor if you are a student?

Since a guarantor is someone who will take on a debt (in this case, unpaid rent) for those who can no longer afford to pay it, it’s essential that a student tenant gets one. Having a guarantor strengthens a student tenant’s case in that they can guarantee to pay rent every month regardless of their financial situation. But do take note that a guarantor is not required in building up a rental file.

The guarantor must provide you with:

Their valid ID
Their proof of address
Their employment contract
Their last 3 payslips

In the case that you can’t find a guarantor, alternative solutions are still available. You can explore XACCO fully apartments here, we act as a guarantor for you to get you the perfect apartment!

You can use also an online guarantor (i.e. Garantme) which allows tenants to self-insure or have a certificate from a bank proving that they can consistently pay their rent.

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