The main budget of the French concerns rent, housing. And inflation causes rent prices to rise. Fanny Guinochet tells us how to adapt to this increase by being more attentive when looking for an apartment or a house to rent, for example.
franceinfo: Are there ways to try to limit the bill?
Fanny Guinochet: The first thing to do when looking for a rental,
it’s to try to have an order of price of what is practiced in the sector, the district to get an idea, to do some kind of market research, and to compare. So it’s worth making a few phone calls to real estate agencies. Also ask them if they have a lot of empty, vacant apartments.
You should also know that there are cities where rents are regulated to limit landlords who are too greedy. This is the case of Paris, but also of the communities of municipalities to the north and east of the capital. There is Lyon, Lille too, and in these cities, on advertisements, real estate agents, but also private individuals, must imperatively indicate the rent at which the apartment (or house) is offered, but also the rent which serves as reference in the area
The period can also vary the prices?
Yes, winter is often the best time followed by spring, because that’s when demand is lowest, Summer or autumn, with the start of the new school year, there are students looking, families too who move. Owners have more demands and therefore more choices. It’s the game of supply and demand. While in winter or early spring, an owner who has few offers will be more easily tempted to lower his price.
And organizations can help us?
Yes, if you are a job seeker, seasonal worker, or employee – even precarious employee – contact Action Logement, it is the old 1% employer, it is not well known, and they have many offers. .
Especially since this organization can also give you a boost for the deposit; if you need a guarantor and you don’t have one, you can turn to them, they have set up a free deposit system, it’s called Visale. There have been 600,000 beneficiaries for 5 years, since it has existed. And that can be very handy.
Does showing references help?
Then, to obtain your accommodation easily, to ensure that the owner or the real estate agent chooses you, or to negotiate a discount, know how to reassure your interlocutors.
Prepare a great file with your payslips, your references – if you left a home and it went well, ask your former landlord for a letter attesting to it. Attention on the other hand, no false payslips, it is illegal and reprehensible.