We offer you a price list of average rents according to the type of accommodation and the region to help you prepare your housing budget. It is important to realise that the rental of accommodation varies considerably depending on where it is situated. Accommodation in Orsay, for example, is less expensive than in Sceaux or Paris. In addition, rent can vary significantly depending on the type of accommodation, its floor area and its facilities.

Here are some average rents according to the size and type of the accommodation, but also according to its location in the Paris-Saclay region.

Survey based on the accommodation list put together by the Student Life and Social Action Unit in the Department of Student Life & Equal Opportunities. September 2020.

Reservation fees

Some landlords will charge you a fee to reserve your accommodation. CROUS, for example, will ask you for an advance on the rent in order to secure your accommodation. In 2020, this was an advance on the first month's payment of a flat rate of € 100. It is refundable provided that any cancellation is made before the date of acceptance.

Charges

Most rental fees in student residences are TCC, which means 'all charges included' (toutes charges comprises). This means that they are included in the advertised rent. However, some residences and private individuals offer HC rents, which means 'excluding charges' (hors charges). In this case, you will need to find out how much the charges are in addition to the rent. These are usually for water, electricity and heating. The charges can be between € 50 and € 70 per month.

Administration fees

Administration fees vary between € 50 and € 300 depending on the landlord. CROUS do not ask for any administration fees. This sum is paid by the future tenant to the landlord in order to cover any administration to do with the registration of the housing application, related documents and compilation the rental file.

The security deposit

The security deposit is a sum paid to the landlord directly by the tenant or through a third party ('Action logement' or 'Fonds de Solidarité pour le Logement') before moving in. It should be mentioned in the lease. The security deposit amount varies from between 1 and 2 months rent (excluding charges) depending on the type of accommodation concerned (furnished or unfurnished). The security deposit is a sum intended to cover any damage noted at the time of your departure which is directly attributable to you (normal wear and tear of the rented property should under no circumstances justify a non-refund of the security deposit). This sum should cover all or part of your rental debt at the time of your departure. Except in the case of major damage or unpaid rent, the security deposit will be reimbursed to you in whole or in part once you have left - at the latest 2 months after you have returned the keys. In order to avoid any dispute with your landlord, particularly with regard to the return of the security deposit, it is essential that the inventory of fixtures and fittings at the start and end of the rental period be carried out accurately and rigorously, as the comparison between the two constitutes a legal means for the landlord not to reimburse any sums initially paid by the tenant.

The surety

A surety is always requested by the landlord or owner. Please note: a surety should not be confused with a security deposit. Unlike the security deposit, a surety is not a payment of money as such. It is not for covering the costs of any material damage. The deed of guarantee, or surety, is a legal act which establishes an obligation on the part of a third party (natural or legal person) - commonly referred to as the 'guarantor' - to pay rent in the event of failure or default on the part of the principal tenant to do so. It is therefore a transfer of debt from the main tenant to the guarantor. Please note that in almost all cases, once the debt has been settled with the landlord, the guarantor will request reimbursement of the claim from the principal tenant.

Insurance

All tenants moving into either public or private accommodation must take out home insurance. Several insurance companies offer special packages for young people and students. Insurance payments can be annual or monthly. The price varies according to the property and damages covered, as well as the type of accommodation. A T2 or T3 will of course be more expensive to insure than a T1 for example. Here are some home insurance providers offering student rates

Unforeseen events

Occupying a dwelling exposes you to the unforeseen events which can occur in the life of a tenant, such as a water leak or a broken key in the lock. Your insurance may provide cover for several types of accidents, but in certain circumstances you may have to call in a locksmith, plumber or electrician yourself. Some residences offer to contact such professionals directly if you alert them to the problem. Other residences and landlords ask you to sort it out yourself. If the damage is the result of a mistake, an oversight or an accident on your part, you will generally have to pay the cost of the repairs or even the service charges yourself. Set aside some 'emergency' money which you could use in the event of an (expensive or otherwise) unforeseen event or accident.

Services and facilities

Most residences offer various services and facilities to tenants. The latter may be included in the rent, or paid for separately. Shared washing machines, electrical appliances on loan, internet connection, sports facilities, a cleaning and caretaking service and parking can be included in the rent, or be subject to supplements to be paid separately. Find out about the services offered in the accommodation. If they are not included in the rent, set aside a monthly budget so that you can access those which are of interest to you.

APL - Personalised Housing Assistance

APL is for individual students or couples, with or without dependants, living in subsidised accommodation in mainland France.

CAF assistance National Fund for Family Allowances

Please note that CAF housing benefits cannot be combined with each other. In addition, they are not retrospective. The level of assistance varies according to the amount of rent, the financial resources available to the student, the nature of the accommodation and the place of residence. In the case of shared accommodation, each tenant can benefit from CAF assistance. In order for this to happen, the accommodation must be lived in for at least 8 months of the year.

ALS - Social Housing Allowance

ALS is for individual students or couples without dependants.

FSL - Housing Solidarity Fund

Fund The Housing Solidarity Fund is part of the housing assistance provided by CAF. It is for people who are experiencing financial difficulties in accessing or maintaining housing. This support is provided in the form of loans or grants. It can be used to meet the cost of a security deposit, the initial rent, insurance, moving expenses, debts, charges and bills. The total amount issued by the FSL will vary according to the département. The assistance does not take into account housing benefit income, start-of-school allowances and education allowances for a disabled child.

ALF - Allocation logement à caractère familial

The ALF is intended for students who are isolated or in a couple with dependents.

AILE - Aide à l’installation dans un logement pour étudiants

The city of Paris offers € 900 for first time accommodation in private rented accommodation in Paris. This assistance is managed by CROUS in Paris. It is open to scholarship students enrolled at the Académie de Paris, de Créteil or de Versailles who are living in Paris.

Allocation exceptionnelle

This one-off assistance is intended for people in temporary financial difficulties or in the event of a disaster requiring emergency accommodation. This benefit cannot be renewed on a regular basis. To benefit from this assistance, you must contact the CASVP (Centre Action Sociale de Ville de Paris) branch of the arrondissement in which your residence is located.

ALCVP - Allocation Logement Complémentaire de la Ville de Paris

This assistance is managed by CAF for the département of Paris. The threshold for this assistance is € 183 per month for a family and € 122 per month for an individual person.

Paris Logement

This allowance, which cannot be combined with other municipal housing assistance, is divided into three parts

• Paris Logement,
• Paris Logement Famille (family)
• Paris Logement Famille Monoparentales. (single parents)

• 84 €/month to a single person,
• 95 €/month for a couple without children
• et 116 €/month for couples with children

Loca-pass

The Avance Loca-pass allows you to pay the security deposit requested by the landlord. There is no interest charged on the amount loaned and it is repayable over 3 years. The total amount can be up to a maximum of 1,200 €. It is available for young people under 30 years of age, employees in the non-agricultural private sector, job seekers and those in vocational training.