1. There are many ways to find property for rent in France - especially if you are already in the country. There is a specialised press, stocked by newsagents and newsstands, with lists of ads from private individuals and agencies alike. If you are still abroad, however, or if you do not have time to go through the ads, the best way to have access to a large number of offers is to use the data bases available on the Internet. NexDom provides access to hundreds of thousands of ads, with a search engine to help you find exactly what you need. Fill in the "Find a place to buy/rent" form and leave your e-mail address to be warned when an ad is posted that corresponds to your wishes. Another source of information, when in France, is real estate agents, available throughout the country for a fee.

2. Going through an agent means that you will be able to visit the place alone and in your own time, and that the rent will correspond to market prices - private individuals might overvalue the property they are trying to let.

3. You will need to provide proof that your income is sufficient to enable you to pay the rent. It is considered that there is a risk of going into debt if the rent corresponds to more than one third of the total income. Bring along your payslips for the last three months when you go to visit the property, and offer to pay the rent by credit transfer to avoid delays.

4. If you are looking for a flat, make sure that the building is secure (there should be a front door code to get in, or a concierge to monitor comings and goings), and enquire whether there are problems among the residents, or whether major works on the building have been planned that will cause noise or pollution.

5. Think about the cost of everyday life in the flat - particularly in the winter. Choose a flat in which the heating and hot water are provided by the building - the cost will be included in the rent under the heading of maintenance costs (charges). Also, remember that the cheapest source of energy is gas. Electric heating is expensive, and not as cost-effective as gas heating. Convectors do not diffuse heat as well as radiators, and they tend to dry up the atmosphere.

6. Once you have made up your mind and provided all the necessary documents, you will, at the time of signing the lease, be asked to lay down a guarantee corresponding to two months' rent. This you will recover within two months after you have left the property, provided the state of the place is equivalent to that described in the inventory of fixtures signed between the two parties upon arrival.


7. Be very careful when signing the inventory of fixtures: faults or flaws must be written down at the time of arrival, otherwise you might be made responsible for them at the time of departure - in which case the deposit might be kept by the landlord as compensation.

8. It is illegal not to pay the rent for the last two months of your stay under the assumption that the sum corresponds to the guarantee.

9. Take multiple-risk insurance for your new place as soon as you have signed the lease. It is compulsory.

10. Contact EDF to connect or reconnect the electricity, get in touch with a phone company to connect your telephone - and got to the post office for change of address cards. They are free of charge and will let people know where they can reach you.