Denied a viewing of property to rent - is it common?

[Daft Doctor]

Hi, we need a new house to rent in France when our current short term informal arrangement with English friends runs out in December.  We are waiting for a chalet to be built, but have only been resident in France since April.  I saw a promising house coming up in October in a local immobilier so made an enquiry.  I was told that the owner wanted Assurance/Guarantee de Loyer and unless we could prove income in France by means of last years Avis d'Impots, we couldn't be considered.  I told her I had my NHS pension paid in France and property income in the UK, which in total was over 6x the annual rent.  I also offered to pay a years rent in advance, as by next October I would have an AI for 2012 which would show enough income to satisfy their criteria.  I was told 'no dice'. 

Is this common?  Was this a policy the owner was wanting to take out in case we didn't pay? The immobilier said this particular owner was very cautious, but now I'm a little worriede that we will have difficulty renting something decent, despite having more than adequate income and a load of capital?   

[NormanH]

They were just going 'by the book' in that the insurance against non-payment asked for an Avis d'Imposition which of course you can't have yet.

It is clearly absurd, since you have offered to pay a year in advance, but remember that they could be stuck with you for three years.

I had similar problems with getting a credit in my first year in France although I had a guaranteed small income from the UK. They don't seem to take account of UK income until it has been 'validated' by being declared in France [:(]

You will certainly find something, but may have to pass by something like leBon coin or PAP and deal  directly  with an owner

http://www.leboncoin.fr/annonces/offres/franche_comte/

http://www.pap.fr/annonce/locations

[Chancer]

Try to make direct contact with the owner, the agent probably hasnt passed on your offer of a year up front, I guess they dont need the commission.

The owner will then probably ask for 3 years up front!!!!

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

Apart from le Bon Coin and local paper advertising directly by owners, try talking to small local agencies. In my experience they can be much more flexible than the big, rule-bound, ones. When we were looking for a place to let three years ago we hit that problem with some agencies, particularly the big ones. Our French tax affairs were somewhat complicated, for reasons I won't go into here.

Suffice to say that we were lucky that when we found our present house the agency was a small independent. The agent and landlord were happy to accept my most recent year's UK tax return and demand (self assessment as a company director) as proof of income. This amused me when the following year my income dropped to a fraction of the figure they accepted, because moving to France was part of a strategy of switching to part time working and running down my activities.

We've always had enough income to live comfortably and pay the rent, but that has no connection with the figures used to agree the let. 

.

[JohnFB]

Advance rentals are illegal. The way I got round these issues was to pay 9-12 months rental into a bank account and get a bank garantee. Naturally the bank charges for the service. Mutuals should be cheaper.

Strangely most immos did not suggest this, they just refused to consider me. It was only when I fell on an old pro the solution was suggested. The best immos to talk to are those that specialise in rentals.

JFB

[suein56]

[quote user="Albert the InfoGipsy"] Apart from le Bon Coin and local paper advertising directly by owners, try talking to small local agencies. In my experience they can be much more flexible than the big, rule-bound ones. [/quote]

Can echo that ... there are ways round the rules. As we had no French paperwork when we arrived one local agency's suggestion for us was for a sum equivalent to a year's rental to be put into a special holding account at the notaires, with a small charge for 'opening the file'. The rent was then to be paid monthly as usual, with the put-aside sum to be refunded when we left the property.

Fortunately we found a private rental through the local paper - pre le bon coin - where the landlady didn't require any paperwork at all; when asked later she said she used her judgement in our case as we were the first non-French she had rented to.

Sue

[cooperlola]

Sue, reading your post I am bound to wonder whether the Daft Doctor might not be better off looking for a rental property via a Notaire (in our local town the only "estate agent" equivalent available anyway) then they could set up the same process which yours did at the same time?  Just a thought.

[idun]

It is normal, but I daresay that you will find something. We got our first appartment via the local paper. And even though it was private renting they still wanted quite a bit of info from us, proof of income etc and they used a bail company for our deposit. 

Remember if ever you are going to rent out, use a rot weiller agency who are sticklers for paperwork and guaranteeing that you get your money. The sort that is being sniffy about you at the moment.[Www]

[Pickles]

[quote user="idun"]Remember if ever you are going to rent out, use a rot weiller agency who are sticklers for paperwork and guaranteeing that you get your money. The sort that is being sniffy about you at the moment.[/quote]

Seconded! Sad, but given the way the law works in France, very necessary to reduce the chances of a costly mistake.