Long-Term renting from a French Estate Agency!

[Philouis]

We applied for a rental property from an agency and was told that they do not rent to Brits as there would be difficulties with the paper work! Is this a disguised form of racialism?

[Clair]

It is illegal. You should go back and aks them again,having reminded them of this:

http://www.alterites.com/cache/center_dossier/id_342.php

Let us know how you get on.

[riberac]

I think they mean problems with paper work because you usually need contract from employer(we were told they did not except uk employer),tax returns for 3 years if landlord takes out insurance to cover non payment of rent,reference from previous landlord (french) etc.

[Clair]

I'm quite sure that's the case, but they should be told to explain what prospective tenants are expected to provide, rather than say 'We don't rent to British people because...'

I doubt they would say 'We don't rent to Maroccans because...' or "We don't rent to Senegalese because..." quite as openly.

[jimmytaktak]

What is the name of that agency, please ?

[Clair]

[quote user="jimmytaktak"]What is the name of that agency, please ?[/quote]

As per the forum Code of Conduct, there is to be no 'naming

and shaming' on the site. If you have any complaints about particular

individuals/companies then contact the relevant parties or authorities.

Forum Moderators

[NormanH]

It is illegal.

There is an article in today's MidiLibre about a German man who won a case against an Agency who refused to let to him on the grounds that he didn't have a French ID card

http://www.midilibre.com/articles/2008/04/19/20080419-FRANCE-MONDE-Bail-refuse-agence-condamnee.php5

Post edited by a moderator to replace article text with a link.

[chessfou]

The link goes nowhere useful (just a home page for France Info for today - Sun 20).

How about a few more clues as to whereabouts in the site the article might be found. I tried looking under justice/politique/société/France and one or two others with no success.

[Clair]

[quote user="chessfou"]The link goes nowhere useful (just a home page for France Info for today - Sun 20).

How about a few more clues as to whereabouts in the site the article might be found. I tried looking under justice/politique/société/France and one or two others with no success.

[/quote]

I believe this is the articles NormanH refers to:

http://www.midilibre.com/articles/2008/04/19/20080419-FRANCE-MONDE-Bail-refuse-agence-condamnee.php5

[chessfou]

Thanks, yes that works (and should continue to work since it points to an archive page). The trouble with so many newspaper links is that they are set up to point to where the article initially appears (a relative link) rather than a permanent link.

[NormanH]

One reason why I pasted the article, ( removed and replaced with a link by a moderator) by a but I suppose there might by copywright issues with doing that...