Six month let query

[Pommier]

We're thinking of renting for six months or so whilst we look for our new home, but I was wondering how we'd get on with French landlords. Aren't most tenancies for 3 years? Notaires also seem to have a lot of properties to rent, but would they be expecting a 3 year agreement? Are most lets furnished or unfurnished (do we sell or keep our furniture?)

Any tips gratefully received 

[Mpprh]

Hi

Unfurnished leases are normally for 3 years, renewable to 6, then 9 years and onwards. Effectively the tenant can live there for life providing they don't damage the property and pay the rent. Allowable rent increases are less than inflation. The owner must have exceptional circumstances to terminate the lease (say, needs to live there himself, or, if he wants to sell - he must offer it to the tenant first). However the tenant can terminate the lease at any time by giving, usually, 2 or 3 months notice. Normally landlords will require proof of income, etc because they are very much at risk with these leases. It is a very long, and expensive, procedure to recover the property when tenants stop paying.

Furnished leases (which are rare other than for holiday lets) are less regimented. There is a bit of a grey area between holiday rentals (say up to 4 weeks) and longer term lets. Many longer term furnished rentals are on the basis of, say, 3 months rental, then tacitly renewed each month with one months notice required from either landlord or tenant.

Peter

   

[ams]

Unfurnished leases are for 3 years. The tenant can leave by giving 3 months notice at any time, recorded mail is the method I would advise one to use.  At the commencement of the lease the tennant gives one months rent in advance and 2 months deposit. This deposit is either held by the landlords or the estate agent depending on the type of arrangement the landlord makes with the estate agent.

Your deposit will be returned to you not later than two months after you leave the premises less the costs of any damage caused to the property. (Excluding normal wear and tear). New legislation seems to indicate that the deposit requirement of two months will be removed.

 

Rent increases are automatic and are based upon an index called Indice Insee de reference des loyers. This index represents an averaging of 3 indexes which include general inflation, excluding rent, house price construction cost index and another. Over the past number of years the increase has been marginally higher than the rate of inflation. The last price increase for the end of june 2007 shows a 2.76% increase.

 

The landlord can by giving you notice ask you to leave after 36 months, by sending you a notice to leave at the 30 month date.

 

The laws to protect tenants are extremely strong and with the proposal to stop the 2 month deposit, this will in my opinion  result in  a huge shortage of properties to rent. In addition since the landlord will have no deposit to fall back on in the event of damage to property or to non rent payments, then the criteria for financial evaluation of  the tenants finances will be increased substantially. I am of the opinion that landlords will require bank guarantees in many instances. On the other sign of the coin, many landlords will quit the property market and sell their houses. This in turn will cause rents to rise rapidly in the short term. However it will depress property prices in the short term and with the recent changes to income taxation mortgage relief, it will be a benefit to those wanting to purchase their own homes, as proposed by the new president.

 

Generally furnished rental agreements afford slightly less protection to the tenant.

 

In addition to the above, if you locate a property through an agent, then you will have to pay a fee of between 5% to 8% of the annual rent. this is a one off cost. You will also have to take out a comprehensive house assurance policy which must be shown to the landlord at the commencement of the lease and each and every year of the lease. The assurance does not have to cover the cost of the actual building, that cost is covered by the landlord. Depending on the location of the property, costs for rubbish removal are the tenants costs.

 

ams

[Pommier]

Many thanks for the replies. We wouldn't (I think) want to rent for more than about 6 months, so do you think that we would find a landlord willing to accomadate us for that period or would we be likely to have to try for a long let on a gite? Unfortunately it'll be during the summer period, so gite owners may well prefer the higher return from holiday letting.

Regarding the income requirements etc, do you think that proof of capital would suffice?

[suein56]

[quote user="cheryla"]

Many thanks for the replies. We wouldn't (I think) want to rent for more than about 6 months, so do you think that we would find a landlord willing to accomadate us for that period or would we be likely to have to try for a long let on a gite? Unfortunately it'll be during the summer period, so gite owners may well prefer the higher return from holiday letting.

Regarding the income requirements etc, do you think that proof of capital would suffice? [/quote]

Hi

Some of our renting experiences might be relevant or not.

We rent our home in France; originally like you we thought of a 6 to 9 months let in order to give ourselves time to find a property to buy, but our landlady (private unfurnished rent) preferred us to stay for a year. We were told, by friends, to go ahead with the agreement anyway as we could always say, after a while, that the house was no longer suitable, give 3 months notice and leave. As things turned out we are still here 2 years later.

We rent privately as we could not furnish the correct proof to agents re our credit-worthiness as we had not rented before and had not lived or worked in France. The agents we contacted** were not interested in UK documentation re proof of capital, whether in English or translated into French. In the end our French landlady wasn't bothered about written proof - she said she always worked on gut feeling. We paid the equivalent of 2 months rent as a deposit and the first month's rent in advance - though I understand this system is to change soon.

**though other agents might have a different attitude.

Sue

 

[ams]

I feel you could have major problems in finding a house to rent through an agent. We have several houses rented and always use an agent. Despite using agents and paying them up to 7.5% of the annual income we are currently dealing with one french tenanat that is unable to pay the rent.

However this is some light at the end of the tunnel, in that the rental market is currently very poor for owners.This time last year, is took two visits on average to find a suitable tenant, now it is taking 10 visits to do the same. Most areas in France have free newspapers with lots of advertisments for rental properties. A lot of them would be by private individuals rather than agents. As the situation at present is difficult for owners it may well be possible to get individuals to accept your financial position. Some working knowledge of french would be helpful in order to communicate your financial situation.

 

ams

 

[Pommier]

Thanks for all the comments. It looks as if the starting point may be to check out private ads in local newspapers.

[Owens88]

We have rented out for mid-term rentals. The legalities were, as previously suggested, a repeating holiday let. 

 

I suspect your biggest problem is the time of year. Landlords will be paying their yearly mortgage and other costs  using summer months rentals !  Good luck

 

John

[Pommier]

Does anyone have a gite or unfurnished house in Manche (50) that they'd like to rent out for 6 months from March? There's just two of us plus a very well behaved dog.

[Clair]

[quote user="cheryla"]Does anyone have a gite or unfurnished house in Manche (50) that they'd like to rent out for 6 months from March? There's just two of us plus a very well behaved dog.[/quote]

If anyone is able to help, please respond by PM or email.

Thank you.

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