Housing Law in France: What Is Dossier Facile, Guarantors, and How to Get Your Deposit Back (Dépôt de garantie)
A foreigner looking for housing in France quickly encounters requirements that do not exist in many other countries: a tenant file, a guarantor, and mandatory home insurance.
International Law Firm "Zahist" has prepared this practical guide to renting housing in France — from preparing the file to the return of the security deposit — to spare clients unnecessary refusals.
Renting housing in France — how the market works and what you need to know before searching
The French rental housing market is marked by high competition for quality apartments, especially in major cities, where dozens of applicants respond to a single listing.
Landlords and agencies usually require that the applicant’s combined income be no less than three monthly rents, and without a stable income in France it is noticeably harder to secure housing.
The agency fee upon signing the lease is capped by law and is shared between the owner and the tenant, and its maximum amount per square metre is set by region.
Long-term rental of housing in France — bail meublé vs bail nu
Long-term rental of housing in France is formalised under one of two types of lease: bail meublé — for furnished housing, and bail nu — for unfurnished housing without furniture.
A bail meublé is usually concluded for one year with automatic renewal, while a bail nu is for a minimum of three years if the owner is a natural person, or six years for a legal entity.
- Bail meublé: term of about one year, security deposit of up to two months’ rent, tenant’s notice period — one month
- Bail nu: term of three years or more, security deposit of up to one month’s rent, tenant’s notice period — three months
How much does it cost to rent an apartment in France — benchmarks by city
How much it costs to rent an apartment in France depends heavily on the region: the price gap between Paris and smaller provincial towns can be twofold or more.
| City | Studio / 1-bedroom | 2–3 rooms |
| Paris | 900–1300 € | 1500–2400 € |
| Lyon | 550–750 € | 800–1200 € |
| Marseille | 500–650 € | 700–1000 € |
| Bordeaux | 550–700 € | 800–1150 € |
Utility charges and mandatory home insurance should be added to these figures, so the real monthly budget is usually higher than the base rent.
In Paris and several other cities, encadrement des loyers applies — rent regulation under which the owner may not exceed the benchmark set for a specific neighbourhood.
Dossier Facile — what it is and how to compile a tenant file
Dossier Facile is a free government service of the French Ministry of Housing where the candidate uploads documents and staff verify and certify their authenticity.
After verification, the tenant receives a secure link to the completed file and shares it with the owner or agency without sending files directly and without the risk of data forgery.
Which documents are needed for a tenant file in France
Documents for the platform fall into four categories: proof of identity, proof of residence, professional status, and proof of income.
- Passport or other identity document
- Proof of current place of residence
- Employment document — employment contract or employer certificate
- Proof of income — payslips or tax notice
A complete and carefully prepared set directly affects the chance of obtaining an apartment: owners more often choose a file that raises no unnecessary questions.
The law expressly prohibits the owner from requiring documents beyond this list — for example, a bank account statement or a photograph — which protects the candidate from undue intrusion.
Dossier Facile for foreigners — specifics when French income certificates are lacking
New arrivals often lack a French tax notice or a local salary certificate, and the platform allows uploading equivalent foreign documents with a translation.
In addition, one may attach a letter from the employer, a bank statement, or proof of a scholarship — this offsets the absence of certificates customary in France.
If documents are not in French or English, it is advisable to prepare a translation in advance — this speeds up verification and reduces the risk of refusal by the platform.
Guarantors when renting in France — who may act as surety
A guarantor undertakes to settle rent arrears if the tenant stops paying, which is why owners so often insist on one when the lease is signed.
A surety may be a relative or acquaintance with sufficient income in France, a paid commercial guarantee service, or the state Visale guarantee.
Paid guarantee services usually cost a few percent of the annual rent and suit those who need a quick result without collecting documents from third parties.
Visale — free state guarantee: who can obtain it and how to arrange it
Visale from Action Logement is free and available to young people aged 18–30 without employment conditions, as well as to employees over 30 with a certain income level.
- Submit an application online on the official Visale website before signing the lease
- Wait for the visa to be issued — it is valid for three months
- Provide the document to the owner together with the rest of the file
For those who have no guarantor in France, Visale becomes a real alternative and significantly expands the available housing options.
From January 2026, Visale cover is limited to 36 months of unpaid rent in the private sector, and the income threshold for employees over 30 has been raised to 1,710 euros per month.
When a landlord may refuse due to the absence of a guarantor
If the candidate already has Visale, the owner may not additionally require a personal guarantor as well — this is expressly limited by law.
At the same time, refusal due to the absence of any surety at all is lawful if the candidate has offered neither a personal guarantor, nor Visale, nor a paid alternative.
Dépôt de garantie — the security deposit when renting in France: amount and return rules
Dépôt de garantie is capped by law: a maximum of one month’s rent excluding charges for a bail nu and two months for a bail meublé.
The owner may withhold part of the deposit only for actual damage, not for ordinary wear and tear over time — this is a key distinction that often becomes a matter of dispute.
Any withholding must be documented — with a repair invoice, receipt, or estimate — otherwise the tenant may challenge the amount as unjustified.
How to properly document the transfer of the deposit and the état des lieux on move-in
On move-in, an état des lieux d'entrée is drawn up — a detailed inventory of the condition of the premises describing each room, which is later compared with the inventory on move-out.
The more detailed the move-in inventory, including photographs, the easier it will be to prove the condition of the housing on move-out and avoid unjustified withholdings from the deposit.
The inventory is signed by both parties in person or through an authorised representative, and a copy should be kept for the entire term of the lease — it will be the main evidence in the event of a dispute.
The landlord does not return the Dépôt de garantie — what to do under French law
The law allows one month for return of the deposit if the move-in and move-out inventories match, and two months if damage has been recorded.
For late return of the Dépôt de garantie, the Alur law provides a penalty — 10% of one month’s rent excluding charges for each month of delay begun, without the need to go to court in advance.
The penalty accrues automatically without going to court, but if the owner still refuses to pay, one may apply to the local court (juge de proximité / tribunal) to recover the debt and the penalty.
Tenant rights in France — key protective provisions of the Alur law
The Alur law substantially limits the owner’s ability to terminate the lease arbitrarily and sets strict notice periods when declining to renew.
- Trêve hivernale — a ban on forced eviction from 1 November to 31 March
- Landlord’s notice (préavis) — a minimum of six months for a bail nu and three months for a bail meublé
- Mandatory home insurance (assurance habitation) for the entire term of the lease
These rules apply to all types of agreements, including shared tenancy and the bail mobilité, and not only to a standard long-term lease.
A refusal to renew a bail nu without stating a legitimate ground — sale of the dwelling, the owner’s personal occupancy, or a serious breach by the tenant — may be challenged.
Ownership rights in France and tenant rights — how they relate
Ownership rights in France remain with the owner of the dwelling, but the law substantially restricts them in favour of the tenant for the entire term of the agreement.
It is this balance of interests that makes French legislation among the most protective of tenants in Europe, and knowing your rights is useful even before signing the agreement.
Legal assistance with renting in France
A legal review of the agreement before signing helps identify unlawful terms and avoid problems that are difficult to remedy after moving in.
Lawyers at International Law Firm "Zahist" assist clients in disputes over the return of the security deposit, challenges to unlawful eviction, and conflicts with the landlord throughout France.
We also help compile a complete file through Dossier Facile and arrange Visale if the client has no personal guarantor in France for signing the agreement.
If you are facing a similar situation, contact International Law Firm "Zahist" for a consultation — we will review the documents and advise on the next steps.
