What is adult shared housing?
With 7 million French people finding themselves in situations of isolation, adult shared housing is more relevant than ever. Life transitions, including separations, moving, or changing jobs, often lead to loneliness. Moving into an adult shared house is an excellent way to rebuild social connections and familiarize oneself with a new place. Far from student living situations, adult shared housing aims to be comfortable, convenient, less expensive, and above all, a way to foster friendships and shared good times among adults.
What are the benefits of adult shared housing?
Sharing expenses
Beyond rent, other costs can be shared in an adult shared housing arrangement. Internet, for instance, as well as accounts for Spotify or Netflix, and the cost of home insurance (including liability insurance) are just a few of the expenses that can be economized through shared housing. It's important to consider the amount of these costs. Paying rent, insurance, security deposits...
Check out our guide on shared housing so you don't miss anything ;) Furthermore, each roommate is responsible for paying their share of the rent, their security deposit, and for participating in the search for a new roommate if one member decides to leave, in preparation for their departure. With the rise of co-living, these services sometimes come included in the lease agreement, to promote communal living styles. Depending on the shared housing arrangement, roommates can enjoy various benefits: cleaning services, specific equipment, furnished rooms…
At La Casa, each roommate enjoys their own room in the shared housing. They also have access to a wide range of services included in their rent: cleaning services, WiFi, maintenance, events, roommate services…The staff is there to provide advice on managing community life to any member who wishes. Our roommate service is always available to take feedback from roommates and improve our offering of housing with furnished rooms and services included in the rent.
More space, a larger apartment, friendly roommates, divided rent payment... There are plenty of advantages to choosing adult shared housing.
Living in a larger space
Anyone looking for a rental in Paris checks each listing for rent amounts, the number of rooms... In short, they are looking for the lease contract with the best value for money. In Paris, the average price for a 30 square meter studio hovers around 1000 euros (https://www.seloger.com/prix-de-l-immo/location/ile-de-france/paris.htm). Prices in Île-de-France vary but remain quite high, especially in city centers. Furthermore, with the extension of existing metro lines, whether in Seine Saint Denis or Saint-Ouen with the extension of line 14, or in Montrouge with the extension of line 4, real estate prices are sharply increasing. Adult shared housing offers the opportunity to pool costs by sharing rent and utilities, thus allowing for a larger living space at a lower cost.
Whether you're a couple, friends, or family, it's always beneficial to share the rent cost, keeping in mind a few tips ;)
A more easily accepted application
As one ages, it often means becoming more established professionally and having a more stable situation than during one's student years. For a landlord, an adult shared housing arrangement is reassuring. First, from a financial standpoint, because incomes are more stable, reassuring the landlord about rent payments. Additionally, a shared housing lease often includes a joint and several liability clause among the roommates to minimize rent payment defaults. Moreover, considering lifestyle, as landlords may fear having students who party multiple nights a week. This is why you often see listings where the landlord specifies "not suitable for shared housing," as the group effect can be a bit daunting. Having adult tenants or roommates, or a couple, is more reassuring for the landlord. At La Casa, roommates sign a furnished shared housing lease with a joint and several liability clause. Our unpaid rent guarantee system allows us to accept a wide variety of financial profiles, thus ensuring a diversity of profiles in the houses.
What are the drawbacks of adult shared housing?
Limited availability
The real estate market in Paris is constantly tight. This means there are always more requests than offers for tenants looking for housing, whether alone or in a shared arrangement. Searching as an adult might be slightly easier than as a student, but it's still challenging. And once housing is found, compromises on comfort are sometimes necessary since traditional homes are not designed for communal living.
Thus, sharing a bathroom among three or four people in an apartment can quickly become a source of frustration and conflict, despite well-established organization. And for couples searching, the layout might not always meet needs, especially when wishing to host friends during their holidays.
At La Casa, the space is designed for communal living. In our adult shared housing, each person has their furnished room and bathroom. The common areas are also designed to be enjoyed by 12, 15, or 18 people, depending on the size of the house.
Responsible for the actions of co-tenants
Living in an adult shared housing arrangement means organizing without the support of an external agency. Unlike a student residence, adult shared housing does not come with assistance to help roommates understand how to organize themselves. This can create moments of tension if the roommates are not aligned on their lifestyle. Similarly, in the event of damage noted during the final inspection, managing the security deposit among roommates can be a source of tension.
And if a roommate decides to leave, each member must get involved to manage their departure by finding a replacement before the lease ends. It's up to the roommates to ensure the apartment is tidy and to be available for viewings. And if this happens during the summer vacation period, it's still necessary to post ads and meet potential replacements in person. Nowadays in real estate, especially in Île-de-France, virtual tours are increasingly common for managing move-ins and move-outs. However, individuals interested in a listing often want to visit in person to avoid discrepancies between the ad and reality, especially to prevent issues with the security deposit upon leaving the apartment.
The reality can sometimes differ from the photos or the description in the listing on roommate search websites... At La Casa, roommates are selected based on their motivation to live in a community. Each roommate signs a cohabitation pact, committing to respect the rules of community life as envisioned by La Casa. The staff is also there to guide the roommates and provide best practices for enjoying their adult shared housing! Are you interested in adult shared housing in a beautifully designed house for community living?
Explore our various Casas, from Asnières-sur-Seine to Neuilly-sur-Marne, through Châtillon, Villejuif... We're waiting for you at La Casa!
