Flatsharing in Paris, 5 tips to quickly find your new nest
Finding accommodation in Paris is almost always a nightmare. Queues in front of apartments, 40 candidates competing for a studio apartment under the attic with a shared toilet on the landing, landlords demanding income three times the rent and asking for more and more documents (family booklet, health insurance card...) even though it's not legally required...
And when choosing coliving in Paris to meet people, share life moments, and not be alone at dinner, other challenges arise along the way! So here are some tips to help you in your search for your new nest in Paris...
1/ For your coliving in Paris, think in terms of travel time rather than neighborhood.
Paris is a large city but it is very well connected. So much so that when asking a Parisian or someone from Île-de-France where they live, they invariably respond by indicating the nearest metro/RER or tram stop. Consider the distance between the desired accommodation and your workplace, places you plan to spend time, green spaces, or local shops. Thus, many factors should be considered in your search for coliving in Paris: consider the maximum travel time you are willing to spend on each of these elements. Every neighborhood has its strengths and weaknesses, but all hide good addresses waiting for you to discover. Some very quiet neighborhoods in winter come alive in summer and vice versa. A little advice: the towns around Paris are full of pleasant surprises. Think about walks along the banks of the Marne, great strolls in Parc de Saint-Maur, or picnics in the Bois de Vincennes! It's almost like country living, quiet and green, but Paris remains easily accessible.
When conducting your search, consider this: most people will focus their search on the center of Paris, typing the word "flatshare" and adding a district number. For example: flatshare Paris 15, flatshare Paris 11, or more broadly, flatshare Paris 75. As a result, everyone sees the same properties, and you will be in competition with all these people, whereas you could come across other quality flatshares, sometimes closer to your workplace, by indicating, for example, "flatshare Val-de-Marne"!
2/ When flatsharing in Paris, think beforehand about the profiles of the people you'd like to live with.
Haven't had a drink since 2004 because you prefer cozying up to Netflix? Conversely, unfamiliar with Netflix but a regular face in all the bars from Courbevoie to Saint-Maur des Fossés? It might be worth taking a moment to consider the type of people you want to live with to avoid any unpleasant surprises. Moving in with individuals who share your lifestyle or at least your mindset ensures a communal living environment where communication is possible and conflicts can be resolved amicably. Take the time to meet your future flatmates beforehand and get to know them a bit before diving into a flatshare.
C’est l’avantage du Coliving à La Casa : dans la majorité des maisons déjà ouvertes, ce sont les colocs déjà installés qui cooptent leurs futurs colocs lors des visites après s’être rencontrés autour d’un apéro. Dans celles qui vont ouvrir, nous prenons le temps d’accompagner la création de la première communauté en recrutant des profils motivés et en s’assurant qu’ils sont compatibles avec la vie en communauté. Vous êtes sûrs de vivre dans une colocation à Paris avec des gens choisis pour leur aptitude et leur goût pour la vie en communauté !
3/ For your flatshare in Paris, determine the type of accommodation you dream of
A large living room but tiny bedrooms? Spacious bedrooms but no common areas? A shared library? A courtyard or rather large windows? While it's important to choose your flatmates wisely, it's also crucial to find accommodation that allows you to live well together in a flatshare in Paris. A too cramped or poorly laid out apartment can lead to friction in communal living. Similarly, an undersized kitchen can quickly become problematic. Unfortunately, this is often the case in the flatshare market in Paris. Think about it before committing! Ideally, having ample common spaces to be with your flatmates while also having a comfortable individual room where you feel good is the best option. Take the time to gather all the information about the accommodation you're interested in so you don't end up resenting your flatmates after two weeks of communal living. You have the right to expect to feel good in your flatshare in Paris! Moreover, during the lockdown, our well-settled flatmates praised life at La Casa: 95% of them chose to stay with their flatmates in their coliving!
4/ Renting and Roomsharing in Paris: Preparing Your Financial Portfolio
All landlords and agencies have similar financial documentation requirements to validate the move-in of their future tenants. Most often, for a flatshare in Paris, the landlord will ask for the following documents:
Employment contract
The last three salary slips
The most recent tax assessment
A copy of your ID (identity card or passport)
If necessary, the same documents for the people who will be your guarantors (in Paris, a guarantor is required in 90% of the cases)
At La Casa, we primarily aim to recruit individuals motivated by community living, and this criterion takes precedence over financial records: everyone gets their chance, regardless of their profile. Whether you're on a permanent contract, a temporary worker, job seeking, on a fixed-term contract, on probation, a student, or a freelancer, we have solutions to welcome you. Depending on the financial documents, you may need to present a guarantor. In this case, we cannot accept a private guarantor but we do accept applications from those who go through the GarantMe or Smart Garant service, which will act as your guarantor.
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5/ Check the agency fees and the joint and several liability clause, which are common in many Parisian flatshares.
Even though they are now regulated, agency fees can quickly become a significant part of your rental budget. These fees typically cover:
The organization of visits
The compilation of the tenant's file
The drafting of the lease
The establishment of the initial inventory of fixtures
In your search, ensure that these fees are not excessive (especially if you're dealing with a private individual) and factor them into your budget calculation. Also, pay attention to the joint and several liability clause: in a Parisian flatshare, each tenant is liable for the total rent. This means that if one of your roommates stops paying, you will have to cover the shortfall! Rest assured, at La Casa, we have implemented solutions to protect you so that this issue is no longer a concern :)
In summary
In short, as you've gathered, finding a flatshare in Paris is not necessarily straightforward if you don't heed the above points. Beware of scams: many "landlords" are actually looking to harvest your data by promising you a spot in a rental or shared accommodation in Paris. Expand your search radius and consider the nearby suburbs, which offer numerous opportunities while still allowing you to live close to the center. If a Casa interests you, simply apply to one of our shared accommodations in Paris. If one or more of our Parisian flatshares catch your eye, don't hesitate to follow the advice above and submit your application to us. You'll then choose a time for a video conference for your first contact with a staff member who will help you start the process of moving into a Casa. Your dream of a flatshare in Paris is not far off: we're crossing our fingers for you!
