How to (peacefully) find a furnished apartment in Paris

Finding an accommodation for one year or more in Paris can be complex for a foreigner. Paris is a city where the housing supply varies according to the time of year, the area and the price. Not so many landlords speak English and the legal framework is difficult to understand.

It can be exhausting, going from endless apartment viewings, dealing with multiple brokers to paperwork and complex financial obligations. And in the scenario where you need to move in within a month, the clock starts ticking!

Every year, we help more than 500 international tenants in their home search in Paris. We know by heart their fears and expectations.

This is why there are 3 important steps to follow in order to find the apartment of your dreams, in Paris, in a record time.

First of all, trust a specialized agency in furnished properties

Who doesn't dream of renting the ideal apartment, well located, renovated, modern, bright with a nice view, a nice high ceiling and a terrace or a balcony if possible? The dream apartment is hard to find but is often hidden behind the walls of a real estate agency...

In this context, you should know that the majority of the 100,000 landlords who are making up the Parisian rental market prefer to go through an agency in order to rent their property. Furthermore, most of these real estate investors carry out the renovation and the refurbishment works before entrusting their property to a real estate agency. All these agencies filter the apartments in their portfolio and only select those offering the best quality to the future tenants. At Book-A-Flat, for example, all our apartments have been refurbished and are ready to live in.

Book-A-Flat is here to make things easy for our clients.

Book-A-Flat is specialized in long-term furnished rentals in Paris since 2004. We have 3000 beautifully designed apartments in our portfolio to fit the needs and lifestyles of our clients. We accompany each renter in their search by meeting them, advising them, and showing them different accommodations according to their expectations. Our real estate agents also accompany the renter in building the rental file.

All of our team speak English fluently and our pricing is fully transparent.

Finally, beware of the fake ads that flourish on LeBonCoin. These are scams that should be reported, especially when the price seems too good to be true. For this reason, going through a real estate agency allows you to be sure that the property has been properly selected. For example, the energy performance certificate must systematically appear in the ad as well as the amount of the rental charges and agency fees.

The apartments in poor condition are more likely to be found on private rental platforms. The owners who are negligent on the tidiness of their apartment are generally refused by the traditional agencies, like ours.

Start building a rental file

The best apartments are let quickly in Paris.

It is therefore important to build up your rental file as quickly as possible. There are many administrative documents in order to rent a property in France because the law protects the tenants. This is why the landlords require many guarantees, usually to the foreigners' surprise.

In order to get your application accepted, you must provide the following elements:

• Proof of income: the last 3 pay slips and the last 2 tax returns of the tenant or those of the guarantor if it applies. The income must cover at least 3 times the amount of the rent. If the tenant does not have a guarantor, then he/she can contact our partner GarantMe who will act as one for the tenant.
• Proof of identity: passports, residence permits of the tenants and guarantors
• Any other document proving the solidity of the rental file
• For companies: a balance sheet of the company showing its solvency as well as the certificate of incorporation or equivalent, stating the name of the company and its CEO.

The agency fees for a primary residence are paid by the tenant and are capped in Paris at 12€ per m² for the search for the tenant, and at 3€ per m² for the inventory check-in at the beginning of the lease (= 15€ per m², regardless of the rent of the apartment). This is good news for all tenants wishing to go through a real estate agency without having to pay high fees. The smaller the surface, the lower the fees. For example, for a 25m² studio, the fees charged to the tenant will be 375€. This allows students and young professionals to access quality furnished apartments presented by estate agencies.

Think about your search area to view physically or remotely 2 to 3 apartments

Paris is a big city but is very accessible by metro. Each neighbourhood is no more than 25 minutes away from the other. However, by bike or subway, it is a city where transports can be exhausting.

For a foreigner, it is important to take many aspects into consideration and select an area not too far from their university or their workplace.

There is no real city center, each Paris neighbourhood has its own spirit with shops, cinemas, bars and restaurants. The Marais is intense, the 15th is relaxing, the 17th is trendy, the 8th is bourgeois, Montmartre is a village in the city, Faubourg St-Denis is captivating, Saint-Germain-des-Prés is historical, Montorgueil is where you’ll find the authentic Parisian. Take a look at our magazine where we hope to honestly describe the best places to live in Paris.

All of the team are Paris experts, living in the city themselves. They will assist you to select an area that defines your way of living and then, suggest 2 or 3 flats.

If you cannot see the apartment because you are still abroad, we will organize a remote viewing in addition to the 3D virtual viewings available on our website.

These 3D virtual viewings allow you to better visualize the property from all angles and notice its strengths and weaknesses. Once you have found your rare gem, we are here to help you finalize the paperwork for you to move in within a week.

Now that you have all the keys in hand to move to Paris, feel free to contact us and let's start this new journey!