reCeption serviCes for internAtionAl stUdents - Université de Reims ...

ACCOMMODATION
Essential steps
ACCOMMODATION
INSURANCE (or “renter‘s
insurance”)
As soon as you have found an accommodation,
you must obtain accommodation
insurance (combining personal and property
insurance). It covers you against theft, fire,
leaking damages, etc., as well as personal
liabilities. At the CROUS you will receive the
keys to your room only after you have
obtained accommodation insurance.
>> See Chapter 5, The housing and civil
responsibility insurance
GUARANTOR (“Garant”)
It can be helpful to have a guarantor
in case you have a problem settling your
rent in time. The guarantor must be a
resident of the European Union and should
be able to give proof of a monthly
income that is at least equal to three
times the monthly rent.
Students from outside the European Union
who are accommodated by the CROUS must
pay three months rent in advance (in the
absence of a guarantor).
This is the major barrier for the
non - European Community students looking
for accommodations, because some owners
request the guarantor to be French in
order to facilitate the various administrative
procedures. Some landlords ask for the
rent several months in advance in the
absence of a guarantor. Shared flats
(“co - location”) can help solve the problem.
INVENTORY
An inventory (or “un état des lieux”) is a
document signed by the owner and by the
lodger, which describes the condition of
each room of the apartment at the time the
resident moves in.
It is very important to note everything precisely
(the state of the floor, of the ceiling,
the humidity, the post-box, the heaters,
the taps, all of the equipment, etc.) If you
notice any damage after you have completed
the inventory, announce it to the owner
by sending a letter with recorded delivery
within a period of 21 days after having
moved into the apartment.
Before leaving your apartment you will need
to do a second inventory (or exit log) to
verify the existence or the absence of any
damage in the apartment. Again, this must
be done in the presence of the owner and
the resident. If there is any damage the
owner will cover the repair costs from the
deposit; if there is no damage the deposit
will be returned to the lodger.
RESIDENCE TAX
For private apartments. As a resident of
France, you must pay a residence tax. This
tax is to be settled in the year following the
year you rented the apartment that you
occupied on January, 1st.
After you leave France you will receive
a notice asking you to pay this tax. The
amount of the tax usually corresponds to
about one month‘s rent.
>> See Chapter 8, Miscellaneous, Glossary
36 \ 5. Practical Information