Flat-Hunting And The ‘Guarantor’

Flat hunting alone in Paris is a bureaucratic nightmare, you need determination, money and a sense of humour! I feel so sorry when people call me and tell me they’ve been here for a week staying in a hotel and have had no luck finding a place, they are exhausted, disheartened and in shock about how owners and rental agencies operate in Paris.

The need to provide a Guarantor is a particular problem for non-French renters because it’s not that easy to find someone who will co-sign with you and agree to pay if you default on the rent if you’re new in town. French landlords won’t accept a non-French based Guarantor because they can’t hunt them down if you turn out to default on your rent.

Most seasoned Parisians, (French and foreign) agree that finding a rental property, furnished or unfurnished (much harder!) is a nightmare.