Have you been accepted at university or school? Now you'll have to look for accommodation! Here are some tips and advice on finding accommodation, as well as information on legislation, your rights and your duties. Find out about possible financial aid. Finally, if you have a dispute with your landlord, there are organisations that can advise and support you.
The first step is to create your Student Social File (see the stages) on www.messervices.etudiant.gouv.fr before 31 May.
When completing the application form, you must tick the "I am applying for accommodation" box.
Next, you need to apply for accommodation and specify your wishes on trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr in May.
You will receive a response during the main award phase (in May and June). Priority is given to students with grants. This phase is not open to international students.
Didn't get a home during the main allocation phase?
Didn't complete your application by the deadline?
Are you a foreign student?You can take part in the complementary allocation phase from the beginning of July at trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr
It is open to all students, even those who have not completed a Student Social File.
- www.crous-bfc.fr
- www.etudiant.gouv.fr
- Crous accommodation centre : pole-hebergement-besancon@crous-bfc.frtel 03 81 48 47 47
Yes. The scholarship students are priority but the Other students can also benefit. The housing is allocated on the basis of social criteria. The criteria taken into account are the income of the student and his/her parents, the composition of the family and the geographical distance from the family home.
YesYou can take part in the complementary allocation phase and reserve a home from among those still available at trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr from the beginning of July. This phase is open to all studentsFrench and foreign students. You do not need to have created your student social file.
- Consult classified ad sites to rent to a individual.
- Go through a estate agency. They have advertisements, organise visits, draw up the lease, carry out the inventory of fixtures, etc. In return, they charge agency fees (equivalent to around 1 month's rent).
Good plan : 3 branches Lamy (formerly Nexity), Plaza immobilier and Sogeprim offer discounts to Avantages Jeunes card
There are private residences open to all students. You will find a list of these residences in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté at www.jeunes-bfc.fr
The Habitat jeunes residences welcome all young people aged 16 to 30. Although students are not given priority, some are accommodated.
In Besançon, there are two Habitat jeunes residences: La Cassotte and The Birds
Loge.Gbm is an organisation that manages social housing in Besançon. They have three residences especially for students : www.logegbm.fr
Outside these three residences, flats may be allocated to students, but they do not have priority.
Le rent a small flat (studio or T1) is included between €300 and €500.
To estimate your budget by listing all your income and expenditure without forgetting any, you can :
- use the Practical guide to budgeting on jeunes-bfc.fr
- use the budget calculator of the www.lafinancepourtous.com
Use a visit form which lists the most important points to look for in each property visited.
The owner makes part of its accommodation available free of charge (usually one room) in exchange for a few services (childcare, DIY, pet-sitting, housework, shopping, homework help, etc.).
Please note: this type of accommodation is not regulated by law.
To avoid any conflict, it is advisable to draw up a written agreement on the conditions of the exchange: tasks to be carried out by the guest, number of hours worked (less than 15 hours per week, beyond which an employment contract will be required), start and end of the exchange, nature of the services, rules of living, etc.
Find ads : www.toitchezmoi.com
Some residences house students with the aim of creating links with older people in exchange for a low rent.
There are two residences in Besançon:
Independent living Les Hortensias
Intergenerational residence Noël RONCET managed by Habitat et humanisme Doubs
The Crous university residences can accommodate students for a few days or a few weeks :
- from 1 night to 1 month : www.bedandcrous.com
- for more than one month : trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr
Other residences offer short-term accommodation subject to availability:
- Habitat for Young Birds48 rue des Cras, tel 03 81 40 32 00, contact@hajlesoiseaux.fr
- La Cassotte youth housing18 rue de la Cassotte, tel 03 81 51 98 60, contact@fjt-lacassotte.com
- International Residential Centre Ethic Etape, 3 avenue des Montboucons, tel 03 81 50 07 54, ethicetapes@cis-besancon.fr
Yes. The lease sets out the rights and obligations of the landlord and the tenant, and is binding on both parties.. It must contain a certain amount of information (description of the property, surface area, amount of rent, amount of security deposit....) and documents must also be attached (inventory of fixtures, tenant's insurance certificate, technical diagnosis, etc.).
The tenant has obligations. It must :
- Paying rent and service charges;
- Respect the intended use of the property (e.g. not to be used as business premises);
- Do not carry out any work without the owner's agreement;
- Responding to damage ;
- Allowing access to housing for renovation work ;
- Take care of the day-to-day upkeep of the home.
Le security deposit is a sum of money paid to the owner (or an estate agent) when the lease is signed. This sum is used to cover any shortcomings on the part of the tenant when they leave (unpaid rent, damage noted).
The amount of the security deposit may not exceed 1 month's rent excluding charges for empty accommodation or 2 months' rent excluding charges for furnished accommodation.
The deposit will be returned to you when you move out.
La security deposit is a a written undertaking by a person or organisation to act as guarantor (also known as a guarantor) for you if you fail to meet your obligations to the owner of the property. For example, if you fail to pay your rent, the guarantor will have to pay in your place.
Yes, if requested by the owner. The amount must not exceed one month's rent excluding charges for empty accommodation, or two months' rent for furnished accommodation.
If you are having difficulty paying your security deposit, apply for the Loca-pass advance: www.jeunes-bfc.fr
Yes. The state of play allows you to compare the condition of your home between the time you enter it and the time you leave it. It makes it possible to know who has to pay for any work and avoids disputes. It therefore protects both the tenant and the owner.
In addition to the rent you must pay expenses (charges) relating to accommodation. These are different from one home to another. These may include water, lift service, communal heating, household waste tax, maintenance of communal areas of the building, etc.
Generally, rental charges are paid each month at the same time as the rent (an adjustment is made once a year to bring payments into line with actual expenditure).
Please note: You need to be careful about what is and isn't included in the charges, which vary from one property to another (heating, gas, etc.).
The small repairs and theroutine maintenance of the home (rental repairs) are at the tenant's expense (servicing the boiler, replacing a switch or light bulb, applying paint or wallpaper, changing the batteries in the smoke detector, etc.).
Le owner the responsibility of major repairs (changing the boiler, repairing the roof, etc.).
No. Accommodation provided to a tenant must be decent.
Decent accommodation is defined by law and meets 5 criteria: minimum surface area and energy performance, absence of risk to the health and safety of the tenant, absence of pests and parasites, availability of certain equipment.
You must give your notice (also known as a advance notice) to your landlord or estate agent by one of the following means :
- Registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt ;
- Deed of commissioner of justice (formerly bailiff's deed) ;
- Hand-delivered against a signature or signed receipt.
To write your letter, you can use the template on the website www.service-public.fr.
The Adil (Agences départementales d'information sur le logement) offer free information on housing advice on housing law. You can make an appointment with a lawyer for an interview on site or by telephone: maisonhabitatdoubs.rdv.date
Adil 25
Maison de l'habitat du Doubs
1 chemin de Ronde du Fort Griffon - Entrance D
25000 Besançon
03 81 68 37 68
www.maisonhabitatdoubs.fr
Yesthe Caf provides assistance to help you pay your rent: theAPL (personalised housing assistance), theALF (family housing allowance) orESL (social housing allowance). They are awarded on the basis of certain criteria: renting a decent housingThe lease must be in the name of the applicant and the tenant must not be directly related to the owner.
The amount of aid is calculated on the basis of :
- of the rent (excluding charges),
- your resources,
- your family situation.
You can apply online at www.caf.fr
You can estimate the amount of aid you will receive by making a simulation.
If no-one can provide a guarantee (or guarantor) for you, Action Logement can do so. This is called the Visale guarantee.
This guarantee covers unpaid rent and service charges (as well as damage to the property) for the duration of the tenancy. Action Logement will make an advance payment to the landlord, which you will then repay in monthly instalments.
The Visale guarantee is aimed at young people aged 18 to 30 (including students) and employees over 30 :
- hired for less than 6 months (unless on a permanent contract),
- or earning up to €1,500 net per month,
- or professional mobility,
- or with a promise of employment less than 3 months old.
To find out if you are eligible for this assistance, please contact us. Visale eligibility test.
Attention you must apply for a visa before signing your lease.
Action Logement offers assistance to help finance the security deposit required by your landlord when you move into your new home: the Loca-Pass advance. This is an interest-free loan of up to €1,200 that you will have to repay in no more than 25 months (minimum €20 per month).
Conditions for receiving the Loca-Pass advance
- be employed by a company in the non-agricultural private sector (regardless of age),
- or be under 30 years of age and :
- be undergoing vocational training (apprenticeship or professional training contract),
- or be unemployed,
- or be a student employee and provide proof of :
- a fixed-term contract (CDD) of at least three months in force at the time of the application for aid,
- or one or more fixed-term contracts for a total of at least three months in the six months preceding the application for aid,
- or a traineeship agreement of at least three months in force at the time of application,
- or status as a student on a French state scholarship.
For agricultural workers, seeAgri-Loca-Pass advance
Applications can be made online at : locapass.actionlogement.fr
Are you on work-linked training, under 30 and moving to be closer to your job, or do you need a 2nd home?
L'Mobili-Jeune aid could be for you! Managed by Action Logement, it allows you to finance part of the rent for accommodation close to your place of study or work.
Qualifying conditions:
- You are on an apprenticeship or professional training contract.
- You are under the age of 30.
- You are an employee of a company in the non-agricultural private sector.
- You are changing your main residence to be closer to your place of education or your place of work: your new home is more than 70 km from your old address, or you are occupying two homes at the same time (and can prove that you are paying twice the rent).
- your gross monthly salary must be less than or equal to 120% of the minimum wage.
Montant : from €10 to €100 per month, depending on the rent still to be paid (after deduction of assistance from Caf).
- Aid is capped at €1,100 per year of training over 11 monthly payments,
- The aid can be applied for over a maximum of two years' training, consecutive or otherwise, i.e. two times 11 months.
The request is available online at : mobilijeune.actionlogement.fr
For young people on work-linked training schemes with companies in the agricultural sector, see assistance Agri-Mobili-Jeune.
If you're having trouble paying your rent, don't wait for the situation to get worse!
- Contact Crous social services. You will be able to discuss your situation with a social worker and possibly benefit from financial aid.
Make an appointment on https://mesrdv.etudiant.gouv.fr/fr
- You can also call the freephone number "SOS unpaid rent: 0 805 160 075
This freephone number (free from a landline) can be used to contact an adviser at the Adil (departmental housing information agency) nearest to your home. You can get advice and support tailored to your situation: steps to take, procedures, existing assistance. If necessary, he or she will direct you to the various players who can help you.
- Your local social worker can also help. Contact thesocial antenna or the medical-social centre in your neighbourhood.
You can make a report on the Signal Logement platform or call the Info logement indigne number for advice:
- The platform Signal Logement
It enables tenants of housing in poor condition to report non-decent housing. The online report will be sent directly to the relevant departments (Adil, your local council, Caf, social landlord, ARS, etc.) in a single step. The aim is to bring the home up to standard as quickly as possible.
- The "info logement indigne" number 0 806 706 806 (Open from 9am to 12pm and from 2pm to 5pm, cost of a local call)
It enables report a property in poor condition or "substandard housing" if you are a tenant, the victim of a sleep trader in substandard housing. An Adil adviser will be on hand to listen to you and explain the steps you need to take.
L'Adil 25 (Agence départementale d'information sur le logement) can help you advisor on your rights and steps to solve your problem: www.maisonhabitatdoubs.fr
Tenants' associations
These associations advise and defend consumers and tenants. In general, you need to take out a membership to benefit from their services.
- CLCV (consumption housing living environment)
5 rue Hector Berlioz - tel 03 81 80 32 96 - besancon@clcv.org
- National Housing Confederation CNL
tel 03 81 51 59 67 or 06 64 88 79 35 - lacnl.besancon@laposte.net
- UFC Que choisir
8 avenue de Montrapon - 03 81 81 23 46 - contact@25-90.ufcquechoisir.fr
- Departmental Union of Family Associations UDAF
Maison de la Famille - 2 rue de la Famille - tel 03 81 80 21 74 - udafdoubs@udaf25.fr
Departmental Conciliation Commissions CDC
They offer landlords and tenants settle their disputes "out of court without going to court. This may concern disagreements over rent, the security deposit, the inventory of fixtures, etc.
There is a commission in each département.
Find out more about the role of this committee and how to contact it: www.doubs.gouv.fr
CDC du Doubs
Departmental Directorate for Employment, Labour, Solidarity and the Protection of Populations - DDETSPP
5 voie Gisèle Halimi - BP 91705
25043 Besançon cedex
03 39 59 57 55
ddetspp-hebergement-logement@doubs.gouv.fr
I haven't found an answer
I'm a pro.
Yes, the Crous offers accessible housing and adapted for people with disabilities. You can find an interactive map of adapted accommodation at www.etudiant.gouv.fr
Contact the Crous social services department: www.crous-bfc.fr
Yes, but there are very few places for international students.
You must make the request on trouverunlogement.lescrous.fr from the moment the "complementary phase" is opened (in 2025: 8 July).
Here is a list of documents that you will most often required to rent a property (this list is not exhaustive):
- Identity document (passport, ID card) and residence permit
- Student card or certificate of attendance
- Proof of income (notice of award of grant, your last 3 payslips if you have any, work contract if you have a student job, etc.) these or those of your guarantor.
- Rental guarantee: a guarantor is often required in France. If you don't have one, you can use the Visale.
- For you help you pay your rent you can benefit from housing subsidies (ALS, APL). If you come from outside Switzerland and EEE (European Economic Area), you will need to be in possession of a VLS-TS (long-stay visa valid as a residence permit).
Applications can be made online at www.caf.fr. - For have a guarantor, if no one can vouch for you, ask for the Visale guarantee.
- To advance you the money when the owner asks you for a security depositUnder certain conditions, take advantage of theLoca-pass advance.
With the Carte Avantages Jeunes, some estate agents offer discounts:
- Lamy : 30 % discount on agency fees for rented accommodation
- Sogeprim : 25 % discount on agency fees for renting accommodation
- Stéphane Plaza Immobilier : free inventory of fixtures on signing a lease
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