Q & AMoving/Living/WorkingHoping to Move to France

Question: I am hoping to move to France this spring and was curious about renting an apartment. I didn't plan on working while I was there, but the Apartment Hunting in France article mentioned that landlords want proof of employment. Do you have any suggestions for me?

Answer: My wife just found an apartment in Dijon and thankfully after supplying numerous (More than ten!) documents we where accepted.
You are going to have to either show proof of income, this does not have to mean employment - investment income for example could work. Or you will need to find a friendly landlord that is willing to rent to you "as is".
The one recurring theme that I have experienced with French bureaucracies, public or private, big or small, is that when they ask for paperwork you have to supply it or everything comes to a standstill, if you can't supply what is being asked for you need to supply several other documents.
My suggestion is to go through an agency that supplies lists of apartments for rent and not an agency (read: little bureaucracy) that rents apartment directly, this will save you money and will allow you to deal directly with the landlord. Dealing directly should give you a better chance to find something as you will be able to explain you situation directly to the person making the decision to rent to you or not and not have to work through an intermediary

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