Finding accommodation when you are a young worker or studying in Nantes is not easy! Market tension offers applicants little choice and drives up rents. For those seeking accommodation at the start of the next school year, this is the time to get started. 20 Minutes asked the Regional Youth Information Center (Crij) to benefit from its precious advice.
Above all, don't wait
"Even if you feel like you have time, don't delay!" Repeats Marinette Vidal, youth worker and informant. Finding accommodation for the start of the school year requires taking action in June, she advises. Even paying a month or two months rent without occupying the premises. “Waiting until August to get started is really risky. Last year we had a lot of young people in the galley. We were trying to help them but everything was full! Some have been forced to take hotel rooms or overnight rentals, such as Airbnb, which is obviously much more expensive. "
Do not restrict your search area
The Ile de Nantes, the Commerce district and the banks of the Erdre are today the sectors most sought after by young people. What if you extended your search area? “Being less demanding in the area allows you to find larger or cheaper accommodation. Few young people are looking in Malakoff, for example, when there is a great diversity of accommodation and the area is well served. There are also plenty of offers and great opportunities in Rezé, Saint-Sébastien, Saint-Herblain or Orvault. "
Stay vigilant for your money
"It seems obvious and yet ..." Before setting your sights on accommodation, always calculate your budget. "Beware of rental charges, electricity, water or gas costs, warns Fabienne Masse, librarian at Crij and housing specialist. Do not forget insurance, housing tax, agency fees, openings of meters or Internet line. Furthermore, you should never pay money without having the contract and the keys that go with it. “We do not give any security deposit, no reservation deposit, without being sure of having the accommodation. We also don't pay to get a list of ads. "
Beware of scams
To find accommodation in the private park, the advertisements of real estate agencies and those published on Facebook and Leboncoin are essential. But watch out for scams! "If the photos are sumptuous, the cheap rent when it is in the city center, it is surely too good to be true," says Marinette Vidal. Same if it is full of faults. There are more and more scams. Especially in August when young people are under pressure. It is, for example, prohibited to rent a dwelling of less than 9 m2. That's why you always have to travel to check and compare. "
Accommodation against services
Alternative solutions exist for tight budgets. Starting with intergenerational and supportive housing. “The young person is accommodated in exchange for a modest rent and punctual services to an elderly person. It is not suitable for everyone because there are counterparts over time and values to integrate. But these are great human experiences. In Nantes, the Nantes Renoue and Le Temps pour toiT associations manage requests. Some owners also offer a room or a studio in exchange for services, most often childcare or tutoring. “You have to look at the conditions. And they must be stipulated in writing to avoid any conflict, ”advises Crij.
To many under the same roof
More and more accepted by the owners, colocation makes it possible to make precious savings. But you have to be careful with the contract. “There can be a lease for each roommate. Or a single lease which commits all the roommates. Everyone then has the same rights but also the same obligations such as leaving the accommodation at the same time or paying the share of one who could not assume it. Another less common option: the furnished room with the locals. Disadvantage: less privacy since you are not really at home. Sites like roomlala or lokaviz are specialized.
Nantes
Nantes: Buying the walls but not the land ... On the island of Nantes, homes sold at bargain prices
Nantes
Nantes: This time it's official, the iconic Brittany tower will close to “change its face”
The Crij, a wealth of information
The Pays-de-la-Loire Regional Youth Information Center recently offered a video workshop devoted to the theme of housing. The content is available in replay. In addition, a 48-page guide "Finding accommodation in Pays-de-la-Loire" can be downloaded free of charge. In particular, all the information on the aid systems is gathered there.
- APL
- Immovable
- Student housing
- Nantes