June 6th, 2022 / µ

2 Years, Seven Months, & Counting!

I thought renting an apartment via a huge and long-established rental agency would be the financially safest when I went to Paris in 2019. I was wrong.

It is now two years and seven months since I moved out of an apartment in Paris.

Yes, two years, seven months, more communication with the rental agency, the rental insurance company, and the French judicial system than I thought possible. And on top of that, several court dates, a line of helpful people, two huissier companies, and thousands and thousands of euros.

And I still don’t have the money the court declared in January 2022 that I was owed. And I haven’t heard back from the last huissier company I hired.

Rental Agencies

My lesson learned is that rental companies are great if there aren’t any problems to solve. Should trouble arise, they are probably still great. But, they can leave it to you to solve the issues, giving you their heartfelt understanding and emotional support.

My conclusion is: Renting via established rental agencies in Paris is probably not financially safer than a private rental, Airbnb, or the like. The security you pay for by renting via an established rental agency can be false security and a waste of money.

Rental fees can be up to 20 % of the rent, plus what you pay the rental company initially. Then there’s the rental insurance if you don’t have a garant, and often a lot more fees. And my experience is that you do not get your money’s worth when troubles arise.

Waiting

My short stay in Paris in September and October 2019 was one of the worst and most costly rental experiences I have ever had in Paris in my life actually. And the thousands of euros paid initially to avoid the financial squabble I am in was money down the drain.

And so I wait, not for Godot but for someone in the loop to get back to me and let me know when I will get my money!

Thanks for reading! I hope you found it valuable and worth your time! Until next time, remember to get your facts straight and that whatever good times you have will never come back as bad times,