Job Discussion Forums

[muzorewi1984]

I thought I should offer this advice from my experience of renting a flat in Paris.

I rented a flat which included a €1,400 security deposit. Two weeks into the contract, my landlord ordered me out and has now kept the deposit. When I texted him asking him to give it back he claimed he had already given it to me in cash (?!) and he would take me to court if I bothered him again. So now I'll need to hire a French lawyer...

A quick google search suggests this is quite a common practice among landlords in France, taking advantage of foreigners with limited French, struggling to find a good rental property.

Be very careful, if you're renting in Paris.

[nfig77]

How can he "order you out"? You have a rental agreement don't you?

[muzorewi1984]

He took me aside one day and started shouting his head off about how I'd messed his flat up (I hadn't), then told me to get out. I guess strictly speaking I could have waved the contract at him and said "no, I'm staying" but the atmosphere in the place was bloody awful (he was a live-in landlord), and it would have been hard to tough it out so I said I'd leave if he promised to return my money. He said he would when I left. Then he didn't.

[Paris teacher]

There has to be some way you can get an organization to advocate for you. France is very concerned with tenants' rights; in fact, a tenant can't be evicted during the winter months.

Ask around for legal services. I am sure you can find someone to advocate for you.

Best of luck.