The search for a home...

Looking for a place to live is daunting in any city but even more so in cities abroad. Paris is no exception. There is a lot to consider - do you want to live on your own or with housemates, which language would you prefer them to speak etc etc. If your searching with a friend then you can happily reside in a french speaking house because at least you've got one English speaking person to chat with! If your French is weak then I would suggest trying to fing at least one English speaker to live with. Trying to translate a language half forgotten from school can really burn out your brain cells and its nice to have an English speaking haven to get away from it all.

So what's required for you to secure your French room once you've found it? It all depends on who's renting it to be honest. AVOID AGENCIES at all costs. They charge you about a month's rent to find a place and that cash is better sitting in your pocket than theirs. Some websites are agency run so be wise and avoid these too! Two months rent is not an uncommon request upfront and a deposit maybe required on top of this also. That's alot of cash so be prepared. My landlord accepted a cheque as a deposit, to be cashed only if required so that's one way of saving yourself from emptying your bank account in one big-ass transaction! Okay documents that can be required to secure your property are as follows:
- Photocopy of passport, Visa (if applicable), letter from college or work to state you are stuudying/working in the region
- Photocopies of past three months of bank statements, bank guarantee maybe required to state you can meet the rent each month

There may be other requirments but these are all I've come across so far. Please note that not everyone wants all of these documents but best be prepared just incase!

Now where to look. For English speakers there are a few options. First try the websites I've listed at the bottom of this site. I have found people slow to reply to any emails I've sent in response to these adverts so if you get hold of a phone number and the advert is in English then ring it a.s.a.p. On the ground there are other options - go to the American Church on Quai d'Orsay (www.acparis.org), here they have a noticeboard that is updated daily with jobs and accommodation offered both in French and English. This is where I found anything worth going to view and even met two landladies at differnet times who could answer questions about their rooms on the spot. Also there is a free magaizne called FUSAC issued every Wednesday and this can be found at the same church. It advertises jobs and accommodation in English and French.

That's all I've got right now. If I find any good websites I'll add them later. Happy househunting!