Expatriate, Practical tips
The painter needs to get in. So does the insurer’s expert, or the plumber. You are thousands of kilometres away, and the keys are in your pocket. Handing over the keys of a Paris flat from abroad is one of those small things that quietly decides how a bigger...
Expatriate, Practical tips
You have found the flat, the lease is ready, the keys are almost yours. Then one more request lands in your inbox: “Please send your home insurance certificate.” Many newcomers hear about it at the last minute. Here is what it is, what it covers, and what...
Expatriate, Practical tips
You are leaving for six months. The flat is locked, the keys are in your pocket, the plane is booked. Now a simple question: if something goes wrong in there on day 12, who will notice? An empty flat is rarely a problem in itself. The problem is that nobody is...
Expatriate, Practical tips
A new job in another country, a lease in Paris. How long are you still going to pay rent? And when will you see your deposit again? Two questions, and two deadlines that people often mix up. Here is how it works for a main-residence lease under the 1989 law. Your...
Expatriate, Practical tips
The listing says “furnished”. The light is lovely, the sofa looks nice, the balcony is charming. You visit, you sign. Did you look for the oven? And the curtains in the bedroom? Good news: in France, “furnished” is not just a marketing word....
Expatriate, Practical tips
You are abroad. A neighbour or the syndic calls: there is water coming through the ceiling of the flat below yours. Nobody is in your flat. You cannot go and look, and everything is written in French. This is the situation I handle for owners who live abroad, and the...
Expatriate, Practical tips
Some searches teach you more than others. A client asked me to help find a studio to rent in Paris for her mother. On paper, the mission looked simple: a very precise geographic area, but a matching budget and no crazy requirements. In practice, it was a rather...
Expatriate, Practical tips
You have signed your lease, you get the keys, and you arrive in a flat with no electricity. It is easy to avoid. Setting up your energy contract is one of the first practical tasks of a move to Paris, and it is faster than most newcomers expect. Here is how it works,...
Expatriate, Practical tips
Many newcomers to Paris assume they will rent a furnished flat, because it is simple. Others prefer or need an unfurnished one: a longer stay, a family, more space for the same budget, or the wish to settle for good. In French this is a location vide, an...
Expatriate, Practical tips
When you rent in Paris, the landlord or the agency decides who gets the flat, and they choose among many applications. A complete, well-organised file is the first thing that makes a difference. When you arrive from abroad, the question I hear most is: “What...
