Residential hotels or homestays: for stays of one month or more

The apartments are situated in the proximity of the school, in the town centre of La Rochelle or in the periphery. Equipped and furnished apartments of 18 to 26 square metres for one person or 32 to 49 square metres for 2 people.

The tariffs vary according to the duration of your stay (from 500 to 600€ per month. Costs for water, electricity and heating should be anticipated in addition to rent.

Please note: Places are limited and there are conditions to fulfil regarding residences.

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Reservation of accommodation

Reservations only becomes effective on reception ,by the residence or the proprietor, of a cheque or deposit within the requested delay. The tariffs will be communicated to you later given that they vary according to the duration of your stay.

It is necessary to make an appointment with the residence or the proprietor for your arrival (handing over of keys and state of accommodation).The opening hours of reception are in general from 9am until 5pm from Monday to Friday.

Please note: If you do not confirm your reservation by the payment of a cheque and/or a deposit, the residence or the proprietor will  allocate your accommodation to another student.

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The signing of the contract (Lease)

It is essential because it defines the rights of the tenant and those of the person leasing out the property (leasing agent or landlord), and makes clear amongst other things :

• The description of the accommodation
• The duration of the rental and its eventual renewal
• The total of the rent and the charges
• The total of the guarantee deposit
• The date of payment of rent and charges
• The terms of departure and notice to be respected to terminate a rental.

The state of the accommodation

This document is an annexe to the contract. It must be established in your presence. It states the detailed state of the accommodation at your moment of entry. On your departure a new state of accommodation statement will be created. The comparison between the two will determine the total that will be reimbursed to you from your guarantee deposit that you will have initially paid.

At the cost of the tenant, the leasing agent / landlord can take from the guarantee cheque the charges for restoring the property to its original state and the sums which have not been paid to him ( outstanding rent, household refuse tax etc) . The maximum delay for reimbursement of the guarantee cheque is two months after the handing back of the keys.

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Your obligations

The student entering an apartment engages to:

• Pay his rent and his charges within the terms agreed in the contract.
• Justify the payment by a rental insurance, at the request of the proprietor
• Respect the rules of communal living written in the internal rules of the residences. He/She is free to enter and leave and can receive visits but the right of occupation is strictly personal and un-transferable.
• He /she engages equally to pay the different taxes and charges associated with the occupation of the accommodation.
• EDF/GDF (electricity /gas): bill estimated every 2 months or monthly payment.
• Water: generally integrated into the provisions for charges. A check, based on real consumption is conducted annually. If the water meter is in your name: a bill will be provided every 6 months.

(*) EDF/GDF: acronym for electricity and gas companies  (Electricity de  France / Gas de France)

• "Household tax" ( Taxe d'habitation ): tax payable at the end of the year  for all occupation from the 1^st of January of the current year .

• "Household refuse tax"( Taxe « Ordures ménagères ) : most often included in the provisions for charges

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Leaving the accommodation

If you are obliged to leave the accommodation before the date stated on your contract, you must advise your proprietor of your departure, respecting the notice previously stated on the contract and send a registered letter indicating your date of departure,  with a request for receipt of delivery.

In all cases:

• Make an appointment to conduct a "state of premises on departure statement" and hand back the keys.

• Advise EDF and the water services where appropriate.

• Advise your assurer and all administrative organisations ( *CAF, *Caisses d'Allocations Familiales) *Family benefit office, prefecture, student insurance company)

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Annexes : charges

Besides residences and proprietors:

Deposit or guarantee deposit: 1 month's rent with out charges

Rental insurance (civil responsibility, fire, water damage): it is obligatory , you must provide a statement of insurance to the proprietor, on the day of entry to the property. Average cost: 50€ per year.

The proprietor or rental agency can ask you for a guarantor: The named person must be able to vouch for regular resources and engages to assume all your obligations, (payment of rent, taxes, degradation of the property) if you do not fulfil your obligations to the landlord / rental agency.

The opening of the meters: (EDF/GDF, water). If it is not included in the charges. Average cost: 40€.

'Household tax': tax payable at the end of the year , average cost: 1 month's rent for the occupant of the accommodation on the 1^st of January

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Accomodation Assistance

The accommodation offered gives the right to financial benefits for the accommodation. (Aide Personnalisée au Logement - APL: Personal accommodation assistance.)

Foreign students can claim it on condition of being holders of a valid visitor's permi.

As soon as you have signed your rental contract (lease) and paid your rent,you can make a request to the Family Benefit Office (CAF) 4 bis, avenue du Général Leclerc / 17073 LA ROCHELLE Cedex 9, or by  Internet : www.caf.fr).

Financial assistance (APL) is never paid on the first month of occupation: for example, if you enter the accommodation in January, your first benefit payment will relate to the month of February and will be paid towards the 5^th of March, then the 5^th of each month.