Property Viewings
How many properties can I expect to see?
Our package offers a maximum of four accompanied property viewings. These are dependent on availability of agents and how flexible your search criteria is.
Will I have a chance to preview the properties and make a shortlist?
Unfortunately we cannot offer the chance to preview due to the fast moving nature of the property market in Bordeaux.
What happens if I find some properties myself?
You are free to do your own research, however we do suggest that you attend viewings with us, as we are impartial and will give you unbiased advice on the properties you see. Our goal is to help you find the best property available for you, whereas an agent’s goal is to convince you to rent one of their properties so that they receive their commission.
There seems to be a lot of properties online that suit my needs, why are they not included on my property tracker?
Although online sites are a good place to start in terms of research it is not always the most up to date list. Many properties which are shown online have already been let or are not available within the timescales that you need. We contact agents directly in order to get all of the necessary information and to ensure that your dossier would be considered. In addition, there are rules applied to certain rental property types where your dossier would not be accepted.
Due to work commitments I’d prefer to do viewings in the evenings. Is this possible?
It is more difficult to book viewings in the evenings as we have to try and work around the agent's work day and also be considerate to tenants who may be currently living at certain properties who may not want viewings in the evening.
Would it be possible to do viewings on a weekend?
Saturday viewings are possible whilst Sunday’s are not. It very much depends on the working hours of the agents and our consultant availability.
Additional Costs
What do I need to pay before moving into a new property?
You will need to pay the agency fees (unless you are renting directly through a private owner), your security deposit and the first month's rent.
When does this need to be paid?
These are paid at the same time as lease signatures. Payment is generally via bank transfer to the account details provided by the leasing agent or property owner.
What are the agency fees for?
Agency fees cover the agency's cost for processing your application and drawing up a lease for you. It also includes the cost of the incoming inventory and associated documentation.
What is the security deposit?
The security deposit is normally one month’s rent for an unfurnished property and 2 months rent for a furnished property. The deposit is held in case of any damages done to the property. Your incoming inventory will note any pre-existing damages to the property (for example marks on walls, dripping taps etc). Providing that you don’t damage the property, your deposit will be returned in full at the end of the tenancy.
How do I get it back?
At the end of your tenancy an out-going inventory will take place to assess the condition of the property (your incoming inventory will be used as a point of reference). Yourself and the landlord will then review the outgoing inventory and both of you will either agree the property is clean and undamaged or, if the landlord is not happy with the condition of the property, they can deduct a certain amount from your deposit. You can then choose to agree or disagree with the charges.
What are included in the “charges”?
Charges can include everything associated with living in the property - internet, heating, electricity etc or just the costs associated with the up-keep of common areas.
Is the rent negotiable?
No - unfortunately this is not something that happens in Bordeaux.
What’s included in the rent?
This differs between properties and will be specified by the agent.
Mandatory Tenancy Insurance
Will I be liable for any hidden cost on top of the rent?
There are no hidden costs as such but unless specified otherwise you will be liable for the tax d’habitation and utility bills.
Can my landlord increase my rent during the tenancy?
When will my rent be due?
Your rental payment date will be specified on your lease contract and will usually fall in the first 5 days of the month.
How do I pay my rent?
Most commonly it will be via bank transfer, however some agents will accept cheques but this is not common practice.
Is there a standard type of contract in France?
There are 4 commonly used types of of leasing contracts in France
Short Term Furnished (maximum of 3 months)
Mobility Lease (maximum of 10 months and only available if you meet certain conditions)
One Year Renewable Furnished
Unfurnished Renewable (no less than 3 year duration)
Can I break my contract?
Yes. If your property is within the Bordeaux city limits and the CUB then you can break your contract after the first month of tenancy. The notice period is one month.
If your property is outside the Bordeaux city limits and the CUB then the notice period is 3 months.
Can I extend my contract if I need to?
Yes, most agents will give you the option to renew (extend) your contract at the end of the agreed term unless you hold a Mobility Lease or a Short Term Furnished Lease.
Whose names go on the contract?
The lease goes into the primary earners name unless otherwise requested by the agent/owner.
Are the terms negotiable?
At the moment - no, primarily due to the high demand for rental properties within the Bordeaux area.
Why are there clauses in the contract that have no relevance to the property?
Most agents use generic contracts to cover every eventuality.
What furniture is included in a furnished property?
There is no straight answer to this, at a minimum furnished should include the larger items such as – sofa, table & chairs, beds, wardrobes, chest of drawers and all white goods (fridge freezer, washing machine etc). This will vary from place to place, some landlords will supply TV’s, microwaves etc, some won’t, some properties will come with everything from pictures on the walls to linen on the beds.
What does part-furnished mean?
Much like above there is no straight answer, in most cases it will be a few of the bigger items, a sofa or a bed etc, usually items which are difficult to move. You will still get the white goods supplied.
What does unfurnished mean?
As opposed to furnished / part-furnished this is much clearer, with the occasional exception of window dressings. Very occasionally, some properties may not include any kitchen units.
Does a furnished property cost more?
Can the landlord remove furniture if it is not wanted?
This is a possibility, it will depend on the landlord’s situation, if it’s a single investment property for instance then removing furniture could mean paying for storage, which is of course expensive. There are different tax regimes in place for income generated from furnished and unfurnished properties with furnished being more beneficial to the property owner.
Will the landlord supply extra furniture if needed?
Much the same as removing furniture it’ll depend on the landlords situation.
Is it possible to add furniture to an already furnished property?
Some contracts will outline this as not acceptable or not possible without prior consent from the landlord, this is generally to stop people making extra bedrooms or bringing in large items and damaging the property. It isn’t designed to stop you bringing in childrens furniture or a desk etc. If in doubt it is always prudent to include what you want to bring into the offer. Unless you have made prior arrangements to leave furniture behind the landlord has the right to charge you for the removal and disposal at their discretion. Whether the property is furnished or unfurnished it is advisable to leave it as you found it when you moved in.
What happens if furniture belonging to the landlord breaks?
The landlord will have building and contents insurance, however your tenancy insurance should protect against accidental damage, for instance if a washing machine breaks down due to a fault it’s the landlord's responsibility, however if it breaks down through misuse then you’ll be liable.
What is involved in an incoming inventory (etats des lieux) and is it important?
This is extremely important . This is done in two parts; the first when you move in and the second when you move out . At its most basic function, the etat des lieux (the state of the area) is an inventory of the apartment ; a record of the condition of the apartment and everything inside it that is included within the contract.
At the beginning of the contract, this is done with the new tenants and a third-party service or the landlord. Everything is noted in a report, from the condition of the fixtures, any furniture, flooring, doors, windows, walls, I think you get the point. When all is said and noted, it is signed by all parties involved and tucked away until you decide to vacate the premises.
When it is time to leave the property and everything has been moved out and cleaned, a second and final walkthrough will take place. The report from moving in will be used to assess if there has been any damage or changes from the original walkthrough . This final walkthrough will determine if the entirety of the security deposit will be returned or if part of it will be used to repair any damages.
How many properties can I expect to see?
Our package offers a maximum of four accompanied property viewings. These are dependent on availability of agents and how flexible your search criteria is.
Will I have a chance to preview the properties and make a shortlist?
Unfortunately we cannot offer the chance to preview due to the fast moving nature of the property market in Bordeaux.
What happens if I find some properties myself?
You are free to do your own research, however we do suggest that you attend viewings with us, as we are impartial and will give you unbiased advice on the properties you see. Our goal is to help you find the best property available for you, whereas an agent’s goal is to convince you to rent one of their properties so that they receive their commission.
There seems to be a lot of properties online that suit my needs, why are they not included on my property tracker?
Although online sites are a good place to start in terms of research it is not always the most up to date list. Many properties which are shown online have already been let or are not available within the timescales that you need. We contact agents directly in order to get all of the necessary information and to ensure that your dossier would be considered. In addition, there are rules applied to certain rental property types where your dossier would not be accepted.
Due to work commitments I’d prefer to do viewings in the evenings. Is this possible?
It is more difficult to book viewings in the evenings as we have to try and work around the agent's work day and also be considerate to tenants who may be currently living at certain properties who may not want viewings in the evening.
Would it be possible to do viewings on a weekend?
Saturday viewings are possible whilst Sunday’s are not. It very much depends on the working hours of the agents and our consultant availability.
Additional Costs
What do I need to pay before moving into a new property?
You will need to pay the agency fees (unless you are renting directly through a private owner), your security deposit and the first month's rent.
When does this need to be paid?
These are paid at the same time as lease signatures. Payment is generally via bank transfer to the account details provided by the leasing agent or property owner.
What are the agency fees for?
Agency fees cover the agency's cost for processing your application and drawing up a lease for you. It also includes the cost of the incoming inventory and associated documentation.
What is the security deposit?
The security deposit is normally one month’s rent for an unfurnished property and 2 months rent for a furnished property. The deposit is held in case of any damages done to the property. Your incoming inventory will note any pre-existing damages to the property (for example marks on walls, dripping taps etc). Providing that you don’t damage the property, your deposit will be returned in full at the end of the tenancy.
How do I get it back?
At the end of your tenancy an out-going inventory will take place to assess the condition of the property (your incoming inventory will be used as a point of reference). Yourself and the landlord will then review the outgoing inventory and both of you will either agree the property is clean and undamaged or, if the landlord is not happy with the condition of the property, they can deduct a certain amount from your deposit. You can then choose to agree or disagree with the charges.
What are included in the “charges”?
Charges can include everything associated with living in the property - internet, heating, electricity etc or just the costs associated with the up-keep of common areas.
Is the rent negotiable?
No - unfortunately this is not something that happens in Bordeaux.
What’s included in the rent?
This differs between properties and will be specified by the agent.
Mandatory Tenancy Insurance
Will I be liable for any hidden cost on top of the rent?
There are no hidden costs as such but unless specified otherwise you will be liable for the tax d’habitation and utility bills.
Can my landlord increase my rent during the tenancy?
When will my rent be due?
Your rental payment date will be specified on your lease contract and will usually fall in the first 5 days of the month.
How do I pay my rent?
Most commonly it will be via bank transfer, however some agents will accept cheques but this is not common practice.
Is there a standard type of contract in France?
There are 4 commonly used types of of leasing contracts in France
Short Term Furnished (maximum of 3 months)
Mobility Lease (maximum of 10 months and only available if you meet certain conditions)
One Year Renewable Furnished
Unfurnished Renewable (no less than 3 year duration)
Can I break my contract?
Yes. If your property is within the Bordeaux city limits and the CUB then you can break your contract after the first month of tenancy. The notice period is one month.
If your property is outside the Bordeaux city limits and the CUB then the notice period is 3 months.
Can I extend my contract if I need to?
Yes, most agents will give you the option to renew (extend) your contract at the end of the agreed term unless you hold a Mobility Lease or a Short Term Furnished Lease.
Whose names go on the contract?
The lease goes into the primary earners name unless otherwise requested by the agent/owner.
Are the terms negotiable?
At the moment - no, primarily due to the high demand for rental properties within the Bordeaux area.
Why are there clauses in the contract that have no relevance to the property?
Most agents use generic contracts to cover every eventuality.
What furniture is included in a furnished property?
There is no straight answer to this, at a minimum furnished should include the larger items such as – sofa, table & chairs, beds, wardrobes, chest of drawers and all white goods (fridge freezer, washing machine etc). This will vary from place to place, some landlords will supply TV’s, microwaves etc, some won’t, some properties will come with everything from pictures on the walls to linen on the beds.
What does part-furnished mean?
Much like above there is no straight answer, in most cases it will be a few of the bigger items, a sofa or a bed etc, usually items which are difficult to move. You will still get the white goods supplied.
What does unfurnished mean?
As opposed to furnished / part-furnished this is much clearer, with the occasional exception of window dressings. Very occasionally, some properties may not include any kitchen units.
Does a furnished property cost more?
Can the landlord remove furniture if it is not wanted?
This is a possibility, it will depend on the landlord’s situation, if it’s a single investment property for instance then removing furniture could mean paying for storage, which is of course expensive. There are different tax regimes in place for income generated from furnished and unfurnished properties with furnished being more beneficial to the property owner.
Will the landlord supply extra furniture if needed?
Much the same as removing furniture it’ll depend on the landlords situation.
Is it possible to add furniture to an already furnished property?
Some contracts will outline this as not acceptable or not possible without prior consent from the landlord, this is generally to stop people making extra bedrooms or bringing in large items and damaging the property. It isn’t designed to stop you bringing in childrens furniture or a desk etc. If in doubt it is always prudent to include what you want to bring into the offer. Unless you have made prior arrangements to leave furniture behind the landlord has the right to charge you for the removal and disposal at their discretion. Whether the property is furnished or unfurnished it is advisable to leave it as you found it when you moved in.
What happens if furniture belonging to the landlord breaks?
The landlord will have building and contents insurance, however your tenancy insurance should protect against accidental damage, for instance if a washing machine breaks down due to a fault it’s the landlord's responsibility, however if it breaks down through misuse then you’ll be liable.
What is involved in an incoming inventory (etats des lieux) and is it important?
This is extremely important . This is done in two parts; the first when you move in and the second when you move out . At its most basic function, the etat des lieux (the state of the area) is an inventory of the apartment ; a record of the condition of the apartment and everything inside it that is included within the contract.
At the beginning of the contract, this is done with the new tenants and a third-party service or the landlord. Everything is noted in a report, from the condition of the fixtures, any furniture, flooring, doors, windows, walls, I think you get the point. When all is said and noted, it is signed by all parties involved and tucked away until you decide to vacate the premises.
When it is time to leave the property and everything has been moved out and cleaned, a second and final walkthrough will take place. The report from moving in will be used to assess if there has been any damage or changes from the original walkthrough . This final walkthrough will determine if the entirety of the security deposit will be returned or if part of it will be used to repair any damages.
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