Furnished flatshare : What is it ?
Furnished flatshares are rental properties in the form of a shared apartment, which means that several tenants share the same dwelling. Whether it is an apartment or a house, the living space must be furnished by the owner of the property following guidelines imposed by a decree that has been in place since 2015. This is the case for all of our shared apartments in Paris.
Why join a furnished flatshare ?
Shared apartments provide many basic advantages, especially for students or young workers, but furnished flatshares are even more advantageous in many aspects - but of course, there are also disadvantages.
Advantages of a furnished flatshare
Just like a standard flatshare, you will benefit from lower rent, as a room in a shared apartment costs about 20-30% less than a standard rental unit.
In addition, you will also enjoy larger living spaces, as student housing Chez Nestor often offers large living rooms and common areas for entertaining friends or family. Also, since the accommodation is often larger, it often means that properties boast balconies or outdoor areas.
As with any shared apartment, you will also be able to enjoy community life while also having your own sleeping space. You will live with other roommates which creates friendships, and more opportunities to go out and meet new people.
Finally, the main advantage of a furnished flatshare is, as its name indicates, the fact that your apartment is completely furnished. In most cases, you will only have to bring your suitcase to be fully set up in your apartment. This is another saving in addition to the one you make on the rent since you will not have to pay for any furniture, bedding, utensils or other furnishings. However, it could be that your accommodation does not include a television or a washing machine that you will have to bring yourself (although this is not the case Chez Nestor).
Disadvantage of a furnished flatshare
Of course, furnished flatshares can also have disadvantages.Â
If, for example, you already own some furniture, then it will be complicated to bring it with you to your flatshare. This is because the rental is already well-equipped and there won't be any room left for your furniture.
As such, as far as furnishings are concerned, you will have little choice when it comes to customizing your room and your living spaces, and not much opportunity for DIY or decoration projects. You may not like the decor or you may want to change it, but any changes to the roommate must be restored to its original state upon your departure if the landlord has agreed to your request. In short, if you have wallpaper on the ceiling as it was in 1930, it may remain for the entire length of your lease. Luckily, at Nestor, our flatshares are decorated by our expert design team, and are Instagram ready from the day you move in.
What does a furnished apartment contain in terms of equipment?Â
There is a very explicit list in Decree No. 2015-981 of 31 which states that all furnished shared accommodation must include (at least) the following:
1) Bedding including comforter or blanket.
2) Either shutters or curtains are mandatory on windows in rooms intended to be used as a bedroom.
3) Stove tops / hobs for cooking.
4) An oven or microwave oven.
5) A refrigerator and freezer or, at least, a refrigerator with a compartment that allows a temperature of less than or equal to - 6 °C.
6) Dishes and cutlery for meals.
7) Kitchen utensils.
8) A table and seats.
9) Storage shelves.
10) Light fixtures.
11) Housekeeping equipment adapted to the characteristics of the apartment.
Of course, each of our apartments offers all these services and more to make your stay with others roomates unforgettable!
If your home does not include any of the things on this list, you have the right to ask your landlord to buy them for the apartment, at his or her expense.
What type of lease for a furnished flatshare ?
There are two types of leases for a furnished shared apartment, an individual lease or a joint lease. The main difference between these two contracts is the solidarity between tenants.
The individual lease
This is the best type of lease for you. It is also the one we offer at Nestor. Each roommate has a separate contract, and only has to pay his or her own rent to the owner independently. The rent is therefore divided. This means that if another member of the roommate leaves or a bedroom is unoccupied, the other roommates will not have to pay the difference. In any case, you will need a guarantor if you want to rent a room in a shared apartment, especially in Paris where the real estate market is very competitive.
The joint lease or single lease
As its name indicates, it is the opposite of the individual lease, this one is more secure for the landlord, but less advantageous for the tenant. The total rent is made in one single payment, so it is up to the inhabitants of the dwelling to organise to pay each other their shares, with only one roommate sending the total amount due each month. Moreover, the amount of the rent is to be divided by the number of tenants, so if one of them leaves the flat, it will become more expensive for the remaining tenants until a replacement is found.
Furthermore, if one of the roommates cannot pay the rent, then the other tenants are required to pay more to make up the shortfall.
For all of these reasons, we do not use this type of contract in our Chez Nestor apartments.
What is the notice period for furnished flatshares?
The notice period is indicated when the lease is signed but also depends on several criteria. At Nestor, the answer is simple: it is always one month, which is advantageous for you and for our teams. However, outside of Chez Nestor, it can be more complicated.
If you are a student, you can ask to sign a student lease which has the particularity of granting you a 1 month notice period, no matter what. For this you must of course be a student.
The city in which you live will also have an impact since the notice period can vary from 1 month to 3 months. The stronger the rental market in the city, the more likely it is that the notice period will be one month. In the case of a 2 or 3 month notice period, you can always ask your landlord to reduce the notice period if you find a new replacement who could take your place in the flatshare.