BEFORE YOU ARE HOUSED
- The housing office does not have a contract or written agreement with the landlords advertised on the database. The agreement is set between the landlord and the student directly – the housing office works as an intermediary (much as a real estate agency would) to connect students and landlords. The housing office does not receive any payment or commission from the landlords listed in the database, and does not require payment from students for the use of the database.
- Students have access to the Housing Database for the purpose of viewing and selecting available offers. All contact with the landlord is established through the Housing Office team.
- When you're looking for accommodation, we urge you to respect your budget. Please do not count on the CAF to cover part of your rent.
- Students housed through the Housing Office make a commitment for a minimum of one semester. Students are encouraged to contact their landlord at the end of each semester to check on the renewal of their rental agreement. When you decide to leave, your departure must coincide with the end of a semester or summer session (at the end of the final exams) – you must give one month’s notice at minimum, or the specific notice agreed upon in your rental contract.
- Students with pets must understand that few landlords will accept to rent to a tenant with a pet, therefore the properties available to them may be limited. Landlords may require that students with pets provide a two-month security deposit.
- Security deposits (equivalent to one month’s rent) and the first month's rent must be paid the day you move in – landlords may require the deposit in advance if you are securing the apartments a few months before move-in (in the summer ahead of the Fall semester for example). The first month's rent should be paid at its pro-rated rate. (For example if you enter your apartment mid-month, your first month rent should be half of the rent.) Students should always request and keep receipts.
- Some landlords may ask you to sign a rental agreement that provides additional conditions (or different conditions) than the housing database regulations. Please make sure to carefully read your rental agreement before signing it, and contact housing should you wish to review it with a staff member. This rental agreement will trump the housing database regulations, so make sure that you know what you are agreeing to.
MOVE-IN PROCEDURES
- French law requires that all renters have housing insurance. All students housed by the housing office must provide their landlords with a copy of their insurance attestation. If you're an incoming student, you need to secure your housing insurance through an insurance company (ACS, MAIF, AXA, MMA). If you're a returning student, you can secure your housing insurance through your bank account. Please contact the housing office if you have any question.
- Students are responsible for ensuring that they complete a move-in walkthrough and/or take detailed photos and videos of their accommodation in its move-in state. The housing office will not be able to assist in contesting deductions at move-out if there are no records from the move-in procedure.
DURING THE RENTAL PERIOD
- Students are responsible for punctually paying their rent, at the first of every month, directly to the landlord, via the method agreed upon with the landlord. Students should always request a receipt.
- Students are responsible for maintaining their apartment in the state in which they rented it. If any problems arise, they must contact AUP Housing and/or their landlord immediately.
- If a student has outstanding housing-related claims or debts (such as an unpaid electricity bill, unpaid rent, or unpaid damages to an apartment), a hold will be placed on the student’s account preventing retrieval of grade reports, transcripts and diplomas until the debt has been settled and the Housing Office has received confirmation from the landlord.
- Students are not permitted to sublet their accommodation, or advertise it on rental websites (such as Airbnb). Exceptions can only be made if the student can provide explicit written approval from their landlord to sublet, or if a provision for subletting is included in their signed rental contract. The housing office may contact the landlord for confirmation in these cases. When subletting is allowed, students must follow the conditions of subletting outlined by their landlord.
- Students should note that regardless of their AUP Privacy Policy settings (for more information see https://www.aup.edu/academics/academic-resources/registrars-office/ferpa-information), the Housing Office will disclose their personal email address and mobile telephone number, as well as a confirmation on whether or not the student is continuing at AUP the following semester, to the student’s current landlord upon request.
- The University's standard of conduct, as outlined in the Student Handbook, applies to all students who have used the Housing Office's services. Failure to abide by the standard of conduct or any violations of the Housing Regulations can lead to disciplinary action.
UPON DEPARTURE
- If moving at the end of a semester, students must give the landlord one month's written notice (unless specified differently in their rental contract), sent by registered mail (lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception). The Housing Office provides a move-out letter template to assist you which you may download from : https://www.aup.edu/student-life/campus/housing/housing-resources under Useful Documents. The Housing Office is unable to help students recuperate their deposit if this procedure has not been followed. Landlords may also terminate a rental agreement at the end of a semester by giving the student one month’s notice.
- Students must also inform the housing office of their departure from the apartment so that it is made available to other students.
- Should students leave before the agreed upon minimum of one semester (and/or without provide the proper notice) in violation of the housing regulations and/or their rental contract, the housing office cannot guarantee that it can assist in the refund of their full deposit.
- Security deposits are used to cover outstanding bills and damages and, thus, may NEVER serve as the last month's rent, which is illegal in France. The landlord has up to two months after your departure to asses any damages that need to be fixed before they are required to return your deposit.
- Housing obtained through the University may be "passed on" to other AUP students but ONLY after written notification sent to the Housing Office via e-mail. Housing obtained through the University may never be “passed on” to individuals who are not current AUP students.
- After giving the landlord notice of departure, students are responsible for showing their housing, in a timely manner, to other AUP students who contact them through the Housing Office
FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH HOUSING REGULATIONS MIGHT RESULT IN LOSING THE RIGHT TO USE THE AUP HOUSING SERVICES.