Dossier Facile: Can This Website Make it Easier to Rent in France?

A rental dossier in France is required right from the house-hunting stage, and both agencies and private landlords will ask to see your full dossier upfront, prior to organising a house or apartment viewing. Traditionally, this would mean compiling a folder of all the different files that would then be sent out via email each time.

Read our guide to Renting in France: Preparing Your Dossier & Guarantor for the full list of requirements.

One way to simplify this process is to create an online dossier at DossierFacile.fr, a government site that allows you to upload all the relevant documents and create a digital rental dossier. The benefits of this are twofold: not only will you be able to provide your dossier as a simple link, but your complete dossier will also be validated by the government, providing additional reassurance for potential landlords and rental agencies.

First, you need to create a Dossier Facile account, for which you can use your FranceConnect account if you have one. Once you’re logged in, you can change the language to English if desired (you can toggle between French and English in the top right corner), and click ‘Create My Rental Application’ to begin.

You’ll need to provide your ID and select whether or not you are applying alone or with a partner/housemate – it’s also possible to create a joint dossier.

You’ll then move through the different steps, where you’ll be asked to upload various documents. The exact documents may vary depending on your personal situation, living arrangements, and work status, but there are typically various different options available for each step.

Expect to be asked for the following:

• Your ID card or passport
• Your carte de séjour or residency card (if applicable)
• Proof of address, such as an electricity bill or similar, less than 6 months old
• Your last three rent receipts
• Your last three pay slips and a copy of your work contract if you are employed, proof of income and business status if you are self-employed, or proof of income if you are retired or other.
• Your last avis d’imposition tax notice

Once you have added all your documents, you can also opt to add a guarantor or “garant” which, depending on your situation, may strengthen your application. However, this section is optional.

You must complete all sections of the application before clicking ‘validate my dossier’, but you can save it and return to it at a later date if needed.

Once you’ve sent off your dossier for validation, you’ll need to wait a minimum of 24 hours. If anything is missing or incomplete, you may be asked to provide additional documents and the validation of your dossier will be on hold until these are provided.

When your dossier is complete, you’ll receive notification that your DossierFacile has been validated and is now ready to send.

With your government-approved digital dossier now ready to go, you can get started searching for a house or apartment. When it comes time to send out your dossier, simply login to the site, enter the relevant email address, and your dossier will be emailed directly to the landlord or rental agency. Easy!

From applying for your visa and opening a French bank account, to integrating in your new community – FrenchEntrée is here to help! Let our Essential Reading and Visa & Residency articles guide you through the whole process, then visit our Owning Property, French Tax, Healthcare, and Life in France zones for everything else you need to know.

Disclaimer: Our Essential Reading articles are designed to give an overview of the visa requirements and procedures for moving to France. We always check our information against the official government information made available to the public, however, please remember that all visa applications are considered on an individual basis and the exact requirements, fees, or application procedure may vary. Unless you are an EU citizen, obtaining a French visa is not a right, and we cannot guarantee that your visa will be approved.