I can't pay my rent: what should I do?

Are you in a complicated financial situation and struggling to pay your apartment rent? There are several options and aids available to help you get through this difficult time.

Studapart provides an overview of the different possibilities and aids available to tenants who can no longer pay their rent.

What solutions are available if I'm having trouble paying my rent?

Talk to your landlord

It's the first step to take: discuss the issue with your landlord. They also have an interest in finding an amicable solution.

You can request a temporary adjustment to the terms of your lease:

an additional payment deadline for paying the rent, and/or utilities;
spreading the payment of your rent over several installments.

The landlord is free to accept or refuse the tenant's proposal, but if they accept, it is important to formalize your agreement in writing and have both parties sign it.

Good to know: if the situation is at a deadlock, you can call upon a justice conciliator. Their intervention is free of charge. You can also contact the CCAPEX (Commission for the Coordination of Prevention Actions against Rental Evictions), which can implement solutions to help you clear your debt or assist you in finding new housing if eviction is inevitable.

Apply for social assistance

Several organizations offer assistance that can be helpful if you have difficulty paying your rent:

The CAF :
- If you are not already a beneficiary: you can apply for housing assistance (APL - Personalized Housing Assistance, ALS - Social Housing Allowance, or ALF - Family Housing Allowance).
- If you already receive one of these allowances: you can still get in touch with your CAF (Family Allowance Fund), which can assist you in repaying unpaid rent and, under certain conditions, maintain your housing assistance.
- Furthermore, the amount of housing allowances may be revised following a change in circumstances (such as family or professional situations): be sure to inform the CAF as soon as possible of any changes that may lead to an increase in your allowances (birth, death, dismissal, etc.).
Action Logement : The organization offers free and confidential social support to help employees (or former employees) of a private company with at least 10 employees. This service can be requested for difficulties in paying rent, utilities, or repaying a mortgage on a primary residence and may take the form of a grant or an interest-free loan.

Note: If you are part of the agricultural system, you must contact the MSA (Agricultural Social Insurance) instead of the CAF to apply for housing assistance or request a revision of its amount.

We provide an overview of the various housing assistance options and the conditions for eligibility in our article.

Important: Do not hesitate to get in touch with a social worker, for example in the social services department of your town hall. They can inform you about any other financial assistance you may be entitled to and provide advice and support to help you overcome your difficulties.

Initiate an over-indebtedness procedure

In addition to your difficulties in paying your rent, do you have at least one other unpaid debt?

You can contact the individual over-indebtedness commission by submitting an over-indebtedness file to the Bank of France.

If your file is accepted:

the commission will help you postpone, stagger, or even in some cases, erase your debts;
actions against you will be suspended: for example, if you have an ongoing eviction procedure, it will be put on hold.

Good to know: To be able to submit an over-indebtedness file, several conditions must be met. You must be an individual (adult or emancipated minor), be in debt (unpaid or unpayable everyday expenses - such as energy bills, for example), and be "in good faith," meaning that you have found yourself in this situation involuntarily.

Prevent unpaid rent with Studapart

We are experts in medium and long-term rentals in France. Our ambition? To reinvent renting with a simplified online experience and a dedicated team that supports both tenants and landlords.

To secure your rental and reassure landlords, we help you strengthen your rental application by certifying your supporting documents and making you eligible for the Studapart Guarantee.

This guarantee protects against unpaid rent up to €96,000. This should reassure your future landlord!

Note: We also offer a comprehensive home insurance policy, with the certificate available for download online ;)

Discover the culture of better housing, dear to Studapart!