Housing assistance: when to apply?

Find your accommodation with Studapart

Discover all ads

If you are the tenant of your home, or are about to become one, you may be entitled to personalized housing assistance (APL), or even a similar allowance such as ALS, depending on your family situation and your income. or the ALS. To find out, the easiest way is to apply. We explain where and when to apply for housing assistance.

When should you apply for housing assistance?

It is recommended that you apply for housing assistance as soon as you have signed your rental lease. The tenant is indeed eligible for the APL from the first month following the move in (if he meets all the criteria, of course). The sooner you do it, the less you are exposed to a deferral of benefits due to late reporting.

The first payment of the APL is made on the 25th of the month following the development. For example, if the tenant moves in during September, the first payment will be received on October 25. The tenant can benefit from it or choose to pay it directly to the owner of his accommodation. In this case, the sum will be deducted from the amount of the rent.

For the ALF (family housing allowance) or the ALS (social housing allowance), it takes ten more days (the 5th of the month M+2). This allowance is paid directly into the tenant's account (unless a specific request is made to be paid to the lessor).

APL request: what are the steps?

To apply for an APL, you must contact the CAF or the MSA depending on the organization on which you depend. The request is now made electronically (there is no longer a paper form). Just go to the CAF or MSA website.

You can make this request even if you are not yet registered with the CAF (or the MSA). A beneficiary number will be automatically assigned to you upon receipt of your request. If you do not have an internet connection, you can go directly to a CAF (or MSA) reception point where terminals are available to the public.

Did you know ? The online APL application is only for tenants of their accommodation. Owners can benefit from housing aid, but they must apply directly to the CAF or the MSA.

How to complete the CAF form online?

Before filling out an APL application on the CAF website, you must have a certain number of documents.

What information will CAF (or MSA) ask you for?

• Your beneficiary number
• A RIB (Bank Identity Statement)
• Rent lease
• Your income received during the last 12 months
• Your tax notices
• The amount of household assets (bank books, etc.)
• The Siret number of the lessor if it is an agency or organization

To complete the aid request form on the CAF website, go to www.caf.fr

• select “My online services” then “Make a service request”
• in the Housing Assistance box, click the “Make the request” button

You can choose “Simulate” if you just want to know how much you can claim. The amount given at the end will be close to reality but not quite exact.

You can start typing and come back to finish it later. The form saves each of your data.

You need to fill in some information, starting with:

• the postal code of the accommodation for which you are applying

You will then specify

• if you pay rent or repay a mortgage
• the date of entry into your accommodation
• whether you live as a couple (married, PACS, free union) or not
• whether you are a student or not
• whether you are still fiscally attached to your parents or not

The next page asks for some clarification:

• If you are a tenant or sub-tenant
• If you are staying in a university residence (for students)

You must then accept the terms of use.

Then enter

• your email address (the one with which CAF can contact you)

The next page asks for your marital status information

• Last name, first name, sex, date and place of birth, nationality, etc.
• Social Security number

You then fill in your personal situation:

• Are you single or in a couple?
• Number of dependent children
• Professional situation (employee, job seeker, etc.)

Finally, you will communicate your RIB so that the CAF can pay you the allowances to which you are entitled, both in terms of housing and any other aid (activity bonus, etc.)

You will then have to answer the other questions on the form:

• Name or company name of the lessor (owner, agency, HLM office, etc.). This information must appear on the rental contract.
• Accommodation address,
• Type of accommodation (T1, T2, etc.) and area in m2,
• Rent excluding charges
• Income for the last twelve months

Once you have completed and validated your entry, the information will be sent to CAF. The study of the file takes a few days. You will receive a notification by email indicating the opening of your rights to the APL.