Finding a house without a Guarantor

Finding a place to live in France sounds simple when you say it out loud.

Until you actually start.

Very quickly, one question begins to follow you everywhere. Do you have a guarantor?

At first, it doesn’t seem like a big deal. Until you realise that without one, many doors don’t even begin to open. And in that moment, you understand something else. That finding a home here is not only about where you will live, but about whether you are considered secure, reliable, and acceptable within a system that does not yet fully know you.

When we first moved to France, both my partner and I were not working. But we had savings, enough to comfortably cover close to a year’s rent if needed. My partner is French. I am Kenyan. On paper, we were fine. In reality, it felt like we were constantly being evaluated for something we couldn’t quite see.

We visited more than a dozen houses. After a while, you begin to notice things that are not said out loud. A shift in tone. A pause that lingers just a bit too long. The kind of polite smile that already feels like a no. Sometimes we just knew, before even leaving the house, that this one wasn’t going to work. No one ever said anything directly, but we understood.

What struck me most was how different this felt compared to back home. In Kenya, landlords are often the ones looking for tenants. They call you, follow up, and sometimes even negotiate to make sure you take the house. In France, it is the opposite. You are the one applying. Waiting. Hoping. And sometimes, not hearing back at all.

Eventually, we found the place we now call home. Not because our file was perfect. Not because we suddenly had a guarantor. But because the landlord was kind. He listened. He trusted. He chose to see us beyond the documents. And that, more than anything, made the difference.

There is also something else you begin to notice along the way. Renting in France is not just about paperwork. It is also about how you present yourself, how you speak, how comfortable the interaction feels. If your French is not yet strong, you feel it. Not always in obvious ways, but in small moments. When you hesitate. When you search for words. When conversations move quickly and you feel slightly out of place.

Back home, things are often more direct. You meet someone. You talk. You build trust. Here, everything feels more structured, more formal, less about immediate connection and more about reassurance.

And then there is the part that is rarely said openly. Sometimes, it is also about race. Not loudly. Not directly. But quietly, in the background. You send applications and hear nothing back. You visit places and feel the energy shift. You realise that someone else, with a similar profile, was chosen instead.

It is subtle. But over time, you begin to recognise it. And if you are Black, you feel it a little more.

At some point, you stop trying to explain every outcome. You stop asking whether it was your documents, your French, or something you said. You begin to understand that it is not always one thing. It is a mix of systems, expectations, and sometimes, perception.

What helps is not one big solution, but small, steady steps. Having your documents ready. Showing clearly that you are financially stable. Being open to temporary housing at the beginning. Applying again, even after rejection. And above all, patience.

Because eventually, something shifts. Someone says yes. A door opens.

And when it does, that space, no matter how small, feels different. Not just like a house, but like the place where your life here truly begins.

Your Dossier should comprise atleast the following:

Proof of identity (passport, or residence permit)
Proof of income (last 3 payslips or employment contract)
Latest tax assessment (avis d’imposition)
Proof of address (rent receipts or attestation d’hébergement)
Bank details (RIB)
Guarantor documents (ID, proof of income, tax assessment, proof of address)
Additional supporting documents (student card, visa, or work permit if applicable)