Housing aid in flatshare: what you need to know

The APL (Personalized Housing Assistance) is a housing allowance, or in other words, a financial aid granted by the State through the CAF (Family Allocation Fund). It is intended to help households pay the rent of their primary residence. To benefit from it you must live in an approved accommodation, i.e. one which is the subject of a contract between the owner and the State, for at least 8 months per year. You can make an application for help from the CAF, whether your landlord is public or private, even if you are renting in a student residence.

The amount of this aid is calculated according to the price of your rent, the composition of your household, your personal situation and your income. It is capped and covers a part of your rent, with the remainder being at your expense.

If you choose to live in flatshare, you can also receive the APL. We explain everything in this article.

What Housing Aids Can You Receive in a Flatshare?

There are three types of housing allowances:

• APL (Personalized Housing Aid) which is paid to people occupying dwellings contracted by the State and based on a financing criterion of the rent.
• ALF (Family Housing Allowance) depends on the family situation of the household.
• ALS (Social Housing Allowance) is paid in all other cases.

APL

The APL is the most commonly granted financial aid to tenants or subtenants, without age condition, many French households benefit from it every month. It is conditioned by your personal situation and that of your accommodation.

ALF

ALF is granted:

• to tenants or subtenants receiving family benefits or aids for the education of a disabled child
• to people with a dependent (maximum 21 years old) and not receiving any aid
• to married couples without children
• to pregnant women alone and without dependents
• to people having a dependent over 65 years old
• to people having a disabled family member and unable to work as dependent.

ALS

ALS is paid to tenants or subtenants (under 30 years old) who cannot benefit from APL or ALF. It is granted subject to a resource condition and varies according to the composition of the household and its location.

If you live in a flatshare, you can apply for these aids just like any other single tenant.

How to Get CAF Housing Aid When Living in a Flatshare?

If you live in a flatshare, you are entitled to apply for aid with the CAF. You could benefit from it if both you and your accommodation meet certain conditions. To do this, your name must be on the lease of your accommodation and you must make an individual request to the CAF, detailing your situation so that your rights can be calculated correctly.

You can make a simulation and request your housing aid directly online on the CAF website.

Who Gets Housing Aid in a Flatshare?

Everyone can benefit from housing aid, even if they live in a flatshare, as long as the housing is approved by the state and you can provide a rental agreement in your name or with you on it. The awarding of aid depends on your personal situation and that of your housing.

To find out if you can be a beneficiary, just simulate a request on the CAF website giving details of your situation. Depending on the result, you will be able to make the request online.

Find out all flatshares available

Start searching

How to Apply for Housing Aid as a Roommate?

Go to the CAF website to create a beneficiary account and access the processes to apply for your housing aid online.

Before making your request online, make sure you have all the necessary documents such as:

• your salary slips,
• your rent receipts,
• your lease agreement,
• your bank details,
• your ID card,
• etc.

You can then do a simulation to see if you are eligible for any aid and to know the amount if eligible. After the simulation, if the result is favorable, you can access the request and fill it out before submitting it. After its study by the CAF services, you will be informed of your rights.

Housing subsidies can either be paid into your account or directly to your landlord's account and deducted from your rent, depending on the area you live in and the arrangement you have with your landlord or agency.

How to Declare as Flatshare to the CAF?

After simulating your housing aid request and finding out that you are eligible to receive it, you will need to fill out the request form. Follow the instructions carefully and when declaring the situation of your household, check the "flatshare" box.

Afterwards, to complete your request, you will need to declare all your income:

• Salaries
• Unemployment benefits
• Alimony
• Non-salaried income
• etc.
•  

Also declare the resources of your roommates. Once your request is submitted, CAF will review your request and supporting documents to calculate the amount of your benefits.

The amount of your housing allowance will be lower in a flatshare. Indeed, CAF considers that more expenses are shared and assumed by all roommates, unlike a single person. Here is a summary table:

Source: Impact study of Law No. 2022-1158 of August 16, 2022, case studies in Zone II (urban zones outside Paris and its suburbs)