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The loca-pass: what is it and how to benefit from it?
A move is an important moment in the life of a tenant: it is the beginning of a new life with new habits. If the steps are numerous, a good organization makes it possible not to get lost and to carry out this change.
What is the loca-pass?
If the move can be synonymous with a lot of expenses, from moving costs to the electricity contract through the supplies of the apartment, there are a number of financial aids that accompany the most modest tenants. Studapart presents here the Loca-Pass which is a financial device which helps to finance the security deposit during a new rental.
Action Logement brings together all the financial aid schemes for the most modest employees in order to help them in their search for housing. The loca-pass is one of the Action Logement schemes: it is a zero-rate loan that advances the tenant's security deposit, and thus reduces his direct expenses when moving in. The Loca-pass advance is the device that replaced the loca-pass guarantee which acted as guarantor for tenants who did not have one and who therefore could not access the rental. The Loca-pass guarantee was removed in 2019.
The Loca-pass advance is a financial aid that helps the most modest people to access the rental by advancing the cost of the security deposit. The security deposit is a relatively high sum that the tenant must pay to the lessor when signing the lease and which can be a hindrance for some tenants.
Studapart explains in this article how to benefit from this aid to facilitate your move!
What is the difference between the Loca-Pass guarantee and the Loca-Pass advance?
The Loca-pass guarantee
The Loca-pass guarantee was a financial assistance system also set up by Action Logement and which acted as guarantor for the most modest tenants. The guarantor of a tenant is an essential security for the lessor because he undertakes to pay the rent of the tenant in the event of non-payment. In some cases, households may have difficulty finding a guarantor. To deal with these difficulties of access to housing, the Loca-Pass guarantee acted as guarantor and allowed many tenant files to put together a complete file for a rental agency.
If this device no longer exists since 2019, it has in fact been replaced by another device which is the Visale Guarantee, also a device from Action Logement, and which fulfills the same mission.
The Loca-Pass advance
The Loca-Pass advance differs from the Loca-Pass guarantee. Indeed, this device does not act as a guarantor for tenants in difficulty, but advances the amount of the security deposit of its beneficiaries. The security deposit is a large sum paid to the lessor when signing the lease. This amount is generally the amount of rent and represents a barrier to access to housing for the most modest households.
The Loca-pass advance is a 0% loan which advances the tenant's security deposit, free of charge, and allows the tenant to pay this guarantee over 25 months if necessary. This financial assistance supports the most modest tenants in their move and avoids costly over-indebtedness. The loca-pass is reserved for people under 30, private sector employees or students.
Who can benefit from the Loca-Pass advance
To benefit from the Loca-Pass advance, there are a number of eligibility criteria. This aid is granted on the basis of certain criteria.
This assistance is reserved for 4 types of tenants:
- Employed or scholarship student
- Apprentice
- Private sector employee
- Jobseeker
The Loca-Pass request can only be granted for dwellings which are the principal residences of the tenants. The Loca-Pass will not be granted for office premises, for example. The main housing can be a furnished or unfurnished dwelling, or a collective structure.
The tenant must provide proof of a rental contract to request this social assistance, that is to say, bring a lease or an occupancy agreement. Thanks to this document, the tenant can file a Loca-pass file. Finally, the tenant's accommodation must be located on French territory, including in the overseas departments.
What is the amount of the Loca-Pass advance?
Loca-Pass social assistance is financial assistance in the form of a zero-interest loan that is repayable over a maximum period of 25 months.
The amount of the aid corresponds to the amount of the security deposit requested by the lessor. This amount most often corresponds to the amount of rent. However, the amount of the Loca-Pass is not unlimited. The maximum amount of this aid is 1,200 euros.
The repayment of this loan begins three months after the payment over a period defined by the duration of the lease, the maximum duration being 25 months.
Reimbursement is made monthly up to a minimum of 20 euros per month. This method allows beneficiaries to spread this expense over time and not be caught up in the expenses of a move. This is a tip that can be of great help in your organization for a new accommodation.
It is possible that the tenant leaves his housing before the end of the lease. If this is the case, the tenant will be obliged to repay the rest of his Loca-Pass loan within three months after leaving the accommodation.
How do I request a Loca-Pass?
In order to benefit from the Loca-Pass financial assistance, the tenant must carry out some administrative procedures. These steps are to be done online.
To begin with, the application must take the form of a simulation to determine the eligibility of the aid seeker. During this simulation, you will be asked to provide information on the accommodation in question, but also on the professional situation of the person making the request. This information is then used to determine whether or not the tenant can benefit from the Loca-Pass.
The simulation file is then sent directly to Action Logement, which processes the requests. Once accepted, the applicant will be asked for a number of supporting documents such as your identity card for example.
These administrative procedures must be completed within a specific period. Either up to three months before the start date of the lease, or up to two months after the start of the lease. Outside this period, the Loca-Pass request will be systematically refused.
Now you know everything about Loca-Pass! Do not hesitate to do your simulation on the Action Logement website in order to quickly find out if you can benefit from this support during your move. This aid is intended for people under the age of 30. It may not be too late to benefit from it yet.