You have been offered an interesting one-month interim assignment in a company located 200 km from your home. Or a promising seasonal fixed-term contract? The challenge is then to during this period, quickly and without costing you an arm and a leg… A mission a priori difficult to be accommodated for just a few weeks or a few months, but nevertheless possible! Here are some tips to get there.
Finding temporary accommodation for the duration of an interim assignment, a short fixed-term contract, or a seasonal job: where to look?
Some companies sometimes offer their staff, particularly seasonal workers, temporary accommodation. But this is still quite rare. Most of the time, it’s up to you to seek and find. To do this, here are the avenues to explore.
Independent furnished rental
Obviously, it is the ideal solution to combine comfort and autonomy! To find it, several possibilities:
Short-term rental platforms: Airbnb, Abritel, and many others offer you apartments or equipped rooms, ready to welcome you from a few days to several weeks. But this solution can quickly turn out to be very expensive during the tourist season and/or if you need accommodation for more than a few days . Keep your eyes open! Some advertisements offer prices adapted to tenants who commit for a certain period (for example by offering a specific monthly rent, cheaper than by the day): therefore clearly indicate the period for which you are looking for accommodation, to know precisely the proposed price. And in low season, that is to say if the place is not touristy at the time when you need accommodation, you can try to politely negotiate the amount of the rent directly with the owners . You have nothing to lose by trying!
The classic channels of classified ads, real estate agencies and rental sites between individuals : generally, there are more long-term rental offers, but you can possibly find opportunities there.
Furnished rental: the different types of short-term rental contracts
Seasonal rental : its duration is set freely between you and the owner, as is the amount of the rent and the security deposit. You may also be asked for a deposit (but you cannot use the guarantee for this type of lease: we talk about it at the end of this article).
Mobility lease : a prior owner can choose to offer it to you if you are a student, trainee, employee or temporary worker, for a rental period of less than 10 months . Here too, the duration of the contract and the rent are set freely. On the other hand, the landlord cannot ask you to pay a security deposit. And if he requires you to have a bond, you can use the guarantee !
Good plan for temporary workers : in connection with the “SOS housing on the move” service of the FASTT (Social Action Fund for Temporary Work), your employment agency can help you find a rental more easily. Within 48 hours, FASTT housing advisors offer you several solutions selected according to your project.
Camping or hotel accommodation
This is often a good idea outside of the tourist season! Hotels or leisure facilities tend to lower their prices during this period , and be more accessible. Another advantage: having the impression of being on vacation, for example by staying for a few weeks in a mobile home, in the open air! Do not rely on the rates indicated on the websites of hotels and campsites: call them directly and explain your needs to them so that they may offer you a better rate . And compare it with their prices displayed by booking platforms, such as Tripadvisor or Booking.com. There can sometimes be major differences, downwards or upwards.
Homestay, shared or sublet
What if you simply shared accommodation with other people? On the program: savings and social ties! Convenient when you go to live for a while in a city where you don’t know anyone yet…
Specific websites exist to put you on the right track. For example Appartager which bring together tens of thousands of ads throughout France. An offer caught your eye? All you have to do is register, usually for free, to be able to communicate directly with your future roommates!
House-sitting: another (almost) free option!
The principle is simple: people who are away from home for the holidays, with their family, or for medical reasons, offer to lend their accommodation for certain periods in return for small services (watering the plants, taking care of their pet, maintaining their garden, etc.). Depending on the sites, you can apply for their babysitting request advertisements against annual membership fees of a few tens of euros, or calculated according to the length of your stay…
Residences for workers
Habitat Jeune’s accommodation welcomes young people aged 16 to 30, in training, employment or job seekers. You are accommodated in an individual apartment located in a collective residence for a month or more, against a moderate rent . A big boost for your budget!
The Action Lodgment housing access organization also offers solutions to mobile workers , whatever their age.
To find out more about the procedures for admission to residence, you can in particular be accompanied by a Local Mission or another type of social service.
Financial assistance for accommodation during your business trips
Large travel allowances
They may possibly be paid to you by the company in which you are going to carry out your temporary assignment or your fixed-term contract, but the law does not oblige it to do so .
These allowances aim to contribute to your accommodation and food costs, either in the form of a flat rate or on receipts.
Personalized housing assistance
Unfortunately, the APL is only paid if you rent accommodation as your main residence . In principle, you cannot benefit from it:
- If you already touch the APL for a main accommodation;
- If you have signed a seasonal rental contract (which, by definition, does not concern the main residence), if you are staying at a hotel or on a campsite.
On the other hand, you can claim it under conditions, if you have signed a Mobility Lease, a classic rental/shared rental contract, or a hosting/subletting agreement.
Aid for temporary workers on the move
The FASTT can grant you financial assistance of €300 per year to help finance your temporary accommodation costs (provided that you do not receive compensation for major travel).
And it can also allow you to benefit from preferential rates in its network of hotel partners.
Housing assistance for seasonal agricultural workers
It has been set up exceptionally since April 2020, and allows you to receive up to €150 per month for a maximum of 4 months (within the total limit of €600 per household) if you are recruited to carry out seasonal agriculture.
Also read : Types of work orientations