Visale, Garantme, and Rent-Guarantee Services: How Students Without a Local Guarantor Can Still Rent
By Muntasir • Published Jan 29, 2024 • Updated Aug 08, 2026 • Study Abroad, Study in Europe, Student Housing, Visas & Student Mobility
Visale is a free guarantee backed by Action Logement that replaces a personal guarantor for eligible tenants in France. Garantme is a paid alternative, from around 270 euros a year for one tenant, that works as insurance rather than a state scheme.
📩 Visale costs nothing for the tenant, funded by Action Logement, not by you
💶 Garantme charges a yearly fee based on your rent, from around 270 euros a year for a single tenant, paid at lease signing
Both replace the local guarantor (garant) many French landlords ask international students for
Confirm current eligibility on the official Visale site before you rely on it, since age and income conditions apply
Not every landlord accepts Visale or a private guarantee service. Ask before you sign
Why students need a guarantor substitute
Landlords across Europe, and especially in France, often ask for a guarantor (garant) who earns several times the monthly rent and lives locally, to cover the rent if you fall behind. International students rarely have a parent or relative who qualifies, which is why guarantee services exist as a paid or free substitute.
Visale: free, backed by Action Logement
Visale is a rent guarantee scheme run by Action Logement , the French organization that manages employer-funded housing support. It replaces a personal guarantor for eligible tenants and covers unpaid rent to the landlord if you fall behind, at no cost to you as the tenant. Eligibility rules on age, income, housing type, and student status change over time, so confirm your specific situation on the official Visale platform before you count on it and before you tell a landlord you have it.
Not every landlord accepts Visale, even though it costs them nothing to use. Ask directly during your room search rather than assuming every private landlord in France takes it.
Garantme: a paid insurance alternative
Garantme works differently. It is an insurance broker certified by ORIAS that sells a rent-guarantee product to landlords and charges the tenant a fee instead of running a free public scheme. Pricing depends on your monthly rent including charges and the number of tenants on the lease, with a published example of around 270 euros a year for a single tenant. You pay only once your lease is signed, not before, and the guarantee needs renewing every year unless your landlord releases you from the requirement. Garantme lists partner agencies across around 150 French cities, according to Garantme .
Because it works as insurance rather than a state program, more landlords and agencies recognize Garantme by default, useful if a landlord already rejected Visale or does not know what it is.
Visale vs Garantme at a glance
| Visale | Garantme | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to tenant | Free | From around 270 euros a year for one tenant |
| Run by | Action Logement | ORIAS-certified insurance broker |
| Landlord acceptance | Not guaranteed, ask first | Wide, especially through partner agencies |
| Payment timing | No payment required | Due at lease signing |
| Renewal | Check current terms on the official site | Annual, unless your landlord releases you |
Other guarantee services
Several other paid guarantor-insurance services operate alongside Garantme in the French market. Compare the annual fee, which cities and agencies accept the service, and whether payment falls due before or after your lease is signed, since terms differ between providers and change over time. Ask your university's international office which services local landlords in your city already recognize, since acceptance varies more by region than by the provider's size.
What about guarantors outside France
Not every European rental market runs on the same guarantor system. Many landlords in Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain rely mainly on a larger deposit or proof of income instead of a named guarantor, so a scheme like Visale has no direct equivalent there. If a landlord outside France asks for a guarantor you cannot provide, ask whether a higher deposit, a bank guarantee, or proof of a scholarship covering the full rent term replaces it.
How to apply
Gather your enrollment certificate, ID or passport, and proof of income or a scholarship letter.
Apply to Visale first, since it costs nothing, and check the result before you pay for a paid alternative.
If Visale does not apply to your situation or your landlord will not accept it, compare paid options like Garantme on price and landlord acceptance in your city.
Get your guarantee certificate before you sign your lease, and hand it to your landlord alongside your rental file.
Documents these services usually ask for
A valid ID or passport, plus your student visa or residence permit if you hold one.
Your university enrollment certificate for the current academic year.
Proof of income, a scholarship letter, or proof that a parent or sponsor covers your costs.
Your bank details, since a guarantee service pays the landlord directly if a claim arises rather than paying you.
Common misconceptions
A rent guarantee is not a housing benefit and does not lower your actual rent. It replaces the personal guarantor a landlord asks for and steps in only if you miss a payment, so you still owe the rent every month regardless of whether Visale or Garantme backs your file. Getting approved for a guarantee does not force a landlord to accept you either, since they still choose their tenant based on your full application. Apply for a guarantee before you start viewing rooms, so you have the certificate ready the moment you find a place, rather than losing a room to another applicant while your guarantee is still processing.
Timeline: how long it takes
Processing time for a guarantee varies by service and by season, and gets slower right before the academic year starts when demand peaks across the whole rental market. Apply as early as your target move-in date allows, ideally as soon as you accept a university offer, rather than waiting until you find a specific room. Having your certificate ready before you start viewing puts you ahead of other applicants competing for the same listing, since a landlord picks a tenant who can move forward immediately over one still waiting on paperwork.
Keep a digital copy of your guarantee certificate alongside your rental file, and renew it before it expires if your lease runs longer than the guarantee's coverage period. A lapsed guarantee gives your landlord grounds to ask for a personal guarantor again partway through your tenancy, which defeats the reason you applied in the first place.