Are there alternatives to a cheque for "caution" (deposit) when renting as a new arrival in France?

Question

I've been in France a few days now, and I'm looking to rent somewhere (hotels etc being a little expensive for the long term). Having spoken with a few agents, they all seem to want a Euro denominated cheque for the caution (deposit).

Now, the problem is that I don't have a French bank account, so I don't have a euro cheque book with which to write a caution cheque.

We've a good question on How to open bank account in France if I don't have address of residence yet, but sadly it doesn't have any simple answers on how to resolve the catch-22 that is opening a bank account without a permanent address, and without the chequebook to get one.

So, what I'm wondering is - are there any alternative ways of supplying the caution money other than a cheque, which is likely to be accepted? A cheque in another currency perhaps? (I have cheque books in GBP Sterling and USD Dollars for example). Euro bank transfer somewhere secure? Euro cash with appropriate receipts? Anything else?

Answer 1

I don't think that the cheque is important. I remember, as far as I can, always using cheques because it is the most common means of payment for large sums in France.

While using cash is a bit weird because the amount is large, I think a wire would be fine. The last time I started to rent an apartment I payed the first rent (along with the deposit) with a cheque and all the following rents with a wire.

Anyway most likely you will have to pay three things at the same time: the deposit, the first rent and the agency fee (if you go through an agency). That represents a lot of money and if you prove your payment, I think the agency will not have any problem (but ask them before as a wire takes time to be processed).