Student in a temporary home with few appliances
If you know when you’ll be leaving and don’t want to transport or resell large appliances, it’s worth considering renting only the items you’re missing. Check the property inventory first.
Which option is right for you?
Student planning to keep their appliances
If you can use them in your next home or sell them on, compare buying with renting for the full length of your stay. Also plan how you’ll transport them or arrange collection when you leave.
Student happy to consider second-hand
A second-hand or refurbished appliance could be worth considering if its condition and delivery suit your home. If you buy from a business in France, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity also applies to second-hand and refurbished goods, according to the Ministry of the Economy.
What should you compare?
First decide which appliances you need, then compare the three ways of getting them over the actual length of your stay.
Long-term rental
Worth considering: if you know when you’ll no longer need the appliance and the contract lets you return it when you leave. The National Institute for Consumers, together with the Banque de France, gives the example of a student moving away to study.
The trade-off: you won’t own the appliance. Check the commitment period, which repairs are covered and the return conditions.
Buying new
Worth considering: if you plan to use the appliance in your next home and can arrange to move it.
The trade-off: you’ll need to arrange installation and decide what to do with it if your plans change.
Buying second-hand or refurbished
Worth considering: if an appliance with a clearly described condition meets your needs and you can manage what happens to it when you no longer need it.
The trade-off: check the seller and the actual appliance on offer, as well as the delivery and installation arrangements.
| Factor | What to check | My needs |
|---|---|---|
| Appliances already provided | Check the inventory and inspect the appliances when you move in. In France, Decree No. 2015-981, published on Légifrance, states that furnished rental properties must include, among other things, a hob, an oven or microwave, and a fridge with a freezer or compartment capable of reaching at least −6 °C. | I’d rather make up any shortfall in the property’s appliances than bring in an appliance that’s already there. |
| Contract length | Make sure the contract ends around the time you’re likely to leave, and check the early termination and return conditions. BUT offers 36-, 48- or 60-month contracts for household appliances, so compare the term with the length of your stay. | If my placement or tenancy could end early, I need to understand the consequences of leaving before the contract ends. |
| Total cost | For a rental, add up any initial payment, the rental payments and any services or fees set out in the contract until the appliance is returned. For a purchase, factor in delivery, installation and what you’ll do with it when you leave. | A monthly payment I can afford doesn’t tell me how much I’ll spend over my whole stay. |
| Installation and breakdowns | Check who handles delivery, connection, repairs, disconnection and collection, and distinguish included services from optional extras. Boulanger Location advertises delivery, collection and after-sales service for the offers shown; check these details in the contract you choose. | For a large appliance, I want to know who’ll deal with a breakdown and who’ll remove it when I leave. |
| Condition and seller | Check the condition of the appliance on offer and the seller’s status. According to the Ministry of the Economy, a refurbished product has undergone full functionality tests and, where necessary, repairs before resale. | If I buy second-hand, I want to know the condition of that specific appliance, not just the features of the new model. |
What pitfalls should you avoid?
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Renting an appliance that’s already provided
In France, furnished rental properties must include certain cooking and refrigeration equipment under Decree No. 2015-981, published on Légifrance. An extra appliance could also take up space you need.
Ask for the inventory and check what’s already there before placing an order.
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Comparing one rental payment with the purchase price
The initial payment, rental payments over the full term and the terms for ending the contract can all affect the comparison.
Work out the cost up to your likely departure date, and read the termination and return clauses before you sign.
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Assuming all second-hand appliances are refurbished
According to the Ministry of the Economy, a product can only be described as refurbished if it has undergone full functionality tests and, where necessary, repairs. In France, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies to a second-hand or refurbished item sold by a business, but not to a private sale.
Check the seller’s status, the condition described and the terms that apply to the appliance you choose.
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Signing up for longer than your stay
A contract that runs beyond your planned departure date could mean early termination charges or make returning the appliance more difficult.
Compare the minimum contract length with your tenancy, studies or placement, then check the exit terms.
Which retailers should you know?
Boulanger Location
A rental service for household equipment, including appliances.
- Boulanger Location says delivery, collection and after-sales service are included in the offers shown on its website.
- Check the services and contract length for the appliance you choose.
BUT Location longue durée
A long-term rental offer that includes eligible household appliances.
- BUT offers 36-, 48- or 60-month terms for household appliances.
- Compare the term with the length of your stay and check the contract conditions before committing.
Underdog
A seller of refurbished large appliances, including washing machines and fridges.
- Underdog advertises express delivery and a two-year warranty on its website.
- Check the condition and dimensions of the appliance, as well as the delivery terms.
Envie
A network of shops selling refurbished large and small appliances.
- Envie says it repairs, cleans and tests the appliances it sells.
- Check what’s available and ask the relevant shop about collection or delivery.
Appliances to buy on Joybuy
These microwaves and fridges are available to buy if you need to add appliances to your student home. Check the inventory first: these products aren’t part of the rental options discussed in the comparison above.
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Samsung MS23K3513, 23 L microwave
Worth considering if your home doesn’t have a microwave. Check the available space and which appliances are already provided before buying.
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COMFEE CM-E202CC(BK), 20 L, 700 W microwave
An option to buy if your home doesn’t have a microwave. This model has 6 pre-set menus and 11 power levels; check that you have enough space to install it.
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Cecotec, 20 L, 700 W freestanding microwave
Consider buying this microwave if your home doesn’t have one. It has 6 power levels; check its dimensions, the ventilation space required and that the power supply is compatible before installation.
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CHiQ JR92DSE, 92 L fridge with freezer compartment
Worth comparing if you need to add a fridge to your home. Check its overall dimensions and the temperature of its freezer compartment: having one doesn’t confirm that it meets the minimum of −6 °C required for a furnished rental in France under Decree No. 2015-981.
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Sonlu CS-100L, 82 L fridge
An option to buy if you need more chilled storage, provided you check the dimensions first. This model doesn’t have a freezer compartment, so on its own it doesn’t meet the minimum refrigeration requirements for a furnished rental in France set out in Decree No. 2015-981.
Frequently asked questions
Which appliances should you check before equipping a student home?
Check the inventory and the appliances provided when you move in. In France, Decree No. 2015-981, published on Légifrance, requires furnished rentals to include, among other things, a hob, an oven or microwave, and a fridge with a freezer or compartment capable of reaching at least −6 °C. A washing machine isn’t on this list.
How should you compare long-term rental with buying?
Compare the costs and obligations up to your likely departure date, not just one month’s rent and the purchase price. For a rental, include all the payments due and the terms for ending the contract; for a purchase, factor in delivery, installation and what you’ll do with the appliance when you leave.
What should you ask the rental company about breakdowns?
Ask which repairs and call-outs are covered, who to contact, and what the contract says about installation and returns. Also check what condition the appliance must be in when you return it.
Does a second-hand or refurbished appliance come with a statutory guarantee in France?
Yes. According to the Ministry of the Economy, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies when a consumer buys a second-hand or refurbished appliance from a business. It doesn’t apply to private sales, so check the seller’s status before you buy.
What should you check if you’re buying a new washing machine to keep?
Check the model’s durability index when you buy it. According to Service Public Entreprendre, this index replaces the repairability index for household washing machines and takes account of factors including repairability, reliability, robustness and ease of maintenance.