Mobility Lease: Complete Guide 2025

What is a mobility lease?

The mobility lease is a short-term furnished rental contract created by the ELAN law (Housing, Planning and Digital Evolution) of November 23, 2018. It allows renting a furnished property for 1 to 10 months maximum, with no renewal or tacit extension possible. This lease is specifically designed for people in temporary situations: professional training, higher education, internship, apprenticeship, temporary assignment, or professional transfer.

Unlike the standard 1-year furnished lease or 3-year unfurnished lease, the mobility lease has several particularities: short and fixed duration (no automatic renewal), no security deposit required, and strict eligibility conditions for tenants. The property must be furnished according to the legal list of 11 equipment categories.

Main characteristics of the mobility lease

The mobility lease is distinguished by unique characteristics that make it particularly suitable for temporary situations:

• Fixed short duration: from 1 month minimum to 10 months maximum, without renewal or tacit extension possibility. Duration is determined at signing and cannot be modified.
• No security deposit: law formally prohibits landlords from requesting a security deposit. This measure aims to facilitate housing access for mobile people, often facing financial constraints.
• Must be furnished: property must include all 11 equipment categories defined by decree No. 2015-981 (bedding, cooking plates, refrigerator, dishes, utensils, table, chairs, storage, lighting, window coverings, cleaning equipment).
• Restricted target audience: only people in professional mobility, training, higher education, internship, apprenticeship or professionalization contract situations can benefit from this lease.
• Simplified contract: mobility lease has a specific standard model, simpler than standard furnished lease, with mandatory mentions adapted to its short duration.

Tenant eligibility conditions

To sign a mobility lease, the tenant must be in one of the following situations and provide corresponding proof:

• Higher education: enrollment in higher education institution (university, school, technical degree, bachelor's, master's, doctorate). Proof: current year school certificate.
• Professional training: qualifying or diploma training lasting minimum one month. Proof: training enrollment certificate with start and end dates.
• Apprenticeship or professionalization contract: work-study contract within training framework. Proof: copy of apprenticeship or professionalization contract.
• Internship or professional placement: internship agreement with company or administration. Proof: signed internship agreement with precise dates.
• Temporary assignment or professional transfer: fixed-term contract, temp work, secondment, internal mobility. Proof: temporary employment contract, assignment letter, transfer order with defined duration.

Mobility lease suration: 1 to 10 months

The duration of a mobility lease is strictly regulated by law:

• Minimum duration: 1 month. No shorter duration is permitted for a mobility lease. For shorter stays (a few days or weeks), a seasonal or tourist rental must be used.
• Maximum duration: 10 months in total. This duration combines the initial lease and any extension. Beyond this, the contract can no longer benefit from mobility lease status.
• Extension possible only once: contrary to popular belief, a mobility lease can be extended once by an amendment signed by both parties, provided that the total duration (initial lease + extension) does not exceed 10 months. Example: 5-month lease extended by 3 months = 8 months in total (permitted). 8-month lease extended by 3 months = 11 months (prohibited).

Rent and charges in mobility lease

Rent and charges amount in mobility lease follows specific rules:

• Free rent: in principle, rent is freely set by landlord, except in areas subject to rent control (Paris, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, Montpellier, etc.). In these areas, base rent must respect ceilings set by decree, with possibility of supplement for exceptional characteristics.
• No revision during lease duration: given contract's short duration (maximum 10 months), rent cannot be revised to IRL during mobility lease execution. Amount set at signing remains identical until end.
• Flat-rate charges only: in mobility lease, rental charges must be paid as flat rate, paid simultaneously with rent. There is no annual regularization, unlike other lease types. The flat-rate amount must remain reasonable and proportionate to actual charges.

Landlord's obligations

The landlord of mobility lease property must comply with several legal obligations:

• Provide decent furnished housing: meeting decency criteria (minimum surface 9m² and 20m³, functional essential equipment) and including 11 mandatory equipment categories for furnished.
• Use specific mobility lease contract: decree No. 2018-1524 of December 18, 2018 requires mobility lease model distinct from standard furnished lease.
• Verify tenant eligibility: ensure candidate tenant meets mobility conditions and keep copy of proof (school certificate, temporary employment contract, internship agreement, etc.).
• Provide mandatory technical diagnostics: EPC, CREP (if before 1949), asbestos, gas and electricity (if > 15 years), ERP, Carrez (condominium), as for any furnished lease.
• Not require security deposit: strictly prohibited by law. Landlord can however subscribe unpaid rent insurance (GLI) for protection, or request guarantor.
• Provide detailed inventory: contradictory at entry and exit, with photos recommended given absence of security deposit to cover potential damages.

Tenant's obligations

The mobility lease tenant commits to respecting several obligations:

• Pay rent and charges: at deadlines specified in contract. Without security deposit, any non-payment can quickly lead to accelerated eviction procedure.
• Subscribe to home insurance: mandatory, covering at minimum rental risks (fire, water damage, explosion). Certificate must be provided at signing then annually.
• Maintain property and equipment: perform current small rental repairs and keep property in good condition throughout lease duration.
• Justify mobility situation: provide valid document proving mobility lease eligibility (school certificate, temporary employment contract, internship agreement, training certificate, etc.).
• Return property in good condition on scheduled date: respect lease end date set in contract. No extension possible except signing new lease.

Advantages of mobility lease

Mobility lease offers numerous advantages for both parties:

For the tenant

• No security deposit to advance: significant savings (equivalent to 2 months' rent), facilitating housing access for students and young mobile workers.
• Maximum flexibility: duration precisely adapted to training, internship or assignment period (1 to 10 months), without commitment beyond.
• Turnkey housing: fully furnished and equipped, allowing immediate installation without furniture investment.

For the landlord

• Controlled tenant rotation: lease ends automatically on scheduled date, without termination procedure nor possible tenant contestation.
• Legally secured rental: contract governed by law with clear conditions and defined target audience, reducing litigation risks.
• Optimized profitability: rents generally 10-20% higher than standard furnished leases, compensating absence of security deposit and more frequent rotation.

End of mobility lease and exit

Mobility lease ends automatically on expiry date scheduled in contract, without particular formality. Here are exit procedures:

• Natural lease end: on scheduled date, tenant must leave premises and return keys. No notice or notification necessary from landlord, since end date was known from signing.
• Early termination by tenant: possible with 1-month notice, anytime during lease duration. Notice runs from registered letter receipt with AR by landlord.

Target audiences for mobility lease

Mobility lease specifically targets five categories of people in temporary situations:

• Students: enrolled in higher education (university, school, technical degree, bachelor's, master's, doctorate). Particularly suitable for end-of-study internships, exchange semesters, academic gap years. Typical duration: 4 to 10 months.
• Apprentices and trainees: in apprenticeship or professionalization contract. Ideal for company periods away from school. Typical duration: 3 to 10 months per rotation.
• Interns: internship agreement with company, administration or association. Perfect solution for long-duration internships (6 months). Typical duration: 2 to 6 months.
• Temporary assignment employees: fixed-term contract, temp work, secondment, temporary expatriation. Suitable for consultants, temp workers, technicians on assignment. Typical duration: 1 to 10 months depending on assignment.
• People in professional training: qualifying training, retraining, VAE, diploma training. Adapted to intensive training requiring nearby accommodation. Typical duration: 1 to 10 months depending on training.

Mobility lease vs other lease types

Mobility lease positions between seasonal rental and standard furnished lease. Here's how it compares to other formulas:

• the 1-year furnished lease (longer, with 2-month security deposit, automatically renewable)
• the 3-year unfurnished lease (unfurnished property, long-term commitment, 1-month deposit)
• or the civil code lease (more flexible but reserved for specific cases)

👉 Check our complete comparison of different lease types to choose the most suitable formula for your situation and property.

Renting out a property requires a perfectly compliant lease agreement and reliable tenants. With MorningCroissant, benefit from comprehensive support: contract verified by our experts, creditworthy tenant applications, guaranteed rent payments, and 100% digital management. Get started now, it's free and with no commitment.

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Going Further

Mobility lease represents an innovative and flexible solution to meet growing professional and student mobility needs. Precise understanding allows optimizing its use and avoiding legal errors.