Apt. rental in Paris, asking for passport copies? Is this okay?
 

I'm inquiring about an apt. where they want passport copies to write the contract. Is this general practice. My first time renting, need some advice. Thanks.

Hi paris7,

I don't know if this is general practice, but I also have done it. I rented an apartment in Switzerland and they asked for a copy of my passport. This happened in November, and there hasn't been any unusual activity in any of my accounts.

The apartment owners didn't ask for a deposit, so I though this was a substitution.

s

Hi P,

It is not uncommon, and is lawful.

You are supposed to register with the local police, and the owner/agent needs the info to do this for you.

((I))

It would be the same as when registering in a hotel abroad - they take your passport and photocopy it and register your stay. So, when staying in an apartment or B&B they must do the same -again, it is the law.

Thanks so much for your replies--I feel much better and will send the copies off.

I would ask them for a copy of their passport too. Are they asking for this in addition to money?

An apt owner sent me copies of her passport and her husband's passport without my even asking.

fishee, this is not quite in accordance with the French reality. The French law is extremely strict on vacation rentals - the renter is bound to present passport copies, that's not a matter of feeling or not feeling like sending them; the landlord, on the other hand, is not bound to do anything like that (the law imposes other duties on him, such as - see above - register the tenant with the police)... generally, the French law tends to suspect vacation apartment tenants of being potential frauds, crooks, terrorists, whatever... kind of a paranoia not entirely unknown on the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean! That whole French law is about protecting the owner - so you, as the tenant, will always be treated as the potential security risk. Nevertheless, it's absolutely worth renting apartments in France, and above all in Paris - they're incomparably cheap, and very often very good value!