Do you live alone in a house and are you looking for a solution to break your isolation? Do you need someone to help you out on a daily basis? Do you want to supplement your low income? Sharing your house with a student may be the solution for you! What is called solidarity intergenerational cohabitation, or simply traditional colocation, can allow you to make such a project a reality.
If you own or rent your house and you are 60 or over, you have the option of sharing your accommodation with a young person under 30 who may be a student or apprentice.
A good way for you to break with isolation if you live alone, to be reassured by a presence, but also a very interesting accommodation solution for students who often find it difficult, especially in large cities, to find affordable housing. Sharing your home with a student is also a great way to strengthen ties between seniors and the new generation.
This type of cohabitation, called “solidarity intergenerational cohabitation”, meets certain rules and conditions. Sharing your home with a student in this way can take two forms. You can indeed decide to make part of your accommodation available to a student for free or against the payment of a modest sum.
In the case of sharing your house with a student free of charge, in return, the young person undertakes to provide you with small services (but in no case should he replace the services of a home helper) and/or be present according to your needs, for example be present at least one night a week in your home, or even during dinners or lunches on certain days. In this case, the student does not participate financially in the rental charges either.
Solidarity intergenerational cohabitation can also take the form of subletting part of your house in return for a modest financial contribution from a student, which allows you to receive a small sum of money for supplement your income a little.
Sharing your house with a student who provides you with small services or pays you a small financial contribution in return for your accommodation requires the establishment of what is called a solidarity intergenerational cohabitation contract.
The latter allows you freely, and in agreement with the student you are hosting, to define the terms of this cohabitation. An important step because it allows you to write in black on white the commitments of each of the parties, and essential if the cohabitation goes badly after a while.
The solidarity intergenerational cohabitation contract must also mention the duration of this common life and the compensation, financial or otherwise, that you ask the student to share your house with him. These two elements are freely defined between you and the student.
It is possible for you or for the student to end the solidarity intergenerational cohabitation contract at any time, provided that a deadline of one month is respected.
Note:sharing your house with a student in the form of intergenerational cohabitation allows you, if you meet the conditions for allocation, to receive housing assistance such as personalized housing assistance (APL) or the Allowance social housing (ALS). In the same way, the student who occupies part of your accommodation can also benefit from housing aid if he meets the criteria to receive it.
On the other hand, be aware that if you are the tenant of your accommodation, you must inform your landlord that you are going to share your house with a student but, in the case of intergenerational cohabitation, the latter cannot oppose it. .
Finally, if the idea of welcoming a student into your home as part of a supportive intergenerational cohabitation appeals to you, you can be helped in the search for a young person by associations which are specialized in connecting seniors. willing to share their house and young people looking for accommodation. These associations can even follow you and help you throughout this cohabitation.
The traditional roommate can also be a way to share your home with a student, especially for seniors who are not homeowners. In this case, it is necessary to sign a rental contract in due form with the young person.
Colocation allows you, like solidarity intergenerational cohabitation, not to be alone in your house and to benefit from company.
On the other hand, the student who lives with you is not required to render you small services, but he shares the rent with you. This is why intergenerational shared accommodation is financially attractive for an elderly person with modest income, but also for a student who does not have enough means.
In addition, shared accommodation also allows a senior to stay in his home that has become too big for him by taking advantage of the sharing of rent and housing charges.
Namely:shared accommodation, which is very widespread today in private accommodation, is now made easier and accessible to everyone, also in social housing.
