Rent control 2026: Which new cities are making the move for the start of the school year?

Preparing for the start of the university year is often stressful for students looking for housing, but it also raises questions for hosts who want to rent out their property properly. In this pivotal year, the French real estate landscape is undergoing major changes. With the expansion of rent control in 2026 to new urban areas, the rules of the game are changing for long-term rentals and shared housing. Far from being a hindrance, these regulations aim to balance the market and secure relationships between landlords and tenants.

At Roomlala, we know that understanding regulatory news is essential to give you peace of mind, whether you are a host offering a homestay or a student searching for the perfect shared housing for the start of the school year. This article explains in detail the impact of these measures on the student market and reminds you of the many advantages of the mobility lease in France.

Read also: Student housing Canada 2026: What is the impact of the new cap on room rentals?, Student housing shortage in Switzerland: Homestays, a vital solution for 2026 and 2026 Student accommodation EPC: Everything you need to know about the new rental regulations in Belgium

2026 Rent control: What is actually changing this year

The new rent control cities

Since the implementation of the Elan law, several large French metropolitan areas have been testing rent caps to combat soaring prices in tight markets. Until now, cities like Paris, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, and Grenoble have been at the forefront of this initiative. However, the big news this year is the integration of new municipalities. Indeed, new urban areas are applying rent control throughout 2026, joining the list of regulated zones.

Among these newcomers are key cities for the student market and professional mobility:

• Marseille: The city has taken the step to regulate a market increasingly under pressure.
• Annemasse: A border city with Switzerland, it is included due to local real estate inflation.
• Cergy: A major university hub in the Paris region, which is adopting this measure to protect its students.
• Grand-Orly Seine Bièvre: This vast area in the Paris region is harmonizing its rental rules.

For hosts in these sectors, it is now imperative to adapt to this new situation before signing any new lease for the start of the school year. At Roomlala, we strongly advise hosts located in these new zones to familiarize themselves with their municipality's official map starting today. For example, if you own an apartment in Cergy that you wish to rent to a student, you will no longer be able to set your rent price completely freely. Knowing your specific geographic sector has become the first essential step to offering a compliant and attractive listing.

How does the increased reference rent work?

The central mechanism of this legislation relies on what is called the "increased reference rent." This is a price ceiling per square meter that the host cannot legally exceed. This amount is not chosen at random: it is calculated based on several very strict criteria. The prefectural decree takes into account the specific geographic sector (often defined by neighborhood), the number of rooms in the housing, the year the building was constructed, and finally the type of rental, i.e., whether the property is rented unfurnished or furnished.

It is crucial to note that these reference rents are reassessed each year by prefectural decree. Consequently, a rent deemed compliant in 2025 might require an adjustment for leases signed during the 2026 school year. At Roomlala, we recommend that you systematically use the official simulators posted online by the prefectures or the government. These free tools allow you to check the exact amounts applicable to your situation and avoid any calculation errors when drafting your listing.

Let's take a concrete example to illustrate this mechanism. Imagine you are renting a furnished 15-square-meter room in a three-room apartment in Marseille, built before 1946. By using the official simulator of the Bouches-du-Rhône prefecture, you will discover the increased reference rent specific to your neighborhood. If this ceiling is set at 20 euros per square meter, the monthly rent excluding charges for this room cannot exceed 300 euros. Respecting this ceiling is the guarantee of a peaceful rental.

What impact for the 2026 school year shared housing?

Rules applicable to single and individual leases

Shared housing for the 2026 school year promises to be dynamic, but it is not exempt from the new rent control rules. The application of the law differs subtly depending on the type of contract chosen by the flatmates and the host. Rent control applies fully to shared housing with a single lease. In this scenario, the sum of the shares paid by all flatmates must not exceed the increased reference rent applicable to the entire property.

If you opt for individual leases, i.e., a separate contract for each room rented, the rule is similar but applies to each contract. The rent of each room, relative to its surface area (sometimes including a share of common areas depending on case law), must respect the legal ceiling. This long-term rental legislation aims to prevent the division of an apartment into several rooms from becoming a way to circumvent the overall rent cap.

To illustrate, if a host in Annemasse rents a three-bedroom apartment of 80 m² as shared housing with three individual leases, they cannot set the rent for each room at 600 euros if the overall increased reference rent for the apartment is 1200 euros. They will have to adjust the rents for each room so that their total does not exceed the authorized ceiling, under penalty of facing sanctions. At Roomlala, we make sure to inform our community so that every shared housing experience takes place in the strictest legality.

The rent supplement: Beware of abuse

There is an exception that allows exceeding the increased reference rent: the "rent supplement." However, the application of such a supplement is strictly regulated. It is exclusively reserved for housing with comfort or location characteristics that are objectively exceptional compared to similar properties in the same sector. The law is very clear on this point, and case law tends to be increasingly severe towards hosts who abuse it.

What is an exceptional characteristic? It could be a huge private terrace with no overlooking neighbors in the heart of the city, an unobstructed view of a historical monument (like Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseille), or rare luxury equipment. Conversely, a recently renovated kitchen, the presence of double glazing, or simple proximity to public transport do not in any way justify a rent supplement, as these elements are already taken into account in the basic calculation or considered standard living requirements.

Tenants, especially students, are increasingly informed of their rights. In case of contesting an abusive rent supplement, the tenant has a period to refer the matter to the departmental conciliation commission. If the excess is deemed unjustified, the host faces not only the cancellation of the supplement but also administrative sanctions and the obligation to refund the full amount overcharged to the tenant. Transparency is therefore your best ally.

The French mobility lease: The ideal solution for students and hosts

Why choose this contract for the start of the school year?

In this changing regulatory context, the French mobility lease stands out as an extremely flexible and secure option for both hosts and tenants. Created by the Elan law, this short-term furnished rental contract (ranging from 1 to 10 months, non-renewable) is specially designed for people in mobility situations. It is therefore perfectly suited for students, interns, or young professionals in training who are looking for housing for the academic year.

One of the major assets of the mobility lease is its administrative flexibility. Unlike a classic one-year furnished lease, the mobility lease prohibits the host from requiring a security deposit. To secure the host against risks of non-payment or damage, this contract relies entirely on the Visale guarantee, a free system funded by Action Logement. At Roomlala, we strongly encourage the use of this guarantee, which considerably simplifies access to housing for young people.

Concretely, if you host an Erasmus exchange student in Cergy for a semester, the 6-month mobility lease is the tailor-made solution. The tenant does not have to lock up a large sum for their security deposit, and the host benefits from solid, free coverage. It is a win-win contract that makes the student rental market more fluid, especially during the peak of the September start of the school year.

Mobility lease and rent capping: what you need to know

Although the mobility lease is perceived as a short-term contract, it is important to dispel a common misconception: it does not escape long-term rental legislation regarding pricing. Indeed, rent control applies in the same way to mobility leases located in tight markets subject to regulation. Renting for only a few months does not authorize you to set a rent higher than the increased reference rent of your municipality.

This measure offers direct protection to students for the start of the school year, who are often the most vulnerable to high prices in the real estate market. When a student signs a mobility lease in Marseille or in Grand-Orly Seine Bièvre in 2026, they are guaranteed that their rent respects the legal ceilings. For hosts, this implies being just as rigorous in setting the price as for a classic one-year furnished lease.

Let's take the case of a host in Lyon (a city already subject to rent control) who decides to switch from an Airbnb-type tourist rental to a 9-month mobility lease for a student. They must mandatory adjust their monthly rate to comply with the increased reference rent of their Lyon neighborhood. At Roomlala, we provide our hosts with resources to help them make this transition smoothly while maximizing their occupancy rate over the academic year.

Long-term rental legislation: Towards the end of the experiment?

The rent control as we know it today is the result of a legal experiment from the 2018 Elan law. Legally, this test phase is theoretically scheduled to end in November 2026. This deadline raises many questions among real estate players. Are we going to see the end of the system, or on the contrary, its permanent establishment in French law?

Currently, government consultations are underway to decide on the extension or the permanent establishment of this measure. The initial feedback from local rent observatories shows that the system has helped to slow down price increases in several large cities, although more efforts are needed regarding monitoring and the application of sanctions. The integration of new cities in 2026 is a strong signal suggesting that rent control could become a long-term fixture in the legislative landscape.

For hosts, this transition period may seem uncertain. However, anticipation is the key. By strictly respecting the current ceilings, you secure your rental income and protect yourself against potential disputes. In case of non-compliance with the ceiling, the host is exposed to heavy administrative sanctions:

• A fine of up to 5,000 euros for an individual.
• A fine of up to 15,000 euros for a legal entity.
• A strict obligation to refund the entire amount overcharged to the tenant.

At Roomlala, we are closely following the progress of these parliamentary discussions. Our goal is to provide you with reliable and up-to-date information so that you can rent your property with complete peace of mind. Whether the experiment ends, is extended, or is transformed into a definitive law, we will adapt our advice and tools to support you in managing your student rentals and shared housing.

Hosts and tenants: Roomlala support for a smooth start to the school year

The application of the 2026 rent control and the addition of new cities to the system can complicate rental procedures. However, these rules have the merit of clarifying the market and protecting all stakeholders. For a student, it is the assurance of finding a room or shared housing at a fair price. For the host, it is the guarantee of renting a property in full legality, establishing a climate of trust from the moment the lease is signed.

On the Roomlala platform, we make it a point of honor to facilitate your procedures. We regularly update our advice sheets to incorporate the latest developments in long-term rental legislation. When creating your listing, we invite you to check your reference rent if you are located in a tight market. In addition, our secure messaging system allows you to communicate with total transparency with your future tenants or flatmates to prepare for the 2026 school year.

Finally, do not forget that homestays remain one of the most friendly and economical solutions in the face of the student housing crisis. By combining the flexibility of the French mobility lease, compliance with local regulations, and the support of a trusted platform like ours, you put all the chances on your side to make your year a success. Join the Roomlala community and approach this new school year with serenity and security.