Rent controls 2026: Which new cities are taking the step in time for the new term?

Preparing for the start of the academic year is often stressful for students looking for housing, but it also raises questions for hosts eager to rent out their property according to the rules. In this pivotal year, the French real estate landscape is undergoing major new developments. With the extension of the 2026 rent control to new metropolitan areas, the rules of the game are changing for long-term rentals and shared housing. Far from being a hindrance, this regulation aims to balance the market and secure relations 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 looking for the ideal shared housing for the start of the academic year. This article explains in detail the impact of these measures on the student market and reminds you of the many advantages of the 'bail mobilité' (mobility lease) in France.

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

2026 Rent control: What is actually changing this year

New cities under rent control

Since the implementation of the Elan law, several large French cities have been experimenting with rent caps to combat the price surge in high-demand areas. Until now, cities like Paris, Lyon, Lille, Bordeaux, and Grenoble were the leaders of this system. However, the big news this year is the inclusion of new municipalities. Indeed, new metropolitan areas are applying rent control during 2026, thus joining the list of regulated zones.

Among these newcomers, we find key cities for the student market and professional mobility:

• Marseille: the city takes the step to regulate a market increasingly under pressure.
• Annemasse: a city bordering Switzerland, it is part of the group 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 Paris-region territory 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 the official map of their municipality 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. Knowledge of your precise geographical sector becomes the first essential step to offering a compliant and attractive listing.

How does the maximum reference rent work?

The central mechanism of this legislation relies on what is called the 'maximum reference rent'. It is a price cap per square metre that the host cannot legally exceed. This amount is not chosen at random: it is calculated according to several very strict criteria. The prefectural decree takes into account the precise geographical sector (often defined by neighbourhood), 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 empty or furnished.

It is crucial to note that these reference rents are re-evaluated each year by prefectural decree. Consequently, a rent deemed compliant in 2025 might require an adjustment for leases signed during the 2026 academic year. At Roomlala, we recommend that you systematically use the official simulators provided online by the prefectures or the government. These free tools allow you to verify 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 room of 15 square metres 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 maximum reference rent specific to your neighbourhood. If this cap is set at 20 euros per square metre, the rent excluding charges for this room cannot exceed 300 euros per month. Compliance with this cap is the guarantee of a peaceful rental.

What is the impact for shared housing in the 2026 academic year?

Rules applicable to single leases and individual leases

Shared housing for the 2026 academic year looks 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 the flatmates must not exceed the maximum 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 the scale of each contract. The rent for each room, calculated based on its surface area (sometimes including a share of the common areas according to jurisprudence), must respect the legal cap. This long-term rental legislation aims to prevent the division of an apartment into several rooms from becoming a way to circumvent the global rent cap.

To illustrate, if a host in Annemasse rents a 3-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 global maximum reference rent for the apartment is 1200 euros. They will have to adjust the rent of each room so that their total does not exceed the authorized cap, or risk being exposed to sanctions. At Roomlala, we take care to inform our community so that every shared housing experience takes place in the strictest legality.

Rent supplements: beware of abuse

There is an exception allowing one to exceed the maximum 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 jurisprudence tends to be increasingly severe regarding hosts who abuse it.

What is an exceptional characteristic? It could be a huge private terrace without being overlooked in the heart of the city, a stunning view of a historical monument (such as Notre-Dame de la Garde in Marseille), or rare luxury equipment. On the other hand, 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 for decent housing.

Tenants, especially students, are increasingly informed of their rights. In the event of a dispute over an abusive rent supplement, the tenant has a period of time to refer the matter to the departmental conciliation commission. If the excess is deemed unjustified, the host is exposed not only to the cancellation of the supplement but also to administrative sanctions and the obligation to reimburse the entirety of the overpayment to the tenant. Transparency is therefore your best ally.

The 'bail mobilité' (mobility lease) France: The ideal solution for students and hosts

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

In this shifting regulatory context, the 'bail mobilité' France asserts itself as an extremely flexible and secure option, both for hosts and tenants. Created by the Elan law, this short-term furnished rental contract (lasting from 1 to 10 months non-renewable) is specially designed for people in a situation of mobility. It is therefore perfectly suited to 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 standard one-year furnished lease, the mobility lease prohibits the host from demanding a security deposit. To secure the host against the 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 block a large sum for their security deposit, and the host benefits from solid and free coverage. It is a win-win contract that makes the student rental market more fluid, especially during the peak of the September start.

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 frequent misconception: it does not escape long-term rental legislation regarding price. Indeed, rent control applies in the same way to mobility leases located in high-demand areas subject to regulation. The fact that you are renting for only a few months does not authorize you to set a rent higher than the maximum 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 the Grand-Orly Seine Bièvre in 2026, they have the guarantee that their rent respects the legal caps. For hosts, this implies demonstrating the same rigour in setting the price as for a standard 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 will be required to adjust their monthly rate to comply with the maximum reference rent of their Lyon neighbourhood. At Roomlala, we provide our hosts with resources to help them make this transition peacefully while maximizing their occupancy rate over the academic year.

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

Rent control as we know it today is the result of a legal experiment resulting from the 2018 Elan law. Legally, this test phase is theoretically supposed to end in November 2026. This deadline raises many questions among real estate stakeholders. Will we see the end of the system, or on the contrary, its definitive establishment in French law?

Currently, government consultations are underway to decide on the extension or establishment of this measure. The first feedback from local rent observatories shows that the system has helped curb the rise in prices in several large cities, although efforts remain to be made regarding control and the application of sanctions. The integration of new cities in 2026 is a strong signal that suggests that rent control could become a lasting part of the legislative landscape.

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

• Fine of up to 5,000 euros for an individual.
• Fine of up to 15,000 euros for a legal entity.
• Strict obligation to reimburse the entirety of the overpayment to the tenant.

At Roomlala, we follow these parliamentary discussions very closely. 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 transformed into definitive law, we will adapt our advice and tools to support you in the management of your student rentals and shared housing.

Hosts and tenants: Roomlala's support for a peaceful start to the academic year

The application of the 2026 rent control and the arrival of new cities in 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, by establishing a climate of trust from the moment the lease is signed.

On the Roomlala platform, we make it a point of honour 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 in a high-demand area. In addition, our secure messaging allows you to exchange with complete transparency with your future tenants or flatmates to prepare for the start of the 2026 academic year.

Finally, do not forget that the 'homestay' rental remains one of the most friendly and economical solutions to the student housing crisis. By combining the flexibility of the mobility lease France, compliance with local regulations, and the support of a trusted platform like ours, you give yourself every chance to succeed in your year. Join the Roomlala community and approach this new school year with serenity and security.