The ultimate guide to setting-up utilities in France

Learn about setting up utilities and services in France, including internet, electricity, gas and water.

Yordan

7 minute read

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Updated on 18 Dec 2024

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Renting

Are you about to make the big move to France? One of the first things you’ll likely need to do before you get the keys to your new house is setting up utilities. If you don’t know where to begin, don’t worry because we've got you covered!

This guide will give you all the information you need to know about:

• The average monthly expenses for utilities in France
• Whether or not the expenses for utilities are included in the rent
• How to set up utilities in France

The typical utility bills you can expect to pay in France are for water, electricity, gas, and internet.

Based on our research, this is what the average French household pays per month for utilities:

Considering the current trend of increasing utility prices across Europe, it’s recommended that you rent accommodation that already has utilities included in the rent. On HousingAnywhere, you can filter through available listings by clicking on ‘Bills included’. Find houses for rent in (city name).

If you’re setting up utilities yourself, opt to sign a fixed rate contract with your preferred provider to avoid sudden increases. But you shouldn’t worry if you’re not able to do that – the French government announced that, starting in January 2023, it’ll subsidize energy companies and cap the year-on-year growth of utility prices to 15%.

If you’re renting in France, the utility expenses are either included or excluded from your monthly rent, depending on the type of landlord you’re dealing with.

When are the utility expenses included in the monthly rent amount?

Typically, the utilities are included in the monthly rent when renting from a property management company.

However, the fact that the utilities are included in the rent doesn't mean that you can, for example, use the heating excessively. Instead, you have to be mindful of your usage or you’ll have to pay extra for the additional costs.

Always make sure to clarify what the acceptable usage is when signing a rental contract inclusive of the utility costs to avoid issues with your landlord.

When are the utility expenses excluded from the monthly rent amount?

In most cases, the expenses for utilities are excluded from the monthly rent if you’re renting from a private landlord.

In many instances, the landlord keeps the contract in their name and shares the bills with you. However, some landlords prefer that you take ownership of the utility contracts. If the landlord wants you to take over the utility contracts, continue reading to find out how to set up utilities in France.

To set up electricity in France, you’ll first need to pick a suitable supplier.

Although EDF serves 75% of French homes, you can choose from the following electricity suppliers in France:

• Engie
• Alterna
• Cdiscount Energie
• TotalEnergies
• Planète Oui

To decide between the different suppliers, compare the offerings of each of the electricity suppliers that operate in your neighbourhood.

As of 2022, the only company that offers English-speaking customer service is EDF.

What’s the process for setting up an electricity contract in France?

The process for setting up an electricity contract is fairly simple:

1. Choose your preferred electricity supplier
2. Provide them with all the necessary information (Name/ contact details/ address/ French bank account number)
3. Share the name of the previous occupant

It’s best to open an electricity account in your name about 2 weeks before you move in to ensure no interruptions to service.

Electricity bills in France

Electricity bills are typically mailed every 2 months and are based on the historical consumption of your property. You should expect your annual electricity bill in France to be approximately €1,000.

The actual consumption is verified twice a year, following which the monthly bills are going to be adjusted accordingly.

Although it’s rare that you have set up a water contract when moving to your rental property, it’s recommended that you’re aware of the process.

Since the water supply is managed on a regional level, you won’t have the chance to select your water provider. But you still need to know who the water provider is in your neighbourhood so that you can set up a water contract.

The largest providers of water in France are:

• Veolia
• Suez Environnement (formerly Lyonnaise des Eaux)
• Saur Group

You can check the water provider in the area by checking in with the local town hall or with your landlord.

The process for setting up a water contract is fairly simple:

1. Provide the company with all the necessary information (Name/ contact details/ address/ bank account number)
2. Share the name of the previous occupant

Water bills in France

Water bills in France are typically sent out once a year and are based on the historical usage of the property.

The water meters are read at least once per year by a representative of your provider to ensure you’re not paying too much or too little.

If you’ll be settling into one of the bigger cities in France, then you’ll have to set up an account with one of the companies that supply gas across the properties in your area.

Some of the best French gas suppliers include::

• Engie/GDF
• ekWateur
• Planète Oui
• EDF
• Selectra
• Alterna

Make sure to compare the offerings of each of the gas suppliers in France to make sure you get the best deal.

Once you’ve selected your preferred gas supplier, you’ll have to:

1. Provide them with your contact information
2. Share your personal information (including your bank account number)
3. Share the name of the previous tenant

Gas bills in France

Gas bills, like the ones for electricity, are calculated on the basis of historical consumption and are typically given out every 2 months.

Your natural gas bill will include 2 sorts of charges:

• a fixed subscription charge (prix de l'abonnement) of €32.41
• an energy consumption charge of around €0.099 per kWh

When renting, it’s common that the property will have an internet connection that is included in your monthly rent. However, if there is no existing internet connection, you’ll have to sort it out yourself.

ADSL (landline-based) and fiber-optic are the 2 primary options for internet access in France and their availability varies depending on the area you live in.

Setting up a fiber-optic connection is the easier option and barely requires any effort beyond selecting your provider and signing a contract.

Setting up an ADSL connection, on the other hand, will require some effort.

How to set up an ADSL connection in France?

You’ll first have to determine whether or not you’ll need to set up a landline connection. If you need a new landline connection, you’ll have to pay a line activation charge and wait anywhere between 28 and 60 days for the provider to do it for you.

Since the landline setup costs can be quite high and you’ll have to sign a contract with the provider that installs it, it’s recommended that you do thorough research about the best packages.

Internet providers in France

The largest internet providers in France and the costs of their packages are:

It’s common that most contracts and documentation are in French. Even customer service personnel use French. To remove this language barrier, it’s good to brush up on your French and know the basic terms that you’ll come across: