When a landlord rents out a property, the question of guarantees to avoid unpaid rent quickly comes up. Between a physical guarantor, the Visale guarantee, and GLI insurance, it is not always easy to understand which guarantees can be combined.
Can a landlord request a guarantor for a tenant already covered by Visale? Can unpaid rent insurance be combined with a joint guarantor? What does French law say about combining rental guarantees?
In this article, discover the differences between each system, the authorized combination rules, eligibility criteria, and the most suitable solutions depending on the landlord’s and tenant’s situation. To learn more, you can also read our guide on preventing unpaid rent in furnished rentals.
Before discussing combinations, it is important to distinguish the different guarantees available to secure a rental.
A guarantor is a physical person or legal entity that agrees to pay the rent and charges in case of unpaid rent by the tenant.
This is often referred to as a guarantor or joint guarantor. This commitment is formalized through a guarantee agreement attached to the lease.
The guarantor can be:
This solution remains widely used for student rentals or for tenants whose income is considered insufficient by the landlord.
The Visale guarantee is a free system provided by Action Logement. It acts as a guarantor for the tenant and protects the landlord against unpaid rent and certain rental damages.
Visale works as an institutional guarantor. In the event of unpaid rent, Action Logement compensates the landlord and then turns to the tenant to recover the amounts owed.
The Visale system mainly concerns:
The application is completed entirely online before signing the lease agreement.
GLI, or unpaid rent insurance, is an insurance policy subscribed to by the landlord through an insurer.
This insurance provides coverage against:
Unlike Visale, GLI is a paid insurance policy. Its cost generally represents between 2% and 4% of the annual rent amount including charges.
To be accepted by the insurer, the tenant’s application file must meet certain solvency criteria:
The management of unpaid rent is then handled by the insurance company according to the terms provided in the contract.
If you would like to learn more about this topic, you can also read our article explaining why taking out unpaid rent insurance for furnished rentals can be beneficial.
In most cases, no.
French law prohibits a landlord from requesting both:
Visale is specifically designed to replace the traditional guarantor.
However, there is an important exception.
For a student or apprentice, the landlord may combine:
This possibility helps reassure landlords in rental situations considered more risky.
Once again, the law strictly regulates this combination.
A landlord who subscribes to GLI insurance cannot normally request a joint guarantor from the tenant.
As with Visale, an exception exists for students and apprentices.
The landlord may then combine:
This solution is common in major student cities where the risk of unpaid rent is considered higher.
In practice, this combination is rarely accepted.
Most insurers refuse properties benefiting from both:
Why? Because this would mean overlapping two guarantees covering the same unpaid rent risk.
Before subscribing to an insurance policy, it is therefore important to check the contract conditions with the insurer.
The right choice mainly depends on the tenant’s application file and the level of protection sought by the landlord.
Visale is often an excellent solution because it is:
It makes renting easier for students who do not yet have stable income.
GLI generally remains the preferred solution for landlords.
It offers broader coverage with:
In certain situations (freelancers, probation periods, professional mobility), Visale can help secure an application that would otherwise be rejected by traditional insurance.
Visale offers several strong advantages:
However, the system also has some limitations:
Not all tenants are eligible for this guarantee.
To reduce the risk of unpaid rent, several best practices can be implemented:
Good rental management often helps avoid difficulties related to rent payment.
In the event of persistent unpaid rent, specific actions must be taken quickly to protect the landlord’s rental income. We explain the different steps in our article dedicated to solutions for unpaid rent.
To further strengthen landlord protection, it may be worth discovering the advantages of the Lodgis Unpaid Rent Insurance, specifically designed to secure furnished rentals.
Yes. In most situations, Visale acts as a guarantor and replaces the physical guarantor.
Yes. The system also provides coverage for certain rental damages.
Visale is a free guarantee provided by Action Logement, whereas GLI is a paid insurance policy subscribed to through an insurer, generally offering broader coverage.
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