Moving out: the practical guide

La Villa TeamJuly 6, 20268 min

Leaving a rental is an admin checklist before it's a moving job. Done out of order or too late, it gets expensive: a miscalculated notice period and rent that keeps running, a deposit trimmed for lack of a careful move-out inspection, energy contracts you forget to cancel that keep getting charged. Done in the right order, everything flows.

Here is, step by step, everything to wrap up so you can leave with peace of mind — and get your deposit back without surprises. At the end of the article, we share the actual checklist we give each of our tenants before they move out. (This guide covers French rental law, which applies to the whole French side of Greater Geneva.)

1. Giving notice: the right period, in the right format

First and most structuring step: notifying your landlord. The notice period depends entirely on the type of rental.

Furnished rental: the notice period is 1 month, everywhere in France, no conditions. It's one of the big advantages of furnished housing (and of coliving).
Unfurnished rental: the notice period is 3 months, reduced to 1 month if the property is in a "zone tendue" (high-demand area) — which is the case for Annemasse and most towns on the French side of Greater Geneva — or for certain legal grounds (job transfer, loss or start of a job, documented health reasons, among others).
Flatshare: it all depends on your lease. With an individual per-room lease, you give your own notice without affecting the others. With a single joint lease and a solidarity clause, things are trickier — check your contract.

The format matters as much as the timing. Notice must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, served by a court officer (commissaire de justice, formerly huissier), or handed over in person against a signed receipt. Careful: the clock only starts upon receipt of the letter, not when you send it. Allow a few days' buffer and set your departure date precisely.

2. Cancelling or transferring your contracts

This is the easiest step to forget — and the one that keeps costing you money if you neglect it. Go through every contract:

Electricity and gas: read your meters on departure day, cancel your contract, and sign up at your new place if needed. Without cancellation, billing continues.
Internet box: notify your provider (a notice period often applies), return the box on time to avoid charges, and anticipate possible termination fees.
Home insurance: since the Hamon law, you can cancel any time after one year. Moving out is in any case a recognised ground for termination.
Water: if you have an individual meter, remember the reading and account closure.
Change of address: activate mail forwarding with La Poste, and update your address with the tax office, the CAF, your bank, your employer, social security, and your vehicle registration (mandatory within one month).

Good to know: in coliving, most of these contracts are included in an all-inclusive rent. So there is, quite simply, nothing to cancel.

3. What to do with your furniture

If you're leaving a place you furnished yourself, the furniture question can quickly become a headache. Three options, to combine:

Sell: Leboncoin and Marketplace for furniture, second-hand platforms for small items. The secret is anticipating: good photos, realistic prices, and above all starting early — a sofa rarely sells in 48 hours.
Donate: Emmaüs, reuse centres, neighbour-to-neighbour donation apps and local give boxes let you responsibly clear out what doesn't sell.
Store: if your next home is smaller or uncertain, temporary self-storage can help.

For whatever remains, check your town hall's bulky-waste collection, and plan a van if needed.

Here again, a furnished home — coliving first among them — removes this step entirely: you arrive and leave hands-free.

4. Nailing your move-out inspection

This is the moment that decides whether you get your deposit back. The rule is simple: the property must be returned in the state you found it, normal wear and tear excepted.

Two notions to distinguish to avoid disputes. Wear and tear (vétusté) — natural ageing over time — is the landlord's responsibility and cannot be billed to you. Damage — a hole, a breakage, lack of maintenance — is on you. When in doubt, a wear-and-tear reference grid applies.

Concretely, before the appointment:

Compare room by room with your move-in inspection report.
Do a complete cleaning (see the checklist below).
Prepare the return of the keys.
Send your bank details (RIB) for the deposit refund.

Timing-wise, the landlord has one month to return your deposit if the move-out inspection matches the move-in one, and two months if justified deductions apply. Beyond that, the law provides a penalty in your favour. A precise move-in inspection is your best protection: without one, the property is presumed to have been handed over in good condition.

As a reminder, for furnished rentals the deposit is capped at 2 months' rent excluding charges. For how this works in coliving (and what we don't charge you), see our article on application fees and deposits in coliving.

The real-life example: the checklist we give our tenants

Theory is fine. A real template is better. Here is the message Fanny sends each of our tenants at La Villa before the move-out inspection. Feel free to adapt it, whatever your housing situation.

Hello [First name],

Your departure is getting closer, and we — along with the other housemates — have loved having you with us! To help you prepare and make sure everything goes smoothly, with no surprises, here's a little checklist before the move-out inspection.

Deposit: remember to send us your bank details so we can transfer your deposit back.

Inventory: check that everything provided when you arrived is still there and in the same condition (keys, sheets, towel, shower squeegee, hangers, etc.).

Cleaning: private spaces must be returned in the same state as when they were handed over. Make sure to clean everywhere, including:

All surfaces (floors, marks on walls, windows inside and out, ceiling if needed, top of the headboard, top of the skirting boards, etc.)

Under the bed

The sheets, washed and stain-treated if needed

The bathroom, especially limescale on taps, the shower screen, inside the drawers, and inside both drains (shower and sink)

The bathroom air vent

On inspection day, remember to empty and clean your spaces in the kitchen and pantry

If you're short on time and need help with the cleaning, you can contact our cleaning provider on our behalf — just ask us for their contact details.

If you have any doubt at all, don't hesitate to write to me ☺️

Thank you, and have a lovely day, Fanny

This level of detail is no accident: it prevents disputes, protects the tenant's deposit, and guarantees the room will be spotless for the next person. It's also, quite simply, a mark of mutual respect.

In coliving, half of this list disappears

You'll have noticed while reading this guide: a good share of moving-out chores comes from managing your home yourself — cancelling contracts, reselling furniture, facing the inspection alone.

In coliving, these frictions vanish. The home is furnished, so nothing to sell. Utilities and subscriptions are included, so nothing to cancel. The inspection is guided, the deposit returned by bank transfer, and the flexible commitment makes moving on easy. It's not a sales pitch — it's simply the logical consequence of turnkey housing. To choose your next home with full knowledge, see our coliving vs flatshare comparison.

In short

A successful move-out comes down to four moves: give notice with the right period and format, cancel or transfer your contracts, clear out your furniture in time, and nail your move-out inspection to get your deposit back. Anticipate each step, and what looks like a headache becomes a formality.

If, for what comes next, you're looking for a home where you're supported from day one to the last — no contracts to manage, no furniture to buy, and a community already there — check out our all-inclusive coliving 20 min from Geneva and the available rooms.

FAQ

What is the notice period for leaving a furnished rental? One month, everywhere in France, no particular conditions. It's one of the main advantages of furnished housing over unfurnished, where notice reaches three months (reduced to one month in high-demand areas or for certain legal grounds).

How long does it take to get your deposit back? One month if the move-out inspection matches the move-in one, two months if justified deductions apply. Beyond that, the landlord faces a penalty in the tenant's favour. Remember to send your bank details to speed up the transfer.

Do you have to cancel energy and internet contracts yourself? Yes, if you manage your own subscriptions: without cancellation, billing keeps running after you leave. Read your meters on the day and notify your providers on time. In coliving, these contracts are included: there is nothing to cancel.

What does moving out of a coliving look like? Much simpler: furnished home (nothing to resell), utilities and subscriptions included (nothing to cancel), guided inspection, deposit returned by bank transfer, and flexible commitment. The checklist essentially comes down to cleaning your private spaces and returning the keys.