Accommodation in Exchange for Services Agreement: Checklist Before You Sign

Have you reached an agreement with a Host or Cohabitant and are now looking for a housing in exchange for services agreement to put everything in writing? ToitChezMoi provides agreement templates and useful documents to help both parties clearly record what they have agreed.

But choosing a template is only the first step. Before completing it, you need to know exactly what should be discussed and written down. What services will be provided? How many hours are expected? What financial contribution, if any, will be made? Which areas of the home can be used? How long will the arrangement last, and what happens if either person wants to leave?

This practical guide takes you through the key points to discuss before completing your ToitChezMoi agreement, helping Hosts and Cohabitants avoid misunderstandings and make sure they share the same expectations before signing.

Important: housing in exchange for services does not have a single legal status that applies to every situation. The applicable rules depend on the actual arrangement, including the type of accommodation, any financial contribution and the nature and organisation of the services provided. ToitChezMoi templates and this guide are designed to help users formalise their arrangement; they are not a substitute for personalised legal advice.

Why use a ToitChezMoi agreement template?

Housing in exchange for services is built on trust between a Host and a Cohabitant. But even when both people have the best intentions, misunderstandings can arise. Which services were actually agreed? How often should they be provided? Which parts of the home are shared? Who contributes to household costs? How long is the arrangement expected to last?

Putting these points in writing helps clarify each person's commitments before moving in and gives both parties a shared record of what they originally agreed.

This is the purpose of the agreement templates and documents provided by ToitChezMoi: to give Hosts and Cohabitants a practical starting point for formalising their arrangement according to their circumstances.

Ideally, the agreement should be completed after you have communicated through the platform, met the other person, visited the accommodation and discussed your respective expectations. You can also consult the ToitChezMoi Safety Guide before committing.

Which ToitChezMoi agreement should you choose?

The document you choose should reflect the actual arrangement between the Host and the Cohabitant. ToitChezMoi provides resources to help users formalise different housing situations, but no single document can cover every possible housing-for-services arrangement.

Depending on the situation, accommodation may be provided rent-free, with a reduced financial contribution, or under a specific legal arrangement such as intergenerational homesharing in France. Other situations may also be subject to tenancy, employment or other applicable rules.

For this reason, you should not choose an agreement simply because its title sounds appropriate. What matters is that the document accurately reflects the accommodation, services, financial arrangements and commitments that have actually been agreed.

If you are unsure about the type of document that may be appropriate, you can also consult the ToitChezMoi FAQ and the Practical Guide to Housing in Exchange for Services.

A specific French framework: intergenerational homesharing

If the accommodation is located in France, one particular arrangement may fall within the legal framework known as cohabitation intergénérationnelle solidaire, which can be described in English as intergenerational homesharing.

Under French law, this arrangement enables a person aged 60 or over to rent or sublet part of their home to a person under the age of 30 in return for a modest financial contribution.

The agreement may also provide for the younger person to perform minor services (menus services). Within this specific French framework, these services are provided without a profit-making purpose for either party and without a relationship of legal subordination.

This arrangement therefore has its own rules and should not be treated as identical to every other form of housing in exchange for services. French law also provides for a one-month notice period when either party decides to end an intergenerational homesharing agreement.

What should a housing in exchange for services agreement include?

Before completing your ToitChezMoi agreement, the Host and Cohabitant should go through the following points together. Once these questions have been settled, putting the agreement in writing becomes much easier.

1. Details of the Host and Cohabitant

Prepare the full names and contact details of both parties, together with the full address of the accommodation concerned.

It is also useful to establish the Host's relationship with the property, particularly whether they own or rent it. If the Host is a tenant, the terms of their tenancy agreement and any applicable rules concerning subletting or making part of the property available to another person should be checked.

2. The accommodation being provided

Describe exactly what the Cohabitant will have available: a private bedroom, studio, self-contained accommodation or another agreed space.

It is also useful to record the main facilities and equipment provided so that both parties understand the accommodation conditions before signing.

If the accommodation is subject to statutory housing standards, the relevant requirements must be respected. In France, for example, certain housing arrangements are subject to the legal requirements governing logement décent, or decent housing. The exact requirements depend on the legal arrangement concerned.

Whatever the arrangement, the viewing is an important opportunity to check the actual condition of the accommodation, its facilities and whether it is suitable for everyday living.

3. Shared areas and facilities

A bedroom alone does not tell you everything about a shared-living arrangement. Make sure you also discuss which areas and facilities the Cohabitant can use: kitchen, bathroom, living room, washing machine, garden, Wi-Fi, storage space or parking, for example.

If certain areas are shared or subject to particular rules, it is much better to agree on this before moving in than to discover conflicting expectations later.

4. List every agreed service clearly

This is one of the most important parts of a housing in exchange for services agreement.

Avoid vague descriptions such as “help around the house”, “a few services” or “help when needed”. Instead, specify exactly what the Host and Cohabitant have agreed: household tasks, grocery shopping, homework help, childcare, gardening, pet care or companionship, for example.

The aim is simple: if either party reads the agreement several months later, they should still be able to understand what was — and was not — part of the original arrangement.

The nature of the services matters too. Some activities require professional qualifications or are subject to specific legal rules. Under the French legal framework for intergenerational homesharing, for example, minor services must not replace the work of professional home-care or healthcare providers.

5. Agree on the number of hours and how services will be organised

State clearly how much time the agreed services are expected to involve and, where useful, how they will be organised throughout the week.

On ToitChezMoi, listings are limited to a maximum of 15 hours of services per week. This is a platform rule intended to help keep arrangements reasonable and balanced.

However, 15 hours is not a general legal threshold. Staying below 15 hours per week does not automatically determine the legal status of an arrangement or rule out the possible application of employment law.

For your ToitChezMoi agreement, the important point is to define a clear and realistic level of commitment that both parties understand and accept and that complies with the platform's rules.

6. Set the duration of the arrangement

Record the planned move-in date and how long the arrangement is expected to last.

If an end date has already been agreed, include it clearly. Where renewal or extension is possible, the relevant arrangements can also be recorded where appropriate for the agreement and legal framework being used.

7. Rent, financial contributions and household costs

Any financial arrangements should be completely clear before the agreement is signed. Specify whether the accommodation is provided rent-free, with reduced rent, with another financial contribution or with a contribution towards household costs, depending on the arrangement agreed.

If the Cohabitant is expected to pay any amount, state how much is due, what it covers and how it should be paid.

The same applies to household expenses. Make it clear whether costs such as water, electricity, heating, internet or other agreed expenses are included or shared.

ToitChezMoi does not set one universal maximum rent or financial contribution for every type of housing in exchange for services arrangement. Any amount requested must nevertheless be consistent with the arrangement and comply with any legal rules that apply to the particular situation.

Under the specific French legal framework for intergenerational homesharing, for example, French law provides for a modest financial contribution rather than one standard amount applicable to every agreement.

8. Agree on everyday house rules

Visitors, shared spaces, pets, noise, schedules, cleaning and everyday organisation can all affect whether a shared-living arrangement works well.

Not every detail needs to become a lengthy contractual clause. What matters is that any rules that are important to the Host or Cohabitant are discussed and understood before moving in.

9. Decide what happens when the arrangement ends

Discussing how the arrangement could end before it has even begun may feel unnecessary, but doing so can prevent significant problems later.

Depending on the agreement and the legal framework involved, specify the applicable notice arrangements, how keys will be returned and whether a check-out property inspection will be carried out.

Do not assume that any notice period can be chosen freely. Specific legal frameworks may impose their own rules. In France, for example, an intergenerational homesharing agreement is subject to a one-month notice period when either party decides to end it.

10. Date and sign the agreement

Before signing, read through the entire document together and check that it accurately reflects what you have agreed.

The agreement should then be dated and signed by the relevant parties. Each person should keep their own copy together with any accompanying documents.

Agreement and property inspection: why both can be useful

The agreement and the property inspection record serve different purposes.

The agreement records the commitments made between the Host and Cohabitant. A property inspection record (état des lieux in France), where appropriate or required for the arrangement, records the condition of the accommodation, room, furniture and main equipment when the Cohabitant moves in and, where relevant, when they leave.

Completing this document together provides both parties with a shared record of the property's initial condition and can help prevent later disagreements over damage or equipment.

You can find more information about agreements, documents and insurance in the ToitChezMoi FAQ.

Mistakes to avoid before signing your ToitChezMoi agreement

• Signing before viewing the accommodation and meeting the other person. Your agreement should reflect living conditions that you have actually been able to see and discuss.
• Writing only “a few services”. List the agreed services as precisely as possible.
• Leaving the number of hours undefined. Both the Host and Cohabitant should understand the expected level of commitment before signing.
• Treating ToitChezMoi's 15-hour maximum as a legal threshold. It is a platform rule, not a general limit imposed by law.
• Using an agreement that does not reflect the real arrangement. The title of a document does not, by itself, determine the legal framework that applies.
• Forgetting financial contributions and household costs. Any payment or contribution should be clearly disclosed and understood by both parties.
• Failing to discuss how the arrangement can end. Leaving arrangements should be considered from the outset, in accordance with any applicable rules.
• Sending money before viewing the accommodation and meeting the other person. Be particularly cautious about requests for advance payments to “reserve” accommodation before a meeting or viewing.
• Allowing the list of services to expand without a new agreement. Additional tasks should not gradually become compulsory when they were never part of the original arrangement.

Housing in exchange for services or employment? An important distinction

A ToitChezMoi agreement should always reflect the reality of the relationship between the Host and Cohabitant.

Calling a document a “housing in exchange for services agreement”, “homesharing agreement” or “mutual help arrangement” does not automatically prevent employment law from applying if the way the services are actually performed corresponds to an employment relationship.

In France, one particularly important factor is the existence of a relationship of legal subordination (lien de subordination). This can arise where a person performs work under the authority of another person who has the power to give instructions, supervise how the work is carried out and sanction failures to comply.

The number of hours alone is therefore not enough to determine the legal status of the arrangement. If the services resemble regular employment, or if you are unsure which legal framework applies, seek advice from an appropriate professional before signing.

If the accommodation is located outside France, employment, tenancy, tax and homesharing rules may differ significantly. Check the rules applicable in the country and, where relevant, the region or city where the accommodation is located.

Frequently asked questions about ToitChezMoi agreements

Where can I find a housing in exchange for services agreement?

ToitChezMoi provides agreement templates and practical resources designed to help Hosts and Cohabitants put their arrangement in writing. You can also consult the Practical Guide to Housing in Exchange for Services for additional guidance.

Is a written housing in exchange for services agreement compulsory?

There is no single answer that applies to every arrangement described as housing in exchange for services. Different legal frameworks may apply, and some arrangements can be subject to their own mandatory documentation or formalities.

In all cases, ToitChezMoi recommends putting the main terms of the arrangement in writing so that both the Host and Cohabitant have a clear record of what was agreed.

Does using a ToitChezMoi template automatically make the arrangement legally compliant?

No. A template helps structure and record the agreement, but it must reflect the parties' actual situation. Using a ToitChezMoi template does not override any laws or regulations that apply to the arrangement.

How many hours of services can be included?

ToitChezMoi limits listings to a maximum of 15 hours of services per week. This is a ToitChezMoi platform rule rather than a general statutory limit.

Is there a maximum rent or financial contribution on ToitChezMoi?

ToitChezMoi does not set one universal maximum amount that applies to every housing in exchange for services arrangement. Financial arrangements depend on the type of agreement and must comply w