What is intergenerational homesharing?

Why is intergenerational homesharing attracting so much attention?

The idea of younger and older people living together is not new. However, the current housing climate has made the model particularly relevant.

On one side, students, trainees and young professionals may face high rents, limited housing supply and increasing competition for affordable rooms. On the other, many older people continue to live in homes with one or more unused bedrooms.

Intergenerational homesharing brings these two realities together:

• an older person has a spare room;
• a younger person is looking for affordable accommodation;
• the younger housemate benefits from a more accessible housing option;
• the older host may gain companionship, regular presence and occasional help;
• both people can share parts of everyday life while keeping their independence.

This mix of practical, financial and social benefits is one reason why intergenerational housing continues to attract attention.

What exactly is intergenerational homesharing?

Intergenerational homesharing broadly describes a living arrangement in which people from different generations share the same home.

In many cases, an older host offers a private room to a younger person, such as a student, trainee or young professional. Depending on the arrangement, the younger housemate may make a financial contribution, provide companionship or offer limited practical help.

The legal framework varies between countries.

In France, there is a specific legal arrangement known as “cohabitation intergénérationnelle solidaire”. Under this framework, a person aged 60 or over can rent or sublet part of their main home to someone under 30 in exchange for a modest financial contribution.

Small services may also be agreed, provided the arrangement remains a form of cohabitation rather than an employment relationship.

Who can take part in intergenerational homesharing?

The answer depends on the model and the country.

In a broad international sense, intergenerational homesharing can involve different age groups and different types of household. But in the French solidarity-based model, the criteria are more specific.

For the host

The host must be aged 60 or over to fall within the French legal framework.

They may be a homeowner or, in certain circumstances, a tenant. If a tenant wishes to sublet part of their home through the French solidarity-based intergenerational scheme, they must first inform their landlord.

For the younger housemate

The younger person must be under 30 under the French framework.

They do not have to be a student. The arrangement may also suit a trainee, apprentice or young professional looking for a more affordable place to live.

How does intergenerational homesharing work in everyday life?

In most cases, the older host provides a private bedroom within their home.

Shared use of the kitchen, bathroom, living room or outdoor areas is then organised according to the household and the agreement between both people.

Before moving in, it is important to discuss more than just the room itself.

Both sides should talk about:

• which room is provided;
• which shared spaces can be used;
• the financial contribution;
• whether any regular presence is expected;
• any agreed practical help;
• meals and shared activities;
• whether guests can visit;
• daily schedules and habits;
• how long the arrangement is expected to last.

The purpose is not to create a situation in which both people are constantly together. A successful homeshare should allow each person to maintain privacy, independence and their own routine.

How much does intergenerational homesharing cost?

One of the main attractions for younger people is that intergenerational homesharing can be more affordable than a conventional rental.

However, there is no single international price.

The amount depends on the country, city, local housing market, type of room, shared facilities and the specific agreement between both people.

In the French solidarity-based model, the younger person pays a modest financial contribution.

The amount is agreed between both parties within the legal framework.

This makes the model different from a standard rental arrangement. The relationship is not based only on the commercial value of the room; the social and intergenerational dimension is also central.

Can the room be free in exchange for help?

This is where it becomes important to distinguish between different housing models.

The French legal framework for solidarity-based intergenerational cohabitation includes a modest financial contribution. Small services may be added, but the arrangement is not simply “free accommodation in exchange for work”.

Other housing models may operate differently.

For example, some forms of housing in exchange for services may involve free or reduced-cost accommodation in return for clearly agreed help.

These situations should not automatically be described as intergenerational solidarity-based housing, as the applicable framework may be different.

What kind of help can be included?

Intergenerational homesharing does not automatically mean that the younger person provides services.

Some arrangements are based mainly on companionship and shared presence. Others may include a small amount of practical help, depending on what both people agree.

This could include:

• sharing an occasional meal;
• being at home on certain evenings;
• helping with small shopping trips;
• providing occasional help with a computer or smartphone;
• watering plants;
• carrying out small everyday tasks;
• spending time talking or sharing activities.

The limits are important.

The younger housemate should not become:

• a full-time carer;
• a healthcare assistant;
• someone expected to remain available every night;
• a housekeeper carrying out significant unpaid work;
• a substitute for professional care services.

The arrangement should remain one of shared living and mutual support.

Does the younger person have to be home every evening?

No.

Regular presence can form part of an arrangement, but it should be clearly agreed and remain compatible with the younger person’s studies, work and private life.

A student should still be able to go out, visit friends, travel home to see family or spend time away. Likewise, a young professional should not have to organise their entire schedule around the host.

If presence becomes permanent availability, the balance of the arrangement may quickly disappear.

What are the benefits for students and young professionals?

More affordable housing

A modest contribution can make intergenerational housing an attractive option in places where conventional rents are high.

Access to a different type of housing supply

Spare rooms in older people’s homes are not always available through traditional rental platforms. Intergenerational housing can therefore unlock accommodation that would otherwise remain unused.

A quieter living environment

For some younger people, living with an older host can offer a calmer environment than a large student flatshare.

A relationship with someone from another generation

When the match works well, the experience can involve much more than a room. Conversation, shared meals, practical help and knowledge-sharing can all become part of everyday life.

What are the benefits for older hosts?

More companionship

One of the main aims of intergenerational homesharing is to create more opportunities for social contact.

A younger housemate does not replace family, friends or professional support, but regular presence at home can bring more conversation and shared moments into everyday life.

Making use of an empty room

After children move out, some older adults remain in homes with unused bedrooms.

Homesharing allows that space to be used again without requiring the host to leave their own home.

A contribution towards household costs

The younger person’s financial contribution can also help with some housing-related expenses.

A relationship that goes beyond a conventional rental

When both people are compatible, the arrangement can create a genuine two-way relationship based on mutual respect and shared experience.

What are the risks and limits of intergenerational homesharing?

Media reports often highlight successful pairings, but living with another person always requires adjustment.

The main difficulties are often not caused by age itself, but by different lifestyles and unspoken expectations.

For example:

• the older host prefers a very quiet home, while the younger person regularly comes home late;
• the younger housemate wants to invite friends over often;
• occasional presence gradually becomes expected every evening;
• small favours gradually turn into regular unpaid work;
• private and shared spaces are not clearly respected;
• one person expects a very close relationship while the other prefers more independence.

This is why both people should discuss daily life in detail before agreeing to live together.

Should you sign a written agreement?

Yes.

A written agreement helps clarify what both people have actually agreed to and can prevent misunderstandings later.

It should ideally cover:

• the room being provided;
• shared areas;
• the duration of the arrangement;
• the financial contribution;
• any agreed services or presence;
• house rules;
• how the arrangement can end.

In the French solidarity-based legal framework, the arrangement is formalised through a specific contract.

ToitChezMoi also provides information about contracts for housing in exchange for services, although these relate to a broader housing model and should not be confused with the French intergenerational solidarity contract.

Is intergenerational homesharing the same as ToitChezMoi?

No. The two models can overlap, but they are not the same.

This is an important distinction.

Solidarity-based intergenerational cohabitation in France is a specific legal model based on age criteria and a particular type of relationship between the host and the younger housemate.

ToitChezMoi operates within a broader concept: housing in exchange for services.

Intergenerational homesharing

• focuses on people from different generations living together;
• in the French legal model, involves a host aged 60 or over;
• involves a younger housemate under 30;
• includes a modest financial contribution;
• may include small services;
• places intergenerational connection at the heart of the arrangement.

Housing in exchange for services on ToitChezMoi

• is not limited to older hosts and younger housemates;
• can involve seniors, families, single people and other types of hosts;
• can suit students, young professionals, people relocating and other housemates;
• can involve different types of agreed services;
• covers a wider range of living arrangements.

Two examples that show the difference

Example 1: Margaret, 71, has a spare room and welcomes Chloe, a 22-year-old student. Chloe pays a modest financial contribution and agrees to spend some evenings at home and occasionally help with small errands.

In France, this type of arrangement may fall within the legal framework of cohabitation intergénérationnelle solidaire, provided all the required conditions are met.

Example 2: A family has a spare studio and is looking for someone who can occasionally help with school pickups or other agreed household tasks in exchange for reduced-cost accommodation.

This is not intergenerational solidarity-based cohabitation. However, it may fit the broader idea of housing in exchange for services, with an appropriate agreement based on the actual situation.

This is where ToitChezMoi goes further: mutual support around housing does not have to be limited to a senior-younger person pairing.

Can you find intergenerational housing through ToitChezMoi?

Yes. ToitChezMoi can bring together older people with a spare room and younger people looking for a mutually supportive living arrangement, while also covering many other host profiles.

The objective is not simply to match an empty room with someone who needs housing.

A successful arrangement also depends on compatible routines, expectations, levels of independence and any practical help that may be agreed.

You can find out more about intergenerational flatsharing and homesharing on ToitChezMoi.

Intergenerational homesharing or housing in exchange for services: which should you choose?

The right option depends on your situation.

Intergenerational homesharing may suit you if:

• you are an older person with a spare room;
• you are a younger person looking for accommodation with an older host;
• you value companionship and intergenerational exchange;
• you are comfortable with a modest financial contribution and possibly some limited practical help.

Housing in exchange for services may offer more flexibility if:

• you do not fit the age criteria of a specific intergenerational scheme;
• you are a family or another type of host;
• services form a more important part of the arrangement;
• you are looking for a wider range of host or housemate profiles;
• you want a living arrangement that is not specifically based on age or generation.

The most important thing is to choose a framework that reflects the real arrangement rather than simply using a label that sounds appropriate.

8 questions to ask before moving in together

Whether you are the host or the housemate, do not focus only on the room and the price.

Before agreeing to live together, make sure you can answer these eight questions:

• Which part of the home will be private?
• Which spaces will be shared?
• How much will the younger person contribute financially?
• Which bills or household costs are included?
• Is any regular presence expected?
• Are any practical services included?
• What are the main house rules?
• How long is the arrangement expected to last and how can it end?

It is also important to meet in person, visit the accommodation and make sure the expectations described in the listing match the reality.

The ToitChezMoi safety guide provides additional advice before starting a shared living arrangement.

Is intergenerational homesharing really a good idea?

On paper, the formula is appealing: an older person has a spare room, a younger person needs somewhere affordable to live, and both can benefit from the arrangement.

But the real value of intergenerational homesharing goes beyond the cost of the room.

A successful arrangement depends on balance. The younger person should not become an employee, full-time carer or someone who is expected to remain constantly available. The older host should not simply be seen as a landlord offering cheap accommodation.

Both people need privacy, independence and clear expectations.

When that balance works, intergenerational homesharing can do more than solve a housing problem. It can turn an unused room into a practical home for one person and a meaningful connection for both.

Could intergenerational homesharing inspire a different way of sharing your home?

The growing interest in intergenerational housing highlights a simple idea: a spare room can be more than unused space. It can become the starting point for a mutually beneficial living arrangement.

This is also the idea behind housing in exchange for services, but in a broader framework that is not limited to a particular age group.

If you have a spare room or suitable accommodation and would like to find someone whose needs and lifestyle fit yours, register as a Host on ToitChezMoi and describe the type of arrangement you are looking for.

The aim is not simply to fill an empty room. It is to find a person with whom accommodation, expectations and everyday life can genuinely work.