The 1% housing scheme, now known as Action Logement, finances installation and rental assistance for private sector employees every year. Low-interest loans, advances on security deposits, access to social rental housing: these aids address part of the need. The remainder, often the heaviest part, remains the responsibility of the employee or the company.
The question facing HR directors and employees in transition is not whether this system exists. It is about measuring the gap between what it actually covers and the cost of complete professional mobility.
Recommended read : The latest fashion trends to adopt this season for a successful look
Real cost of professional mobility versus Action Logement aids
To assess the usefulness of the 1% housing scheme during a relocation, one must compare the concrete expense items of a professional move with the resources available through Action Logement.
| Expense Item | Covered by Action Logement? | Potential Remaining Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Security deposit (rental) | Yes, via the Loca-Pass Advance (interest-free loan with no fees) | None on this item |
| Rental guarantee (deposit) | Yes, via the Visale guarantee | None on this item |
| Moving costs | No | Entirety |
| Double rent (transition period) | No directly | One to three months’ rent |
| Real estate agency fees | No | Entirety |
| Rent increase (tight area) | No | Sometimes high monthly differential |
| Home ownership | Yes, via the Action Logement loan | Bank supplement required |
The Loca-Pass Advance and the Visale guarantee cover barriers to entering a home, not the overall cost of mobility. Moving costs, double rent during the transition period, and the rent differential between two cities remain entirely the responsibility of the employee, unless the company intervenes.
Recommended read : Everything You Need to Know About the Ideal Dimensions of a Concrete Belt for a Fiberglass Pool
Employees who wish to explore existing solutions for housing for professional mobility with Up Immo will find additional insights on the interplay between these various systems.
Complementary aids to the 1% housing scheme for a professional relocation
When the 1% housing scheme is not sufficient, three complementary levers can be activated. Their combination depends on the company’s HR policy and the applicable collective agreement.
Mobility package negotiated by the employer
Some collective agreements, such as that of the Syntec branch, provide specific provisions in case of relocation or change of residence. A mobility package may include coverage of moving costs, an installation bonus, and assistance in finding housing.
These packages are not systematic. They result from individual or collective negotiation. An employee who receives a relocation proposal without any additional aid to the 1% housing scheme faces a financial arbitration that may lead to outright refusal.
Long-distance travel allowances
For temporary assignments away from home, long-distance travel allowances cover meal and accommodation expenses. These allowances are exempt from social contributions under certain conditions. However, they only apply to travel, not to permanent relocations.
Cumulative public aids
Several public schemes can complement the action of the 1% housing scheme:
- Personalized housing assistance (APL) reduces the residual rent, including after a relocation, subject to income conditions
- Local installation aids exist in certain communities that seek to attract workers to their area
- The mobility lease, lasting from one to ten months, allows for furnished rental without a security deposit, facilitating professional transitions
The mobility lease eliminates the security deposit, a concrete advantage for an employee who does not wish to commit before confirming their relocation. This type of lease is compatible with the Visale guarantee, which secures the landlord at no cost to the tenant.
Limits of the 1% housing scheme in tight areas and risk of relocation refusal
The Action Logement scheme was designed to facilitate access to housing for private sector employees. Its effectiveness varies by geography. In relaxed areas, a home ownership loan or rental assistance may be sufficient to unlock a situation. In tight areas (Île-de-France, metropolitan areas of Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse), the rent differential between the old and new housing often exceeds what the aids compensate.
An employee moving from a medium-sized city to Paris may see their rent double without the 1% housing scheme addressing this gap. The Action Logement loan for home ownership remains capped and requires a significant bank supplement in areas where prices far exceed the scheme’s limits.
This gap between the real cost and the available aids has measurable consequences on human resources management. Housing remains one of the primary reasons for refusal of professional mobility. Companies that do not include additional compensation in their relocation proposal expose themselves to refusals or departures.
Employer strategy: articulating the 1% housing scheme with a mobility policy
The 1% housing scheme functions as a foundation. It covers barriers to entering a home (security deposit, guarantee) and offers a complementary loan for home ownership. For companies that practice internal mobility, this foundation must be supplemented by a structured policy.
Employers who achieve the highest acceptance rates for relocations combine several elements:
- Systematic activation of Action Logement rights as soon as the mobility announcement is made, to reduce the installation time
- Partial or total coverage of moving costs, negotiated in the mobility contract
- Assistance in finding housing from a specialized provider, for areas where the rental market is saturated
- Temporary compensation for the rent differential during the first months, in the form of a decreasing allowance
The issue is not only financial but also administrative. An employee in mobility must compile a rental file in a city they do not know, often under time constraints. Companies that centralize access to Action Logement aids and combine them with on-the-ground support reduce the risk of blockage.
The 1% housing scheme remains a useful lever, provided it is not seen as a complete answer. The difference between a successful mobility and a refusal of relocation often hinges on the additional aids that the employer is willing to mobilize beyond what the legal framework provides.