Moving from Grenoble to Skellefteå - how the family found a home

When Arnaud Lucas moved with his family from Grenoble in southeastern France to Skellefteå, housing was an important piece of the puzzle to put in place. With the help of Northvolt and Skellefteå Municipality, they found a cozy house with its own garden in Bergsbyn.

- When you leave your comfort zone, it is very important to find a safe place, a real home," says Arnaud.

More and more people are coming to Skellefteå from all over the world to work and study, and although new residential areas are emerging, finding the right accommodation is a challenge. At the same time, there are private individuals with homes to rent out - but rules about renting can be perceived as difficult and complicated. Therefore, Skellefteå municipality has created a small guide for those who want to rent out housing in Skellefteå. One of those who have found a new home in Skellefteå is Arnaud Lucas, who moved with his wife Blandine Roig, the couple's two children and two cats all the way from Grenoble in France to Skellefteå.

- When we started looking for a house to rent, it was difficult to know how to proceed. We had a moving date but no idea where we would land," says Arnaud Lucas.

Through cooperation between Northvolt and Skellefteå municipality, the couple got in touch with a private landlord who was renting out a house in Bergsbyn. Arnaud and Blandine wrote a personal letter introducing the family, their background and what they wanted in terms of accommodation.

- We were lucky - we found a fantastic house that is very similar to how we lived in France. There's a small garden where we can grow food, and the children and cats have made themselves at home," says Arnaud.

Arnaud and Blandine now both work as project managers at Northvolt, and the children have been placed in a school and kindergarten near their home. After some repainting and upgrading, the house was ready for occupancy in April.

- Both the children and we enjoy it very much. It is a quiet and beautiful residential area, the teachers have been fantastic in making the children feel safe and Skellefteå municipality really makes an effort to make it easier for new residents to feel welcome. This is home now," he says.

And for those considering making the same journey as Arnaud and his family, he has a few tips:

- Write a personal letter telling about yourself and your family, your lifestyle and what you are looking for in a home. It is important that both you and the landlord feel confident that there will be a good match. And get help from your municipality and employer - it is not easy to know the rules and conditions that apply in a new country.

Are you thinking of renting out your home in Skellefteå?

Skellefteå municipality has put together a page where you can find everything you need to know about renting out your home. There are links, tips but also information on how to get in touch with a housing officer.

Link

Northvolt has a special housing bank and matches your property with one of their housing applicants. Here, both landlord and tenant can get help with rental contracts and key delivery for a safe rental for both parties.

Northvolt's housing bank External link.