Je vais vivre et travailler à Kinshasa dans une semaine. Je cherche un logement (appartement ou studio) pas trop cher mais propre dans le quartier de Gombe. Auriez vous des conseils (où et comment chercher) à me donner ou des infos pratiques?
Je suis congolaise d'origine, bien que n'ayant jamais vécu dans le pays. Essaie d'entrer en contact avec d'autres congolais, là ou tu vis. ils sont très accueillants et très amicaux. Je suis certaine que tu trouveras quelqu'un qui pourra te fournir les informations dont tu as besoin.
Et bien il va falloir adopter l'usage local : passer par un commissionnaire.
Un commissionnaire est un intermediaire dont le but n'est que de toucher sa commission (1 mois de loyer). Malgré cela, ce sont des gens incontournables, mais qui n'ont aucune qualification en immobilier. Ils n'ont aucun scrupule a te faire perdre ton temps et t'emmènent souvent dans des visites hasardeuses, sans vérifier qu'il sera possible de visiter, ni que le logement correspond a tes critères. Malheureusement, ils n'ont pas non plus de photos. Il faut donc bien cadrer les conditions : préciser que le transport est a la charge du commissionnaire s'il n'est pas en mesure de présenter un logement correspondant a ta demande, ou s'il n'a pas prévu d'obtenir les clés.
Dans les criteres, préciser s'il faut un logement vide ou meublé, nombre de pieces, le montant du loyer est a discuter avec le proprietaire (c'est mieux si un collegue congolais se charge de cette negociation finale).
La Gombé étant un quartier très recherché, il faut peut-etre envisager le logement en hotel pour commencer. Penser aussi que, sans moyen de transport, le choix ne permet pas de loger dans des quartiers éloignés plus résidentiels et moins chers (mais avec risques d'embouteillages matin et soir), comme "Ma Campagne" (a l'ouest), "Limete" (a l'est). Eviter les quartiers sans électricité (rues non éclairées la nuit, insécurité).
Sinon il y a le bouche a oreille, un expat qui temine son séjour et va libérer son logement. Mais là il faut etre déjà sur place et etre en contact avec la communauté d'expatriés (tres facile, si on fréquente les supermarchés ("Kin Market", "Hassons"...) ou les restaurants ("Picolo", "3615" a midi ou avant 19h), engager la conversation suffit...). Il y a parfois des petites annonces dans les supermarchés, et dans les centres culturels.
Pour choisir son logement bien faire attention a l'équipement inclus dans le prix (une climatisation qui ne refroidit pas n'est d'aucune utilité; verifier tous les accessoires fonctionnels, qu'il y a un compteur qui fonctionne pour les fluides, eau et electricité, lorsque le montant n'est pas inclus dans le loyer, pas d'odeurs de refoulement egout...).
Il faut nécessairement des barreaux et du grillage anti-moustiques aux fenetres, un réservoir d'eau avec sa pompe.
Si possible un gardien, la climatisation, un emplacement pour un enventuel véhicule, un régulateur de tension pour éviter d'endommager TV, Hifi, ordinateur.
Faire établir un contrat de bail écrit, c'est important; avec mention des index des compteurs. Meme chose pour l'état des lieux écrit (prendre des photos des dégats existants et le faire mentionner sur l'état-des-lieux).
S'assurer aussi qu'il n'y a pas de faux frais cachés (qui paye le gardien, l'enlevement des ordures, les chaines de télévisions...)
Le dépot de garantie ("caution") ne peut légalement dépasser 3 mois de loyer (legislation de RDC). Mais il arrive que des propriétaires demandent plus que cela. Savoir aussi que le dépot de garantie ne sera jamais remboursé, donc il vaut mieux cesser de payer le loyer suffisamment avant la fin prévisible du bail, meme si cette disposition est interdite dans le contrat.
Un grand merci pour toutes ces informations forts utiles.
En effet je n ai pas de moyens de transport privé et de ce fait je vais devoir trouver un logement dans le quartier de Gombe qui est proche de mon travail.
Aurais tu une idée des prix pour un appartement ou studio certes petit mais propre et correspondant a ta description... pas forcement nécessaire qu'il soit meublé?
D'ailleurs connaitrais tu de bons commissionnaires pour trouver un logement? Et tout autre bouches a oreilles ... j'arrive donc dans 1 semaine a Kinshasa.
Sur la Gombé j'avais trouvé un appartement meublé, salon, cuisine, 2 chambres, salle de bains, climatisation, cuve a eau, pour 1200 dollars par mois avec 20$ de charges, et c'était un bon prix pour le quartier. C'était proche du "3615"; il y avait assez peu de coupures d'électricité (2 a 4 fois par semaine).
Mais l'inflation est forte au Congo (et pour moi, l'euro est en train de se déprécier face au dollar). Peut-etre aussi que le départ progressif de l'ONU a remis des logements sur le marché et fait baisser les prix ?
Les studios sont rares, on trouve plutot des 2 a 4 pieces. Il arrive que les logements soient tres sales (motif pour faire baisser le prix). Les loyers sont déterminés un peu n'importe comment (difficile de trouver une moyenne par quartier). Il y avait une pénurie immobiliere en 2008, et speculation qui a l'air de se calmer, puisque la crise financiere a fait fuir beaucoup d'expatriés.
Sans transport, Kinshasa est vraiment galère (bien connue des kinois). Il existe quand meme le taxi collectif (a 200 Francs congolais [2008] pour traverser toute la Gombe de la gare jusqu'au carrefour Batetela), ou le taxi "express" nettement hors de prix. Et quelques bus réguliers (souvent bondés).
Pour les commissionnaires, je ne recommande pas ceux que je connais : nuls, et d'ailleurs ils sont basés dans une commune très éloignée. Par contre, ne pas hésiter a interroger les gens que tu vas fréquenter, au travail, les commercants...
Je n'ai pas de tuyaux récents, parce que je n'ai plus ces problemes de logement, et j'ai mon propre véhicule lorsque je suis en RDC.
La société Utexafrica loue des studios et appartements, ils sont situés dans le quartier de la Gombe au bout de l'avenue du 30 juin, rue Colonel Mondjiba.
Ils l'ont fait parce qu'ils ne savaient pas que c'était impossible.
Après avoir lu ton message sur le logement en RDC, je me permets de te contacter. Je suis arrivé à Kinshasa depuis une semaine, actuellement en collocation dans un appart à Gombe. Le quartier est Ok (…d’après ce qu’ont dit ?!?), par contre l’appart est un peu vieillot, mal équipé, avec salle de bain et wc désastreux. Pour couronné le tout, nous sommes au 23eme étage avec un ascenseur H/S.
…c’est pas vraiment rigolo !!
Je cherche donc quelque chose de plus « commode ». Par bonheur, peut-être as-tu des infos à me faire partager, des contacts, conseils etc.…
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