EuroTrash

Gengulphus, you are a hero. I loved reading your post, I got so much pleasure out of imagining them squirm. It's years ago now but I still remember only too well the seeing red and the waves of pure hate, that came over me every time another letter from them turned up in the mailbox.

The UK licensing authority certainly do maintain regular contract, we kept declaring that we had no TV and we continued to receive a neverending stream of threatening and offensive letters which more or less said that they did not believe us and the only way to escape prosecution was, buy a licence. They seem to think it is illegal not to have a TV. The van said TV Licensing all over it and had aerials and stuff on the roof. It's entirely possible that there is no equipment inside and they were just trying to scare us into getting a licence. Basically they are bullies.

[quote user="crossy67"]As a bit of a side note. TV detector vans, a reality or a con? [/quote] In the UK they are a reality. We had a visit once - we had no TV but the licensing people can't understand this, they think everyone has a TV therefore anyone without a license must be a criminal waiting to be caught. We saw a van that said TV Licensing all over it parked in the lane outside many evenings before they gave up. We were thinking of asking them in for a cup of tea, they must have got very bored sitting there. In France they do not exist because it is not watching TV that is the offence, it is having one in the house. So all they need to do is come and look. Which they do.

D - you ask who the magazine is aimed at, but that's not really the point, don't forget that magazines don't make their money from their readers - they make money from advertisers. The more subscribers they have, the more they can charge for advertising. And advertisers aren't going to want to advertise their services alongside articles that say negative things about the very things they are trying to sell or regions they are trying to sell them in. A bit like a certain other expat forum that deletes negative posts in case they offend its advertisers.

Have you tried MMA? When I first bought a car in France I was living between France and UK and I was still running a car in the UK as well. (And please don't anyone tell me that you can't own cars in two countries ...) MMA were aware of this but it didn't seem to matter. They asked for 10 years driving history and I had to dig out my old policy schedules, not the insurance certificates, and get my current and previous insurers in the UK to fax MMA confirming the dates I had been insured with them and that I had never made a claim. If I understood the chap at MMA correctly, the bonus/malus system here is not like in the UK when you have to 'earn' an NCB for each vehicle you insure and you can only use it on one vehicle at a time. All he seemed interested in was my insurance record, and once we had scrabbled together what he considered to be enough pieces of evidence, voila he allowed me maximum discount.

Easy answer ... live without it! And don't just leave it there and not watch it, because whereas in the UK the licensing team can only prosecute if they catch you in the act of watching TV without a licence, in France you can be prosecuted just for possessing a TV without a licence. Apparently they can invite themselves in and have a look around. Technically, if there was a TV in the house on 1st Jan, you have to pay for the year. But who's to know.

[quote user="Jacqui Too "]Thank you for your reply Is that amount for second homes?[/quote] Makes no difference if you only have 1 house in France. I believe that if you own more than one house in France you only pay one lot of redevance audiovisuelle. But I could be wrong.

Yes it is appears on your taxe d'hab bill and last year I think it was about 120 euros.

Is it really worth paying fully comp at that price? You could replace the car every 18 months or so for that. If after a year you have had no trouble, I'd seriously consider dropping to minimum cover unless you truly cherish your car. On the other hand, demonstrators do seem to enjoy setting fire to conveniently sited cars which must push the premiums up a bit for cars parked on the street in cities - but then again is this even covered or are riots excluded from the policy?

Many many years ago when I was nobbut a lass, I skidded on the RN on the way to Calais one icy morning going back to the Uk for Christmas. It was very exciting, I did a complete about-turn, swooping right across the carriageway in a huge circle, and more by luck than merit ended up against the crash barrier, albeit facing the wrong way. A chap stopped, saw I was alone in the car and shaking a bit, and told me to follow him to the nearest service area, he drove very slowly and I crept along behind and he bought me a coffee and didn't let me set off again until I had stopped shaking. At the time I was amazed that anybody would be so nice to a complete stranger, I didn't know it was his duty as a citizen. It's great that people help each other like this in France.

When I first took out car insurance in France with MMA I was told that any named drivers on my policy would accrue NCB. I've never known that with a UK insurer.

[quote user="Will"]The only thing that isn't clear is whether the OP's main job is in France or not. I think a French AE business alongside English employment, for example, would be a non-starter, for various reasons.[/quote] http://www.federation-auto-entrepreneur.fr/auto-entrepreneur/apce/faq-un-ressortissant-tranger-peut-il-tre-auto-entrepreneur.html

[quote user="sweet 17"]May I ask where you get the idea that "French residents aged over 60 don't pay taxe d'habitation at all"? I can assure you categorically that they do because OH and I pay it. [/quote] Sorry I'm having a (very) senior moment. I was thinking of tv licence and even then I'm not sure 60 is right. Ignore me everybody, I'll keep taking the tablets

[quote user="ITMA"][quote user="EuroTrash"]Might be worth adding that property taxes vary hugely from place to place, depending whether your house is in a hamlet or a large town and whether it is a prosperous area or a poor one. They are not income-related. [/quote] I think you should check on that. [/quote] The taxes are not income-related. They are related to your property and the commune. There are full or partial exemptions from taxe d'habitation for certain categories of people including a reduction for those on low income so yes in a way income does come into it. However this didn't seem to apply to the OP as exemptions only apply to French residents which he is not. But should probably have added that French residents aged over 60 don't pay taxe d'habitation at all so if he does still want to move here when he is 62, at least he wouldn't have that to pay.

Might be worth adding that property taxes vary hugely from place to place, depending whether your house is in a hamlet or a large town and whether it is a prosperous area or a poor one. They are not income-related. Can't remember if it has been mentione that once you become resident your savings and investment income will as a general rule become taxable in France. I would be wary of laying too firm a foundation to build on 2 years hence, Sarko will certainly need to think up new ways of raising taxes to keep the French economy afloat which could turn the best laid plans on their heads, in much the same way that the restrictions on healthcare for inactifs did a few years ago. With this in mind I don't really see the point in selling up in the UK and buying in France, and then staying in the UK for 2 years during which time new legislation could be brought in tthat could throw all kinds of spanners into the works but you would already be committed to the move.

Using internet on roaming would probably cost you a small fortune and on a contract you won't find out how much it has cost until you get your bill. I suspect it wouldn't take long to get through 100 pounds. At least with payg you know when your credit is used up.

[quote user="Derek M"] it might be difficult to get the 30€ reimbursement as I'll be in different addresses while in France and I wonder would they send it to the UK[/quote] Usually with these cashback deals the only way they will do it is to credit it into a French bank account. In my experience McDo or other interet cafes are by far the quickest and most reliable and hassle-free way to get a connection when you are travelling, not to mention the cheapest.

I know of a number of Brit who have moved to France and set up real ale microbreweries and they have found a niche market amongst the French as well as expats, but I get the impression they have had to work hard. Clearly there is a real ale market here but it will be competitive, you will be up against the local microbrewers and also Belgium and German beers. I don't know about licensing or the best way to set your business up, probably best to ask at your local chamber of commerce who should provide free business advice..

Hi Lynn, somewhere on the forum you will find a very lengthy thread on whether or not a UK resident can legally buy a car in France and register it at their 2nd home address, I think the conclusion was that technically it is probably not legal, but of course people do it. UK driving licence not an issue. CT should be no more than 6 months old i.e. at least 18 months left to run. Seller and buyer fill in a certificat de cessation. You register it at your prefecture, need to take various documents including cert de cessation, carte grise, proof of address, you'll find the list of docs somewhere. If it has a new style reg number (ie no dept suffix) you will keep the same number, otherwise you will be issued a new one and need to get new plates made. It's not a minefield really, only question is if it's legal! but that is a mere technicality. Happy motoring.

[quote user="Lollie"] But the Parlement has voted a tax for formation of auto entrepreneur, further info on that to follow!![/quote] Hi Lollie - could you clarify please, is this 'formation' as in the French sense meaning professional training, or 'formation' as in the English sense of forming/setting up a business?

This one says 2 dogs but maybe you could negotiate! Cragg Vale is nice and rural, easy access to Hebden Bridge. http://www.craggcottages.co.uk/

Hi Josa, there are LOADS of factsheets and 'guides' available, I think that last thing needed is one more. Expat forums and newspapers do them, financial advisers do them, property services do them, etc, people have written whole books on the subject. Whether they are all accurate and up to date is another matter. There can be no definitive checklist beyond the most basic requirements and it would be potetially dangerous to try and produce one because everyone's circumstances are different. Same goes for companies/individuals who offer hand holding services, there are LOADS of them and some are good and some are not. At the end of the day setting up a bank account and getting a few quotes for health insurance is not exactly rocket science, a lot of companies have English speakers and helplines. If you can find out the facts for yourself you will understand what is going on round you and you will be more in control of your new life than if you paid someone to build you a little cocoon to live in. You will be able to fit the jigsaw together for yourself, see the whole picture and work out what your different options are rather than blindly following someone else's advice. For instance, I don't know what was said in the previous thread that discouraged you from starting a business but probably it was the cotisations aspect. However you may decide that if you are going to live here anyway it may make more sense to start the business after all rather than be 'inactif'. Good luck with whatever you decide.

If you start here: http://www.apce.com/pid627/le-createur-etranger.html you eventually find: Personnes de nationalité étrangère ne résidant pas en France et souhaitant y exercer une activité industrielle, commerciale ou artisanale Vous souhaitez établir votre résidence habituelle en France pour y exercer une activité industrielle, commerciale ou artisanale - Si vous êtes ressortissant d'un Etat de l'Union européenne ou d'un autre Etat partie à l'Espace économique européen, vous êtes dispensé d'effectuer des formalités. - Dans les autres cas, vous devrez effectuer une demande de visa long séjour auprès des autorités diplomatiques ou consulaires françaises territorialement compétentes dans votre pays de résidence. Seront examinées la viabilité économique du projet, ainsi que sa capacité à générer des revenus suffisants. Dans les deux mois suivant votre arrivée en France, vous devrez solliciter une carte de séjour temporaire portant mention de l'activité. Vous n'avez pas l'intention d'établir votre résidence habituelle en France, - Si vous êtes ressortissant d'un Etat de l'Union européenne ou d'un autre Etat partie à l'Espace économique européen, vous êtes dispensé d'effectuer des formalités. - Dans les autres cas, vous devez effectuer une déclaration préalable auprès de la préfecture du ressort du siège social de l'entreprise, sauf cas de dispense. Hope this helps!

Poor wee lass, she'll be thinking you don't like journalists. A final pointer for Anna, if she is still researching, is, she might be wondering why there are so few jobs. If she hasn't already worked this one out she could start by finding out the levels of social contributions (NI) payable by the employer, and also how hard it is to dismiss employees, then she will understand why a lot of businesses are scared off employing someone. Which is why when someone gets a job, even at a supermarket checkout, they don't leave, so even in carp jobs you don't get the same staff turnover as in the UK. My local Mr Bricolage is about the same size as yer average B&Q, does home deliveries, installations and repairs, and has 12 staff in total. The boss comes out and prices up jobs, then goes back and types up the quotes himself, and as often as not he comes out and does the job himself too. I don't know how many people work at a B&Q but I would have thought more than 12.

Hi Tracy & Della No I'm ashamed to say I chickened out and bought a house in the end. I live in the van 6 months a year working on campsites, not quite the same. But the dream of freedom is still there so maybe one day, who knows.