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Thanks for all the replies. For the past 20 years I've been sailing along thinking that the Taxes were payment in advance rather than arrears. So all does seem in order.

Anybody give me a clear answer on this please ? I sold my house in March 2019 and was surprised to find that I'd still have to pay the full taxe d'habitation when the bill comes in November 2019. The Notaire said that this was based on the person resident in the property on 01 January 2019 as 'everyone has to be living somewhere'. I also received a pro-rata payment for Taxe Fonciere from the buyer which I believed to be for the period Nov 2018 to Nov 2019 which I'd already paid. Now I've received the latest Taxe Fonciere bill. I queried this with the Notaire who says I must pay it. I'm confused by this, am I not paying both bills for the period Nov 2019-Nov 20 despite me not owning the property ? Or do I have this wrong and both the Taxe bills are paid in arrears for the year just passed ?

Does anyone know if Credit Mutuel has an English speaking helpline? I’ve had huge problems getting the bank in Lassay Les Chateaux to assist me with a problem from here in UK. They don’t even bother responding to emails and the online banking is worse than useless. The official website does have some pages in English but does seem to stop short of a contact number. As with the local branch, there has been response from emails sent as a general query. thanks

After 20 years I'm at the point of selling my holiday home in Lassay Les Chateaux, and will sign it over in a couple of weeks. Anybody help me with a checklist of who I need to tell/how, what and when I need to tell them ? I only have electricity with EDF, no phone, and all the rest is eau, ordure, taxe fonciere, taxe d'habitation, etc. Any advice appreciated. Thanks

Apologies, I probably didn't make my query very clear. No, I'm not being taken for a mug or being preyed upon as les anglais. The big difference in valuations I can put down to the variation in prices in a place like Lassay where, for example, a 1 bed, 50 sq Mtr, is up at 48k, and a detached 3 bed at 49k. Different target markets, Paris weekender/Brit family holiday home accounts for some of that. As I said,in my own mind I pitch my own at 40k in my hand, meaning sale price of 45k. My query was really how likely a local French immo would be OK with listing a property above their own valuation (one of them), or listing well below their own valuation (the other one), given that ideally I want to have them both list it.

I've had a holiday home in Lassay Les Chateaux for about 20 years. It's too big for me now as the 5 kids have grown, and even when they do go back for the odd break it's usually just as a couple. So I'm starting to think about downsizing and finding a smaller property in the village. I've had 2 immos come and give me a valuation, which have a pretty wide variation of 40k and 55k, inc fees. Both of them opt to charge the fees to the vendor, round about 9%. I'm not really in a position to try and sell it privately, as I'm not there often enough to arrange viewings, so I would like to have it with at least a couple of agents. Having never sold in France before, any advice on how best to proceed with the agents? Being realistic, I'd like to come out of the deal with 40k, before taxes. I'm not sure how the agents would react if I asked one to go up, and one to come down, to try it on the market at 45k inc fees. Any thoughts welcome

After my experience with the satellite dish, I am tempted to just do it and deal robustly with any consequences that might follow. The problem with that is lack of system knowledge and language skills. Also falling out with neighbours on who's goodwill one invariably relies upon. Think I might make a general query of the Mairie as a start.

thanks for all the responses, especially the garden wall story ! I suspected as much, but wondered if the fact that there was an existing, but in-filled, door opening there already would negate the need for extensive permission seeking. I'm also not familiar with the concept of Conservation Area type designations in France, or what constraints are imposed by that. In a previous French property, adjacent to an historic building, I wanted to put up a satellite dish of which there were at least half a dozen already in the street. I did the right thing and applied to Architects de France for permission and was refused. Neighbours said afterwards I should just have done it and not asked.

I have a blind rear wall on my small property in a small hamlet, but it's clear to see that one time there was a doorway in the wall that has been infilled. I'm thinking I'd like to put a window inside that old opening to let more light in. Is there a formal system in France for me to check what, if any, consents are needed to do this kind of work to a property built in 1650 ? Thank you