Hereford
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Posts posted by Hereford
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We are currently paying €177 a month (i.e. for ten months). Our house is old, 3 bedrooms but double glazed and well insulated. Only downside is ceilings upstairs which go up to the point in the roof.
We use electric heaters throughout, thermostatically controlled and very efficient. Occasional use of wood-burner in sitting room. Normal use of washing machine (just two of us), a dishwasher but no tumble dryer. Bottled gas for cooking at about 9 botles a year.
Certainly these costs are higher than the UK but more than balanced by lower property taxes. We feel it is the overall tax and utility bills that should be compared.
hereford
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We travelled back to France from the UK on 18th September. All was back to normal - thougna very bumpy crossing!
We will continue to use Speedferries, unless the tunnel comes up with something to compete. We live in France now and no longer make five crossings a year (and in any case have no UK address).
We stayed the night in Boulogne on the way to the UK - still cheaper than going via the tunnel on a normal fare.
Hereford
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Jo-Jo
This is what we did, and overall it has been very successful. Beware extras that creep in. e.g. 1000€ to EDF for bringing electricity underground from road (in Manche this has to be done on a new supply) plus miles of expensive cabling on electrician's bill.
Terrassement was a separate bill, as it obviously depends on the site. We also found that the "but say" estimates in the contract for tiles (floor and bathroom etc) were very mean, we needed extra wall tiles and found it hard to find any within the price estimate so paid extra.
If the contract says it will be finished within 10 months of start on site (of the builders not terrassement) then that will be the date not a minute earlier. French builders will not be hurried.
You can send a message to our in-box if you would like any further info. Good luck. You will be very satisfied once it is done.
Hereford
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We think that a good proportion of property sales to the English now are re-sales from other English people. So.... the money comes into France on one hand and goes out again? Not sure anyway if property sales affect GDP. If a Frenchman sells to an "Anglais" is that an "export" !!!!
Do we have any economists who use this site?
Hereford
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When we bought our property, for renovation, we had one damp corner. Our architect told us it would dry out at the rate of one inch per month. For thick stone walls this can be quite a time!
We had electric heating installed and until we moved over permanently left them on "frost guard" setting all winter. We have had no damp problems since.
Hereford
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[quote]We too are awaiting completion of a new house and have just paid this years Tax Fonciere on the terrain, as I understand it once the house has been completed then the tax is not payable for 2 yrs fro...[/quote]
"Also can anyone qualify what is meant by new houses being clobbered for tax ??!!!! "
Well you certainly pay 19.6% tva on the whole thing, including fitting kitchen, wood burner etc.
Thanks for other info, perhaps we were panicing for nothing if you don't pay for two years. We think now that we will just pay what we have been asked for and await events.
Hereford
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Many thanks for such a speedy response! The building company have all the paperwork for the permis so we will get on to them. They are a big company who build lots of houses in this area (Manche).
We know that the tax is only assessed from 1 January after it is completed so you are probably OK for this year!
Hereford
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We had a new house built by a firm of house builders (i.e. did not employ individual workmen ourselves). Moved into the house last summer (2003), final work all finished before Christmas.
We have just had Taxes Foncieres which still shows property as "non-bati" rather than a house! Please could someone tell us whether we or the building firm should have told the authorities the house was finished? If the builders then we will write to them. Otherwise how do we go about getting this corrected. We prefer to play by the rules and not just accept an incorrect bill!
Many thanks for any info
Hereford
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Tresco: My parents did even better - they asked us (in the UK) if we really wanted to retire to France and when we admitted that we did said "good, we want to come too". Which they have, aged 78 and 79, and had a new house built for themselves a few miles from us.
Hereford
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Not necessarily, it will depend on income taxed in France as well as Uk. The French take your total - worldwide income - to decide tax rate (i.e. as if all was taxed in France) and then apply that rate to income taxable in france. Everything except govt/teachers/civil serv pensions (i.e. paid by a govt. dept) and income from property will be taxable in France. Even interest arising in the Uk.
For instance if taxable in France is 10,000 euros (after allowances) and worldwide income (after same allowances) is 20,000 euros the tax payable will be half of the figure shown on the "bareme" (i.e. chart showing tax on any given level of income). Plus of course the 10% social charge on interest. All figures in France net of "allowances". It does not affect us so we are not sure where tax paid in UK on pension comes into calculation, if at all - perhaps someone else can comment? Interest is always taxable in France (if you live there!!) even if paid and taxed in UK. UK authorites will arrange repayment of tax deducted.
Sorry this is really confusing to explain here and impossible to work out without using one's own actual figures. I think you should go to the local tax office and ask them, they do seem quite helpful.
Hereford
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Thanks Leslauriers! We confused you, sorry. (We were talking euros) The 22724 was world wide income after all French deductions, (10, 20% etc). Our UK income is rent not pension.
We have been able to check that the 1063 euros is correct. The reason our "tax" is higher in France is because of the 10% social charge which in our case is on 6025 of interest. Our fault for having our income in that form..... The actual income tax is of course lower than it would be in the UK.
The difference is around 200 euros. We are a husband over 65 and a wife below 60.
We are not complaining - we enjoy life here in France and other things (council tax) are cheaper.
Hereford
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It is not quite so simple as just looking at income liable for tax in France, as we discovered today when visiting the tax office for an explanation of our tax bill this year.
When you fill in your tax return in France you have to put in a box the amount of income that is to be taxed in the UK - e.g. govt pensions, rent. Plus of course income taxable in France, OAP, interest (UK or France or elsewhere).
After allowances (various deductions) from the French taxable income they add remaining worldwide income. Then work out the tax due IF all was taxable in France. Then.... divide this answer by world income and multiply by that which is taxed in France to give tax payable. Plus of course the 10% social charges on interest.
So: Worldwide income 22742
Taxable in France 14164
Potential tax on 22742 = 1707
so: 1707 divided by 22742 multiplied by 14164 = 1063 and this is our tax bill. Plus 10% social charge later.
In our case we are paying more tax than we would in the UK (if 10% is incl)
Therefore even a small amount of French taxable income can attract some tax!
Hope this has not totally confused you!
Hereford.
Ramoneur needed near Chalus Dept 87
in House Renovations
Posted
We are in Dept 50 so no help on finding you a ramoneur but....
our local DIY stores sell "ramonage" logs to burn in your fire/grate which seem to come with a "certificate" (so the box says). Box implies they do something to the chimney to remove deposits. Has anyone used these? Are they really an alternative to a sweep?
Any info gratefully received. We allowed a "travelling" ramoneur to do ours. Took ten minutes, used my black sack and dustpan and brush and charged 80 euros. No certificate as such given just a receipt with name and address.
Hereford