Coral

Hi Mandi I don't know if this will help but I shipped a couple of loads of my stuff from Japan - the last lot  in Spring last year .  On the advice of the shipping agent I shipped via UK. , the reason being that as a returning 'Brit' I would not have to pay any duty on goods more than 6 months old.  The shipment was then moved on to France - shipment within the EU.  - no tax charges, no certificate of residence needed. The difference in shipment cost was minimal and everything turned up on my doorstep in France without any problem. I hope this helps. Coral - nearly in the Ariege

If only...if only..... Max is a real beauty and if I had managed to get out of Japan and to my place in Ariege last year as I had planned I would not hesitate.  But  officialdom is keeping me  here  until July at the earliest.[:'(] Coral-should be in ariege ...NOW!!!

I was given the same advice shipping from Japan, Pancake. Somehow the car arrived through Southampton and the rest through London but it all worked out perfectly with all the goods finally delivered in Ariege.  The stuff arrived on Friday and the drivers shot off to Spain to spend the weekend on the beach ...can:t drive trucks at the weekend in France you know [;-)].   Good luck Pancake.  I envy you as I am still stuck here in Japan for another 4 months ...a CGT problem! Coral -  should be in the ariege!!!  

Freeze a half full bottle of water with a lid that screws on tight.  When frozen solid turn it upside down.  When you return you'll be able to  see whether  there has been a 'melt down' .  Cheaper than buying a plug in clock!  Coral  - nearly in Ariege

I have just transferred a sizeable chunk from my French bank account to UK (after managing to cancel a lost-in-the-post cheque).  Easy and quick!  and done from Japan!  I faxed a letter to the bank requesting them to  send XX euros to the fx currency brokers and faxed the currency brokers asking them to remit the funds on arrival to my UK bank.  It was all done in 4 days.  Just check on your French bank:s web site that they accept faxed orders.  I got a friend to pop in the bank to see if it would be OK first. Some of the countryside banks have got into the 21st century! Good luck Coral - nearly in Ariege -- nearly!  

[:D] Whoopeee!!! Success! !!  The payee was a solicitor in UK and he wrote a letter to the bank refusing the cheque and stating that it was lost in the post.  Faxed it to my estate agent in France who took it to the banque and explained the situation.  OK. No problem. Will refuse it if submitted.  I was just asked to send a fax cancelling the cheque.  All done and dusted.  I guess it helped having the cheque  refused by a solicitor and having the first fax sent by him.  The faxes were  were worded by my friendly estate agent so my generally garbled French did not confuse matters.  If anyone needs a wonderful estate agent in Toulouse or the wording of the letters, PM me. Coral - nearly in the Ariege

Thank you everyone for your comments.   Stomach is still doing flip-flops over the situation. The cheque is not small so I have to do something just in case a 'tealeaf' has helped himself.   I am looking at potential disaster. I have the registered post tracer report from this end and am waiting for the one from UK , plus the letter from the solicitor it was sent to stating non arrival.  I am hoping those three bits might help. Wish me luck! Coral - nearly in Ariege  

12/15 euros? Right TU! I think I can probably make up the cancellation expense by arranging an fx company transfer instead of the cheque Thanks for your comments. Coral  - nearly in the Ariege  

Thanks for the quick response.  It was for an amount more than my annual salary so if the registered post guys can't give me an answer by tomorrow (Friday) I think I 'll play it safe and cancel it.  I'm in Japan and post normally only takes 4 days - reason for the panic. Fingers...and everything else....crossed. Coral - nearly in the Ariege

Help!!  Can I cancel a cheque drawn on a French bank by fax ?  It was for a large amount and should have arrived in UK more than a week ago... and it wasn't sent by the Fench post.  I've got a tracer being put on it but I am panicking. Any advice please. Coral - nearly in the Ariege

Toulouse airport has quite  reasonable monthly and annual charges at one of their parking sites .  I used it for 2 weeks and it didn't break the bank.  I think it is P5.  You can find the charges on the internet .  A friend has also told me that Pau is cheaper ...around 300-400?? euros a year.  He parks there as his place is not close to any transport system and it allows him to pop down to his place at any time.  Hope this helps. Coral  - nearly in Ariege 

I don't think that newtoarea knows what he/she is talking about.  Tax in Japan is individual not couple based if both are earning money.  It also depends on how long they have lived in Japan and residence status.  On the French side - who knows?  I have had a load of differing advice so I am waiting until I get there to sort things out. Coral  -  nearly in ariege

Ok you are all set up and going to Uk.  Your pet has had his rabies shot and the laboratory has sent the certificate indicating the titre is over 0.05.  Great!  But was it signed and stamped? My moggie has had his shots regularly over the past 3 years and on checking everything with the  authorities equivalent to the DEFRA at this end they pointed out ... no stamp on the certification so into quarantine or no flight.  I've got to start all over again!!! Actually as I intend to go on to France I have found that I can take George E Pussybobs direct to France once the new certification comes through.  If I can get him on diet (he's 0.5 Kilo over allowance), Air France will allow me to take him free as carry-on luggage.  So BA with their high cargo charge can go whistle!!   Bit of a delay but can do. Coral - almost in Ariege

Thanks for the comments and advice.   I dug out the specs and the list shows PAL B/G PAL D/K1 SECAM B/G D/K1 (OIRT) as well as NTSC 4.43 /5.5.  So Martin your info about L (whatever that is) is probably the reason for the friend's comment.  So if I buy a French DVD/Video and route everything through it I should be OK. Right?  FYI it's quite an old TV but it would cost more to dispose of it this end in unburnable goods disposal charges than the shipment cost and it still works really well - great picture.  I'd better touch wood somewhere!!!   BTW most people suspect that Korea's choice of Secam was very much controlled by Koreans' easy access to Japanese programs. but that's another topic concerning TV licences and taxes. Coral - almost there - ariege  here I come!  

I live in Japan and am doing my final pack-up before moving to France. I  am not bringing my computer - just popping the hard-disk into my handbag. but I have a fairly new printer/scanner/fax.  It runs on 100V not 240V but  I am thinking of bringing it and using it with a transformer.  Can any of you experts tell me if this would work or if I would have unsolvable problems ?  would there be any difficulties with the fax? Also my TV is supposed to be multisystem PAL/NTSC/Secam/Mescam but a friend says that the Secam in France could be different.  Huh????  Help/Comments please!!!  I have been pulling my  hair out over the  so many problems in my move to France that I think I am going bald!! Any advice or information would be really appreciated. Coral - almost in Ariege    

As long as you are driving to a previously arranged MOT test you are legally allowed to drive an unregistered un-taxed car from the port of arrival (or your home if it has been delivered there by shippers) to the MOT garage in UK. You must have insurance which is a bit of a chicken or egg situation as the insurance company want the registration number but an exported car doesn't have a legal number - it should  have been removed.  However, with persuasion they will insure it based on the chassis number of the car. I imported my car from Japan where it had been de-registered and the number plate removed - I think a Japanese number plate would have caused monumental confusion! - got it insured over the internet and drove to the local dealers who confirmed that it was legal to drive to the MOT garage and from there to the place it was being kept (home).  THe papers I carried with me  were the de-registration , the ownership documents and insurance internet print out.  I had only made the appointment for the MOT by phone so I made sure I had the number and a name just in case.  But the police car that passed me didn't even notice. The car could not be used until I had been to the DVLA, submitted the documents, paid the road tax there and got the registration number which the DVLA managed to send me within a week. Coral - still a few weeks from the ariege  

Ian I am astounded.  How on earth did you come to pay £1,000 Japanese vehicle tax?! For the Mitsubishi I shipped to UK , a 2550 cc, I didn't have to pay any UK import duty or vehicle tax possibly because I inherited the car from my husband and we'd had it over 10 years.  In Japan it was only £250 a year vehicle tax and my Suzuki that I'm leaving here is only £20.       I was thinking of buying a car for France from Belgium and moving it through UK like you did but now I'm really hesitant about it!! You a right about being off thread so apologies to the admin.  but isn't it more info for expats moving to France? Coral  - almost in ariege  and the Tour dF is going almost past my front door! 

This UK/France/worldwidetax situation has me really befuddled. I am not yet a resident of France but I understand that when I am I will have to pay tax on world wide income/interest/profit etc.  So if I sell the home I have inherited in UK I will have to pay Capital Gains tax .. Right??  where?  inFrance or UK?? but if I sell the house I have in Japan I will be selling it at a 65% Capital LOSS.  Does anyone know if I can offset the loss against the profit?  I asked a couple of the tax "experts" who advertise in LF a couple of months ago but as yet no answers. Coral - nearly in ariege

In April I  shipped my car from Japan to UK with no problems at all except for the search I had trying to get insurance for an import.  My reason for bringing it to UK?  It is 10 years old and so unsaleable in Japan in spite of only having 30,000Ks on the clock and being in excellent condition.  The shiment cost less that i would  have had to pay for a similar car in UK.  I do not know if it would get past the bureaucracy  in France but rather than go that route I am leaving it in UK for use  when I visit family. If you are going to buy at auction in Japan and ship, get a model that is/was sold in Europe and conforms to EU regulations.  Japan has its own ideas and cars for the domestic market may not conform and have a lot of problems in EU.  Whether you could ship first to UK, deal with the dvla and then to France (??hmmm???) ....... it could work out cheaper. I am thinking of buying a Japanese car in France.  I know servicing is more expensive but how often do you see a Japanese car broken down at the side of the road?  Alternatively I am thinking about a Citroen Berlingo Estate... any advice anyone? Coral - almost in ariege.  

Hi everybody! My shipment is on its way -- At last!!  I found another shipper who is +/- GBP1,000 cheaper; offered an insurance cover costing considerably less; and arranged shipment via Felixstowe without question.  He thought that for me a shipment via Marseille would be crazy and suggesting it was plain incompetent.  So, my advice for any expat - or anyone - moving is definitely to ask around and keep asking.  I've been rather delayed with my move but I'll soon be there.  July!!! Tour de France!! Wine!! Cheese!! Thank you everyone for your advice, comments and ideas Coral - ariege in one more month! Hi Fumanzoku,  I mis-syllablized your name.  The catch phase in Tokyo these days is 'human' for just about everything with the usual f/h confusion.  Thanks for straightening me out.....but unsatisfied in France???  

Hi Fumanzoku Thanks for your comment. I really think the shipping co should have been aware of the tax position.  BTW I did wonder if your name meant human family   or discontented thief.  But then my dictionary is rather old and extremely limited. Coral - I want to be in Ariege!!

Peter I think that Belgium is more `reasonable` than France .  I spoke to the shipping dept where I work and apparently they always send their overseas (European ) transfers through UK. Ian An email has already gone to the shipping company with a request that they change the routing or I cancel.. along with a strongly worded and distressed complaint about their service! .. Luckily I got it out to them on the 8th day prior to scheduled packing so there will be no cancellation charge.   But that is an excellent suggestion to request/demand a discount.  Hmmmm!   Thanks for your support everyone.  I:m keeping my fingers crossed and I:ll keep you informed . Coral - I want to be in Ariege!!  

Hi Gay I think he said the TVA was on the declared value for insurance and the shipping company's minimum insurance value on a 20ft container is the equivalent of GBP7,000. So TVA ...? OUCH!!!  But it is just so frustrating that by going via UK I would avoid all that.  The difference in shipping time and cost is minimal.   I shipped my car back to Uk last month and it sailed through with no problems at all -- or VAT . Yes my move is going to be permanent eventually but I have to finish my contract here in Japan first.  I have to empty the place here to put it up for sale and home in UK has to be rebuilt for rental.  I am juggling so many balls and they are all in midair!  At least the cats' rabies shots are up-to-date. Coral - I want to be in ariege!  

I am not sure where this should be posted so I hope this is OK. I am in the last steps of packing up to move from Japan to Uk and France.  The shipping company gave me a list of documents I need to provide among them I need a Change of Residence attestation from the French embassy.  OK.  I went along and in the 'chat' (ie. broken Japanese/O level French/English ) it came out that as I am English and not French and as my property is classified as a holiday home I would have to pay import duty of 10%, TVA (19.7%?) plus other assorted taxes and that in spite of my stuff originally coming from UK over 20 years ago.  If it was being shipped from UK or another place in Europe these would not apply. I had already been warned that this might be the case and I had asked to go via UK adding a few items from home in UK, but the shipping company reassured me that it  wasn't so and thought I was misinformed (was trying to be 'clever').   They just booked me for a direct shipment.  I have tried to phone, I have emailed but no response and the shippers packing is supposed to be next week!!  Panic!!!!! I feel like just locking the door and walking away. So Expats be careful.  The shipping company may not be fully informed.  Your case might be unusual for them. Coral - I want to be in ariege!!

Try GE Money Bank.  They were very reasonable with me when Abbey Nat and Barclays rolled up with laughter at my loan application. Admin.  If this is classified as an ad, I apologise as it is only meant to be of help. Coral - soon to be in Ariege  ..... July I  hope!!