John Brown

Thanks for all your help, Parsnips I think I've got it now ! I'll leave it the UK for a bit I think. Idun, I don't think its a Trivial Amount! It's the definition the Pension People give it. If the value of the fund is less than £17,500, its less than 1% of your total pension funds and you are over 60 you can have it all as a lump sum John

Thanks Parsnips Could I just confirm that calculation. Its the second, multiplied by 15 that I'm no sure about. Say, lump sum of £11,500,  divided by 15 = 766 , minus 10% = 690, multipled by 15 = £10,350 added to income When is this regulation likely to come into force ? Thanks again , John

I'm cashing in a Pension Fund under the trivial amount rules and understand that after taking 25% tax free the rest would be subject to UK tax. Because I'm resident here how is it treated in France. It's hardly made any profit over the last 8 years and is only just back past the original investment value. I know I must declare Income,  but getting your investment back with no real profit is it defined as income John

[quote user="Patf"]We have a 4yr old condensing boiler, but never had one before that. We also have huge gas bills, but I think it's mainly because the price of gas (propane) has increased so much the last 2 years.  Dec 2008     1.124,24€ per Tonne    "      2009     1.184,04€ " """""""""    "      2010     1.483,04€  """"""""""   which is about a 25% increase over the previous year's price. A new condensing boiler would cost around 3-4000€ - there was a thread about this a few months ago. [/quote] Latest price January 2011          1770.00 Euro  per Tonne. So any savings on gas would really make a difference

The largest UK DIY Warehouse Chain ( Two Letters ) withdrew the product from sale for a time because some Building Inspectors refused to agree that it achieved the performance values quoted. We had lots of rolls of the stuff returned to the Store I was based at, by Tradesmen who had ripped it all back out because the local BI had refused to sign it off. My understanding was that it did not conform to UK Building Regs because of its virtually total lack of sound insulation / noise reduction. ( More of an issue in the UK with flats conversions etc )  Doubts were also expressed at successfully maintaining a suitable joint, just using foil tape and with the mountings available then It was left, I think, with the product being sold only as a DIY product and not recommended for new build / major projects John

If you are resident in France and both are about to start receiving your UK Old Age Pension can you choose to have the pension paid into a UK Bank Account and transfer the money over in larger, less frequent lumps. I'm thinking of bringing it over quarterly or half yearly and benefiting from good spot exchange rates as and when they accur. The money would always be available anyway at an ATM in France for small emergencies How does the exchange rate the Pensions People can offer compare with the Big Money Exchange Companies. JB 

Thanks for all the comments. They have been really helpful We are setting off soon so wish me luck. Mind you it might be more of a challenge getting around in the UK Cheers JB

Because of the snow etc. I need to break my journey of over 800kms to the Ferry by staying over on route. I'll leave a day earlier so I can choose when and where to stop What are the Motels I've seen at the sides on the main routes to the north like. I'm only looking to rest our heads ( Me & OH ) for the night without all the frills ( as long as its clean ) Are there a national rate generally for each brand. I'm thinking of just south of Paris or off the A1 on the way to Lille Are they all priced similar. I don't what to book on-line so I can pack in for the day when we feel knackered  Thanks JB

Thanks for the sound advice Norman. I'll give them till next week and if its not arrived by then I'll email or call in to their offices. We should remain under the income limit until my OH starts receiving her pension in Jan 2012 and then me the following year. Until then we will dip into our savings in the UK JB

This year, for the first time, I'm expecting to get a nil demand on my Tax Habitation because I was over 60 on the 1st Jan 2010 and am just under the income threshold set for this year. The money I've been paying in by direct debit each month has to a cent been credited back into my bank account. I've not received any notification yet in the post. Is this normal or should I visit the Tax Offices asap JB

Limoges Airport for 12 days Car Hire ( Ford C Max )booked with Brianair link to Hertz.............. £275 unlimited mileage Limoges Airport for 12 days Car Hire ( Same Car ) booked with Hertz Website .fr..................... 524 Euro plus cap on mileage at 2500 km with a surcharge No comment

One of the reasons Car Hire is a reasonable price in the UK is the relationship between the Hire Companies and the Car Manufacturers. Hire Companies ( Some are owned by the CM.s ) get over 20% discount on new cars, rent them for 6/12 months and sell them at auction at little loss, if any This inflates the New Car Sale Volumes for the CM's and the Hire Companies get fresh stock before they look shody. John

Hi, We had a similar problem and spoke to HMRC. The young man I spoke to said "the hold up is in France where they stockpile the forms and send them over in bulk" ( mind you, he would say that ) and ring back in a few months time. It took about 12 months for our cheque to arrive, so it does work John

Copied from the Direct Gov Website Choices you have at State Pension age State Pension age is not the same as retirement age. Retirement age is when you choose to retire, but you can still work after State Pension age. When you reach State Pension age, you can: stop working and get your State Pensioncarry on working and get your State Pension as wellcarry on working and put off claiming your State Pension If you put off claiming your State Pension, you may be able to get extra State Pension or a lump-sum payment when you do claim it. If you go on working after State Pension age, you don't have to carry on paying National Insurance contributions. JB uote]

One of the things that is not made clear in the letter the Pension's People send is that the amount calculated to top up your contributions is based on the NI contributions for this current year and if you defer paying ( as we did ) of the period they say you are entitled to deliberate it over, the top up contributions can rise quite steeply. In our case because NI contributions had risen sharply over the years it took us to get around to topping up the contributions and it became uneconomic My wife would have been in her late 80's before we clawed it back. And a buck in the hand is worth.......................... Its also not mentioned in the letter that the rules are changing on entitlement Now the entitlement rules have reduced down to 30 qualifying years topping up should not be required by most people JB

I've found this information myself , which answers my question and might help others when planning their hedgeI've copied and babel fished this extract Plant well away Trees or hedges planted at property boundaries are often a source of conflict between neighbors. Full time of planting, it is perhaps worth remembering that there are rules in the statute concerning the distances to maintain when installing a tree or shrub.       Share | What is the law? Here are the rules "basic": Tree and shrub with a height greater than 2m in adulthood (not the day of planting ...) should be planted at least 2m from the property line (fence). Tree and hedge not exceeding 2m should be planted at least 50cm from adjacent land.These rules do not apply to plants trellised: if there is a wall separating attached, each is free to lean an espalier, or climbing, provided that these do not exceed the top of the wall in question.if the wall is private, only the owner can plant espalier ... Bylaw? A hedge terraced These are general questions, beware! Your municipality or condominium could make changes to the law, which then take precedence. Learn hence the local and the existence of any municipal or prefectural orders on the subject. In Hall, the planning department at the prefecture, with the trustee of your home ... Regards JB

Thanks for your help Tony,  I've sent you an email JB

I've spent the last few months cutting down a conifer hedge that ran across the back of the garden. It had been allowed to grow to a great height and was unmanageable because of its width. It was planted about 2 metres inside my garden but because it had grown so big it reached the wall I've planted young privets much closer to the boundary wall ( dwarf wall with wire mesh fencing on the top to six foot ) but I've now got the distinct feeling that there are rules about hedges that run between properties. I was more concerned in maintaining privacy for both families ( they have a pool just the other side of the wall ) and will keep the hedge trimmed in line with the top of the fence. I can trim both sides of the hedge and hopefully it will look alright. I have involved my neighbour in the work so he knows what I've been doing. He speaks no English and my French is basic stuff but we get by. Another neighbour has now said we might have problems if next door ever sell and move. Our house was built over 100 years before next doors and the wall belongs to me. I THINK ! JB

Just a point about Limoges Airport Car Hire. A while ago I took a car back and the guy said he would take my word that the tank was full ( It was raining very hard at the time ) A week later I got a bill for 70 Euro as a surcharge for refueling ( taken off my credit card ) Lucky, I kept the receipt from the petrol station with the time and date to prove I had filled it up 15 minutes earlier So I got my money back after complaining. Keep the receipt ! JB

5 - Element, Thanks for the help . I have two left feet and got thrown out of  "Billy Martin's Ballroom Dancing Academy" when I was a lot younger so I will sit this one out JB

Hi, I'm not sure whether this post should come under "Health" or here. My wife has been to an Introduction to Line Dancing Evening and came away really keen. The application form  is split into a years subscription to the club and so many sessions but the form demands that you get a certificate form the Doctor saying you fit enough to do it. Does anyone have experience of this. How much does the certificate cost and how long does it last for ? JB

We often travel via Zeebrugge to Hull ( We come from "up north" ) and last month we took our 9 year old grandson back home after he spent the summer with us We were stopped at Passport Control in Hull and were questioned at length about our grandson sitting in the back of the car. He has a different surname to us and we were told we needed written permission to bring him back into the UK This is the first time we have been stopped but we welcome the change if it means children are safer because of it. What seems strange is that no check is made when taking a child out of the UK I thought for one terrible moment that we would be turned around back to the ship I explained to the "lady" questioning us that after 6 weeks I was not taking him back to France 6 weeks is a long time for a granddad JB  

Thanks to you both for the comments Tyres will be a problem by next year. Will there be a problem if I get the car re-shod with new tyres when we visit the UK at Christmas. Like lots of things ATM, they appear to be a lot cheaper in the UK Are they acceptable ! Even remoulds ? Thanks JB

My car is just coming up to three years old, from new. How old does the car need to be to require the French equivalent of an MOT. Does it last for two years. I would prefer to have the car tested when the weather is milder ( In case it fails and I need to manage without, while it is fixed ) Does the first test determine the date when further tests are due. Thanks John

Thanks SD, It's me! When it seems too easy, I start thinking I must be wrong. I'll copy the documents and call into the CPAM Office with them. JB