bigears

hi It was mentioned agnain this morning, on sky news.  Its a plot masterminded by Mandleson, newly back from the eu.  If there is a run on the pound and exchange rates settle at just over parity and interest rates are similar, perhaps it will happen.  The uk public might have other more pressing things on their minds.

ron Ron this lady seems to be a very independent lady who wants to do it her way, respect that. 

hi In my humble uneducated opinion the euro will be here long after stirling has gone.  Its the euro sterling rate the uk  eventually takes that is of concern to me as someone with more sterling assets than euro assets. 

hi Apologies for resurrecting an old post.  I heard a brief mention on Sky news (think it was sky, rather than news 24) this morning that said the UK was closer than ever to adopting the euro, the source was EU president Barossa.  So should we now consider is sterling doomed?  I would expect the rate not to be as good (for the uk) as was available to Blair (remember him).

hi Early zafira diesels were known for using oil.  Personally I have more faith in vw sharans.  Their old 1.9 pd engine (best in lower power versions) is as near as bombroof as you can get.  Its the zafiras seating system that is most appealing.  I've spent years carrying unwanted seats in and out of my house.  I've a ford transit 7 seater at the moment and am not a great fan of fords. 

hi Over the last 6 years, I have bought two supra woodburners in france, mind looking at the prices of these models today, I would not repeat the exercise, one is now well over 1000 euros.  The third stove I bought just this summer was a villager flatmate 8 kw, a quality low cost stove (I paid 450 pounds, delivered to the uk) and it included 1m of flue. Ok you have to transport it from the uk.  Prices are high here in france for the equivalent quality of stove, I believe they anticipate that the tax credit for residents will offset the high cost. 

hi I've read all the thread and am confused.  My woodburner works fine in my chimney without a liner.  Do I need to fit one by law?  I would need 7 -8 metres and at 80 euros a metre its a lot of brass for a me a retired old fogey.  Is this a gravy train? 

hi I like the sound of it. 'tax avoidance'.  I'm a firm believer in seeking out legitimate means of paying less tax.  Go for it.

hi this is a common fault on citroens and peugeots, I believe. 

hi my principal residence is in the uk, so I am obliged to pay for my telivision in france for my maison secondaire. 

hi just to say I'm about to write to the tax people to tell them about the non inclusion of the audiovisual payment, as I stated in my last post.  They missed it off the 2006 payment but was included on the 2007.  Can anyone give me the french for 'bunch of plonkers', I can manage the rest of the french for the email.

hi my tax habitation does not include the telivision, they must be hopeless.  I have paid the extra every year but the one before last when as has happened this year it is 0.  Last time I sorted it out by e-mail and after months received a one off demand for the extra, they refused a cheque through the post.  We are disappearing back to the UK for at least 4 months shortly and I'm concerned if I do draw there attention to it we will receive it when we are not in france and may be fined for a late payment.  I suppose I could ask them to send it to our house the uk.  I've got a good mind not to bother as its their mistake.

hi If its not much more than 6 months I wouldn't bother unless you particularly want to become french resident.

hi As a slow carefull driver, I agree that cars and 2 wheelers are too powerfull for the speed limits.  I suggest that future vehicles have engine management systems that don't allow them  to exceed a given speed limit.  It would stop people being 'taxed' for speeding.

hi Went to the pyrenees the other week for a walking holiday.  Great walks deliberately crossed the border a number of times. 

hi glad to see I'm being researched!  Forums can indeed become boring and do need an ocassional kick start to liven things up a wee bit.  If I say I don't have insurance for my car, it may not be a true statement, who is to know?   Need to get plastering, have to get as much done as possible before I exceed my 183 days in france, and that french tax man insists I fill out the first tax form of my life itemising all my and my wife's worldy income and assets.  

Hi In my last post I asked for the text where the french authoriities refer to their 183 day rule.  Nobody has yet produced such information. 

Hi I accept what clair states with her 3 criteria.  Parsnips can you quote the text where the french talk about 183 days. 

hi Thanks Will for your reply.  Ok I take what you say about Prudential, but the underlying investments will have taken a big hit (shares & property) and in the short term my policy has to run I cannot see things getting back to the good times enough so that there would not be any overall negative affect on the policy.  If the surrender quote is the same as I was given over the telephone, I will surrender it.  I will bang the cash ibto a high interest but safe account, the next couple of  years is just too unpredictable.  I can achieve a return of  the target value by this course of action.  I had always planned to let it run, I'm a bit disappointed I haven;t the bottle to do that. 

Hi Deb We too are in the Limousin, but so is my brother who is two hours drive away!  We are 25 min north of limoges.  We are both retired teachers, (my wife was a school teacher and I was a university lecturer) so slightly different circumstances.  We only stay for 6 months as UK residents.  I would say firstly go down the supply teaching route.  My wife even though she is retired also works for an exam board which pays quite well. you could consider that employment as well if you have taught examination children.  PM me if we can help in any way.

hi I've just obtained a quote from prudential (for an old scottish amicable policy) yesterday, just panicking a bit I suppose.  Its only got 2.7 years to go and its on target.  A couple of questions, perhaps Will could help. If the present crisis really went deep, could the likes of Prudential go bust, if so would my with profits endowment disappear? What are the underlying investments for such policies and how much are they likely to suffer in this crisis? The surrender value with Pridential, plus interest over the next 2.7 years plus the premiums we would not have to pay adds up to almost its target value.  It doesn't back any mortgage, its just a saving scheme. If I take it out I trust its not taxable. we are UK resident.        

hi I would rather go for the 'orse' as steptoe would say.

hi good rule of thumb, double all estimates and keep a lot of contingency cash.  Good luck.

hi after 30 years of students I now prefer building work. 

hi I don't like the idea of selling an endowment to a third party, its scary to think that another had an interest in your life (death).  The endowment I sold a few years ago went back the providing company.   Also be aware of the tax implications if you are french resident of benefiting from a maturing endowment.  When we were deciding a few years ago whether to become french residents, this issue of the tax implications of maturing endowments wasn't definitively answered.  Would have hated to see it taxed.  We, in the end stayed UK resident and have not regretted it.  We now have one endowment left that has 2.6 years to run.  It was on track to produce the original value, not sure what it will be like now, never mind will keep paying and keep my fingers crossed.