Doodle

We emailed our prefecture (Laval) asking if they wanted our birth & marriage certs translated - reply no not necessary. We took the originals and photocopies. They kept the copies but took their own set as well! We also took our parents birth and marriage certs and photocopies which they again copied. We were told that there is far more information on a french birth certificate than on an english one and the parents certs were gratefully received. (we sat and thought of everything that might be wanted and took it all except the kitchen sink!) Why not email and ask about translated certificates as it could save a few euros. Wishing you well for the rendezvous. Mrs A

https://www.connexionfrance.com/French-news/Brexit/Britons-in-France-and-Brexit-Setting-the-record-straight

A big thank you to all for the information posted on this forum re CdS. We went on Monday and after a very thorough investigation of all of our documents by two extremely nice interviewers we came out waving our Recipisse de Demand de CdS and were told we would be able to collect the cards in about 6 weeks. Mrs KG.

"Mrs KG, I don't agree that the LDD pays "virtually nothing in interest". It pays the same as a Livret A and stands at 0.75% at the moment. Whilst it might be peanuts, it's still better than our interest paying account in the UK which is some derisory amount like 0.05%." Agreed but my LEP as referred to in my post pays an amazing 1.25%! Mrs KG

We've had a LDD and an LEP for some years. The LEP we don't touch but the LDD which pays virtually nothing in interest is for any unexpected expense ie household repairs such as a replacement hot water tank the other year that cost just over 1000 euros and we can transfer the money quickly into the current account if necessary. Mrs KG

Hi idun, haven't been on one of these programmes but a while after we bought our house the previous owner showed us the video on utube where they had been on 'a place in the sun'. Their house was not for sale at the time, they were chatting to the presenter and a couple that were looking to buy a house and the chat was taking place in their garden. That garden is now our garden as a year after the programme the couple decided to move into a property with less work and to be in a nearby town with all facilities on their doorstep! Fortunately the OH new all about buildings from his career and so we knew what we were taking on work and money wise and oh my what a lot of it there was too!

DD re your item 3. I asked our prefecture if we had to have an apointment each and was told we must have separate appointments. So we now have appointments with a 1 hour slot separating us which I think is good as that gives me time to take the originals off the OH to take in with me! I don't know whether I will be classed as a family member or not but OH says don't if you don't have to as you may have to go through it all again if I (he) 'snuffs it' so would be glad to hear anyone's comments on this. I copied everything for the last 5 years and then read the latest RIFT letter that suggests doing the last 10! I've now got a massive file of 10 years of docs for the both of us - some the same ie tax, habitation, fonciere, bank statements, savings statements and have been told that as well as the 6 monthly ones all bank statements are needed for the last 90 days before the appointment. I've also got the OH to sign an attestation of herbergement that I printed off for me as someone I know was asked to supply one as like me the lady of that household doesn't have anything in her name. I've also just had my name included and printed off an EDF Attestation Titulaire du Contrat. Like you I don't want to not have with me something that we're asked for as it's an 80km round trip and my thinking is better to use up my printer ink. Oh and not forgetting I have transferred everything and more besides onto a USB key that will be going with us just in case they want more! One thing I do know is once we get our appointments over and done with we are out to celebrate big! https://www.remaininfrance.org/no-deal-checklist.html

I'm not sure this will give you much of an idea as it was at the beginning of Jan this year when the ANTS site was having severe problems and ours was a brand new left hand drive car bought in the UK so probably didn't help. In all it took 9 weeks!

BIB it's not to prove anything just showing that it could be worse ie 6.33% on a 79,750 purchase but it gives wriggle room for the agent. Mrs KG

BIB wrote "I’m not quite sure what you are saying. Most British residents would consider 5% commission to be huge. " I've just lifted this from Agence de la Tour Description Maison de ville a vendre-Lassay les Chateaux Nous vous proposons a l'achat une charmante maison de ville sur 3 niveaux ,située dans un cité plein d'histoire.Cette maison vous offre un pièce de vie de 31m²,une cuisine,trois chambres un grenier et un cave .Vous profiterez en plus d' un petit cour orienté sud ouest. Classe énergie: D. Son prix est de 79750euros dont 4750euros ttc d'honoraires d'agence (6,33% -soit 75000euros hors honoraires) à la charge de l'acquéreur.Pour plus de renseignements n'hésitez pas à contacter l'agence La Licorne Immobilier de Bais au 02.43.01.08.88en précisant la référence de l'annonce: B12643LB3 dont 6.33 % honoraires TTC à la charge de l'acquéreur. Référence annonce : B12643LB3 Le prix indiqué comprend les honoraires à la charge de l'acheteur : 6,33% TTC du prix du bien hors honoraires Prix hors honoraires : 75 000 €

If the seller wont be moved on the price as in our case then there is room for movement on the part of the agent if he's quoting extortionate fees especially if he wants to offload a property quickly as he did in our case. (English agent in the village selling for english who had bought the property from him!) Mrs KG ps anyone remember Mark Blackford?

[quote user="woolybanana"]Hang on, have I misunderstood, Mrs KG, the agent’s fee was 16%? If true, that is outrageous![/quote] That's what he told us. If he was fibbing I don't know but we were told at the time (2003) that agents fees could be anywhere between 8% and 16% and I guess he would have had to pay some commission to LR.

We went through https://laresidence.co.uk We said the area we were interested in, the price and the properties that we took a liking to from her site. LR made appointments for us with 4 agents - 1 french, 3 english over 3 days as there was some distance between them ie St Hilaire, Notre Dame de Touche, Lassay Les Chateaux and Domfront. We bought the last house that we visited. The agent didn't show us the particulars I found them whilst browsing through his folder which he'd placed on the table and when I asked about it I got 'oh yes that's a minute's walk from here'. We made an offer that the english owners didn't accept so the agent reduced his fee from 16% to get the sale finalised.

[quote user="EuroTrash"]I have at various times presented various documents printed from various online accounts as "originals" and it's never been a problem. There may be a degree of discretion and common sense involved so it may depend how picky and jobsworth your préfecture is. Common sense would say that état civile documents like birth and marriage certificates should be originals, but it's a meaningless concept for utilities bills and suchlike. After all even the tax office is encouraging everyone to go paperless so obviously more and more people's avis are going to be printouts from online...[/quote] Our prefecture can be picky! Thanks for the post ET. Mrs KG

Thanks CT for the very informative post. I am early retired, I've not worked in France and have nothing whatsoever in my name except the UK company pension, an LDD, LEP and Livret A which I have taken copies of. Everything else i.e. EDF, Orange is in OHs name. I have taken copies of our health cover (CPAM) top up insurance, french bank statements, impot, tax hab & fonciere - all of which are in both name. As we are both going on the same morning I'm trying to get a different set of docs for each of us. Basically I'm in the usual panic and trying to cover all eventualities i.e. if one of us hasn't got a document that might be requested the other one hopefully will be able to supply said document! Thanks again, Mrs KG http://services.completefrance.com/forums/completefrance-forums/cs/images/emotions/blink.gif

Sorry to be a bore in this very interesting chatter but I have a question re the original documents ie 'L’étranger doit apporter les ORIGINAUX, accompagnés d’une copie, des documents suivants :' - I haven't got any original french bank account statements for the last 5 years as the bank stopped sending them by post some years ago making them only available on-line. I have printed a set off for the last 5 years to hand over as copies but my question is what to do about supplying the originals or do I hope that the interviewer doesn't want to see originals. Hope this makes sense! Mrs KG

For anyone who may be applying at the Laval prefecture I have just had confirmed the rdv for myself and the OH for 1st October. In the time it took me to book a slot I hoped at 9am and 9:30am someone snook in there and grabbed the 9:30 so we now have a 9am and 11am but at least we can pass some of the originals to each other inbetween time! Oh roll on winter or brexit! Mrs KG

ALBF wrote "Did you give it a bath or something ? " Now how funny is that as right at this very moment I am listening via utube to Lemon Jelly's what do you do in the bath - well now I know!!

Thanks Judith for your earlier post it helps knowing that one is not alone in these matters. I think I should really post this on a separate thread but in reply to you, re keeping all docs on a stick that is exactly what I am doing. Two years ago my pc was hacked and I lost everything including photos which sent me into tears in the store when I was told they were gone for good. (I had the firevault on for security - not any more). So from that experience I went out and purchased 4 USB keys two with 32 storage for photos and the other two 16 for documents which I’ve been copying onto since acquiring my new pc - I’m at some point going to scan old photos over as well although I can use icloud storage for that. However, I didn’t think to dig out all the old french docs for the previous years and copy them over which I am doing now whilst gathering the docs for the TdS job. So I would say do it or as in my case lose it! The keys are so small now and I store mine in an old fireproof cash box in a very accessible place if needed to get at it quickly! Being risk averse 4 keys = 2 for back up just in case!!

Well I was in the middle of gathering 5 years worth of documents for the TdS to prove we’ve been here (11 actually) when in the midst of it came the request from Ameli stating it was urgent that I sent all the required docs to continue in the health system. 357 pages of scanning and then printing all of the documents has left me scwwwiffffy eyed and now……….very reluctantly I’m at it again for a TdS permanent for myself and the OH. So for the last couple of weeks I have been feeling really fed up with it all and really miffed cos in 2007 we applied to our local maire for a CdS who contacted the Prefecture. She in turn came back to us with the comments that they would not issue one as it was not necessary even though I referred to having no ID except my pissport. I don’t drive (never learnt) and so have been carrying around my passport for the past 11 years keeping one eye on my bag in case it got ‘nicked’ - I know an unlikely scenario in France but………anyhow back to this thread and I would like to say thank goodness for the RIFT site (Debra) for the very helpful advice and I suppose when and if I get this card I can consigne my passport to a safe place which will be a bonus. Sorry for the rant - I’m taking a break from the printer and numerous documents that have decided to fly off of the printer’s tray and cascade themselves all around the floor in no particular order! FFS!! Mrs KG

This looks interesting. Mrs KG https://eko-by-ca.fr/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIzvuwu_LV3AIV1eIbCh1U3A8JEAEYASAAEgKxRvD_BwE#xtor=AD-28-[responsive6]-[Generique]-[]-[Google]-[Ciblage-Audience-Keyword-HorsMarque]-[All]

I have just been filling in the questionaire that arrived with this letter. The last para ie 'Par ailleurs' is saying you acquire permanent status if you reside in France for more than 5 years (unless I've got the wrong end of the stick - quite possible!). So why do we need a TdS? Vous bénéficiez de la prise en charge de vos dépenses de santé en votre qualité d'inactifs communautaires. 
 le questionnaire ci-joint intégralement complété, daté et signé, les justificatifs de votre situation relatifs à votre résidence :
Pour justifier de votre résidence :
 Si vous êtes locataire : du bail, des 3 dernières quittances de loyer et de votre dernière taxe d'habitation. Si vous êtes propriétaire : de votre dernière taxe foncière et de votre dernière taxe d'habitation. Si vous êtes hébergé(e) : de la dernière quittance de loyer ou d'EDF de l'hébergeant, de l'attestation d'hébergement, d'une pièce d'identité de l'hébergeant et d'indiquer votre lien de parenté avec celui-ci. les justificatifs de votre situation relatifs à vos ressources et celles de votre foyer :
Pour justifier de vos ressources d'origine françaises et/ou étrangères des 12 derniers mois : Vos bulletins de salaire, allocations chômage, pension de retraite, rente, RSA, ASPA, épargne, revenus fonciers ou issus de placements financiers... Toutes les pièces justifiant de votre situation fiscale : avis d'imposition ou déclaration d'impôt. Important : vous devez fournir un justificatif pour chacune de vos ressources. Ce courrier et cette demande de justificatifs s'adresse aussi à votre conjointe. Par ailleurs, si vous résidez en France depuis plus de 5 ans, veuillez nous adresser : - vos 5 derniers avis d'imposition.
 - les 5 derniers avis de taxe d'habitation de votre résidence principale.
 Le statut de résident permanent s'acquiert après 5 années de résidence effective en France et si il est avéré vous ne relèveriez plus de la législation des inactifs communautaires. Pensez à le faire rapidement, votre situation pourra ainsi être examinée dans les meilleurs délais. Avec toute mon attention, Isabelle BEUNARD
 votre correspondant de l'Assurance Maladie

Thanks Sue - I had no idea - better tell the other half cos one day one us will get half of the others company pension - hopefully that day is a very long way off! Mrs KG

Hi all, I'm just filling in the questionaire but I don't know what 'reversion' means in this question - can some kind person please explain. Mrs KG Etes-vous pensionne(e) invalidite accident du travail/maladie professionnelle vieillesse reversion

and last but never least thanks Suein56! Looking forward to getting the S1 Jan 2020 (hopefully we will) if only for less paperwork at this end. I've only just got over myself having to do the tax return on line! I said to hubby last night I'm convinced that France will be the death of me hence the reason for 3 beers and a packet of crisps please! (or was that 2 pints of lager & a packet of crisps please!) I'm losing the plot!!! Mrs KG