[Guernsey Banks Warning!!!]

Taking Glyn's points that one step further one could argue what value a guarantee in this current climate. Even individual national state compensation schemes are only as good as the wherewithal that is available - and if you actually read some of the scheme details, some may be surprised to learn that there is a limit as to what will be made available & over what period! So several large collapses at the same time could theoretically mean very reduced levels of compensation for all- or nothing at all for some. Moral of the story as always is do not put all your eggs in 1 basket - spread it around.

[Living in France for one year]

So what does anyone really care? .

Well actually I care - because for every person that gets around the system and does not pay their dues, I have to pay a litttle bit more.

It's about time folk realised that they are not cheating the Government who are fair game, they are cheating their neighbours.

As for the OP if (s)he can legitimately use the system and pay no tax, then jolly good luck, becuase sticking by the rules is just fine by me.

Here here Andy,

I don't post that often as you can see but we read the posts most days and I want to say right here and now a big thank you to all on this forum who have helped with my queries along the way especially with tax returns info and more importantly the hard work and enormous amount of time spent (voluntarily) on the changes to joining the french health system which was very important reading to us. If that means to some that we are all fluffy etc then so be it.

Kneegel and Chris

[OU verb help?]

Hi Keni,

I did the same course (Bon Depart?) a couple of years ago and ran it alongside Michel Thomas. I can still hear Michel loud and clear in my head when I'm trying to sort out my verbs. You have to ignore his accent and some people find his two students a bit annoying but for me it helped immensely as I was a complete beginner to the french language (I was 52 went I started!). I would have struggled with the OU on it's own and found that there was only two of us at the monthly tutorials that were actually beginners, the rest (about 14 of us) of the group admitted they knew some french and it was an easy year option for them to gain some more credits towards their degree and so the two of us were embarrassed to ask questions. That said, a very good course to do.

Bon Chance, Chris

[Orange]

Just wanted to say thanks to all for the replies, I have sent on the information and they are very grateful. I have also learnt something else that I didn't know before from the forum - as usual!

Chris

[Orange]

Hi Sueyh,

I'm not sure who installed it, I have a feeling the english estate agent they bought the house from may have helped with it as they couldn't speak the language. They certainly were not paying tax in France as they moved to France around May 2009 and as said are now back in the UK permanently due to ill health. It sounds to me as if they won't be getting something they may have been entitled to. That said, I never realised you could get a tax break if Orange installed your live box, why is this?

Chris

[Orange]

Bugbear, thanks, I got it to something along the same lines but I don't understand the 'reduction or tax exemption' bit and as my french isn't that good I was hoping someone could explain.

Chris

[Orange]

Hello all, help needed please!

My neighbour has received a letter from Orange stating the following and has asked me what it means:

'Votre attestation fiscale Orange Assistance n 2009-0000118754

Bonjour

Au titre des prestations d'assistance informatique et internet a domicile realisees pour vous par Orange Assistance, et dont le detail est donne ci-dessous pour l'annee 2009, nous vous remercions de prendre note du montant total des prestations effectivement acquittees ouvrant droit a reduction ou exoneration d'impot ; 110.00

CMD 110.00 - total acquitte reduction d'import 55.00'

I'm not sure exactly what it means so I hope someone can enlighten me as I've never received anything like this. They are no longer living in france are over 65 and have always paid their taxes in the UK.

Many thanks, Chris

[A question for the ladies]

Hi Sueyh.

I knew I shouldn't have read this as I go tomorrow at 4:30 and now to add to my list of being embarrassed losing the language and going deaf I will now have to fend off a very wide grin if any of this comes to mind whilst the business is being done. If only I could translate this into french and recite it whilst there what a hoot that would be!

Thanks, Chris

[Woodburning stoves / cookers]

Big Mac,

No problem at all I think I gave you our number, in fact I thought I'd already posted this reply but as it's not there - I've lost the plot yet again or maybe I never had it in the first place!

kneegel

[French Gastronomes admit Britain was right - Parsnips !!!]

Last year I had just made some parsnip and apple soup when Chantal my french neighbour arrived. She asked me what it was and I gave her a spoon to taste - ugh was the reply, beaucoup de sucre she stated, Non i replied, beaucoup de creme she said, Non i replied. She told me that pannais where used to feed pigs, perhaps I said but I bought these in Super U and we use them a lot in the UK. Several weeks later we were invited to dinner to meet some of their friends. A conversation started up about parsnips on sale in the supermarkets and had any of us tried them, Chantal said she had never tried pannais, unfortunately I blurted out yes she had tasted my soup, I received a killer look before she remembered and especially when one of her friends said parsnip and apple soup was very good!

Chris

[Woodburning stoves / cookers]

Big Mac, have pm'd you.

[A question for the ladies]

Hi all,

Just to say many thanks to all for the support via the forum and the emails - you've made me take my head out of the sand and I shall make the appointment this afternoon.

Chris

[A question for the ladies]

Suein56,

Thanks very much for the info much appreciated, I too would have been floored by the 'r' question.

Chris

[A question for the ladies]

Hi,

Guess I'll just ignore the letter second time around then and dim!

Chris

[A question for the ladies]

Hi Woolybanana,

Do I detect that you have man boobs?

Chris

[A question for the ladies]

Hi

This is going to sound absolutely ridiculous but can someone tell me what happens when you go for a breast test. I've received a letter asking me to make an appointment for the said test valid until March, and apparently it's 'gratuit'. I would be grateful for any info regarding what I may be asked and also what happens. I shall be so embarrassed about it that I'm sure my small knowledge of the french language will dry up and I shall probably go deaf at the same time due to shear panic. I have to say I ignored the first letter that ran out in December making other excuses but I feel I ought to make the appointment and stop being a whimp !

Chris

[Returning to the UK]

Hi Judith,

I believe you are so right about the op being done sooner. In fact, he was quite ill had difficulty breathing before they went back to the UK for her check up and I suggested he go to the doctor, he was reluctant again language problem so I suggested the pharmacy where he was given medicine for his chest. I was hoping he'd go to the doctor as I'm sure he would have ended up in hospital immediately and I know from another friends experience that he would not have been out of there until all the tests /ops etc had been carried out. Trouble is he worked for the NHS and was very positive about the system - I don't think he's so pro NHS now though.

[Returning to the UK]

Hi Tony,

Maybe you are right, I don't know, perhaps I'm being naive we ourselves have done everything by the book (terrified of french authorities!) and as said previously I don't know about their past, they came to me for help and that is what I'm trying to do. They received their OAP last year which would then I believe entitle them to an E121 doesn't that cover health treatment anywhere in the EU. One of them receives a civil service pension and therefore it's automatically taxed in the UK.

I must say I'm learning a lot from all of this, keep it coming SVP.

[Returning to the UK]

[quote user="AnOther"]Possibly more to this than meets the eye sweets [;-)]

[/quote]

Nothing untoward AnOther just a serious of unfortunate mishaps and that's not to mention the problems they've had with the renovations undertaken by an english 'artisan' with a siret number which we now know holds absolutely no guarantees whatsoever but that is another thread.

Kneegel

[Returning to the UK]

Hi Sweet 17,

Agreed, but the wife had been waiting for a date for a minor NHS operation to be carried out in the UK for which she had been waiting a long time and the operation finally took place in the latter part of last year but which then took longer than expected to heal up so there was a lot of travelling back and forth. It was the final check up in December when her OH took ill.

They really have had an unfortunate time.

[g and j]

No french person yet has been able to pronounce my name which is nigel so since living in france I now answer to what sounds like knee gel even my mother forgets when she's over here and calls me knee gel!

[Returning to the UK]

Thanks Benjamin, I'll pass that on to them. Kneegel

[Returning to the UK]

Thanks Will and SD that's also answered the question about capital gains.

As I've said I'm not sure as to their past, they have a government pension so had to be paid in the UK as well as the old age pension so would be on an E121. Although they bought the house in Jan last year they didn't move in until the end of May when the renovations were completed and I know they have not registered with CPAM - that was going to be done this year with our help so I'm not sure if they can find other proof of permanent residence. I will check with them.

Thanks so much for the info..........kneegel

[Returning to the UK]

Thanks SD for the info. I don't know too much about their past other than before moving to france they had been living in Spain for two years. Presumably the capital gains tax potential is only on any profit derived from the sale of the property however in this instance, I doubt the sale of the property will cover the original purchase price and restauration costs (they have all the bills). I am correct here?

Thanks, Kneegel

[Returning to the UK]

Hi,

My neighbours (and good friends) are in the UK at the moment, they went over for Christmas and unfortunately he took ill, went into hospital and it seems he may have cancer. He is waiting the results of more tests but it seems very likely he will be having an operation. Whatever the outcome they have decided to sell up here as they don't speak french and say neither one of them could cope on their own here. They've asked me if I could find out what they would have to pay if anything on the sale of their property and if they have to come back to france to sign the paperwork, the house was bought in joint names but at the moment he is unable to travel.

I don't have a clue so I'm hoping someone can either tell me what's what or point me to some websites with answers as I would like to help them as much as I can.

They are in their mid 60's, have owned this house since last January, are tax resdident in the UK, do not have a home in the UK and are staying with their daughter at the moment.

I would be absolutely grateful for any information.

Kneegel