Hollie

Hi there, Unfortunately the UK taxes have just gone up and they've gone up quite a lot! I imagine that Ryan Air have added a bit into that too but a lot of it is due to new taxes. Hollie

How about looking at Toulouse? Nearest ski station is an hour and a half away, spain is a two hour drive, andorra three hours and the med sea about 45 mins!

Hi, This has been quite an interesting thread. I'm currently studying for a masters in applied linguistics but specialising in Teaching english to speakers of other languages (TESOL), I'm looking to start teaching part-time this year and was wondering if anyone could suggest any books in regards to the french system... Basically i'm not sure of what level english should be in 6éme etc... Thanks

Hi Tony, Thanks for your reply. I'm actually a non-resident of France so I dont think it is necessary to declare myself. Please correct me if i'm wrong as only going by what advice I've been given. I am thinking about taking up some part time work though and once I do, then of course I would declare it for tax. Thanks

Hello there, I wonder if anyone has any advice... My boyfriend and I are looking to buy a house this year. I'm english and he is french. We have found a bank who will lend us the money even though I am paid into an english bank account.  Our bank mentioned the Prêt à taux zéro but wasnt sure if it would work. If we are assessed on my boyfriends wages we are entitled to borrow part of the mortage at 0%. If both of our wages are assessed together, we can not. I pay some tax in the UK but not in France at all. All comments appreciated! Hollie

Thank you for everyone's post. It really has been interesting to see what people feel at first hand experience... People have mentioned about whether I have any language skills and I've got a degree in French and my boyfriend is French so that shouldnt be a problem but I hadnt really considered the effect it could have on our relationship like Chris head mentioned... Need to start thinking outside of the box :-) Thanks

[quote user="Gastines"] You don't say if you have any experience of building renovation or even just decorating work? While it is satisfying to bring back to life a house,it can be very time consuming and quite expensive. If you have skills in this field you can obviously save yourself a few bob. It is worth checking that it will be your main home and that you can afford the cash and time to see the job through. If it does end up as a secondary home you could find yourself penalised by the CGT on the house sale and also be aware that there are now quite a few new regs regarding electrical works etc. etc.  Saying that we have renovated several and looking for another project. Bonne Chance. Regards [/quote] Hi thanks for your input. We dont have any experience of building renovation (although my boyfriend did work on a building site during one summer) although with decoration, we are fairly competent and fast learners :-) It seems from having read the other posts, it would be easier as first time buyers to buy something already renovated and then get the practise going with the decoration in accordance to our tastes! Maybe for our next one after this... Its just so easy to get carried away with seeing properties of such charm going for very low prices on the internet and thinking it would be fairly easy to renovate!  

[quote user="Panda "][quote user="Hollie"] We both have drops (mine allo have quite  a lot of time off) which means h means I would be able to put a lot of work into it and my partner has the weekends free. [/quote] You  both have what??[8-)] This is my first renovation whilst living in the property and it has cost more, it's very stressful, very tiring and it never ends!!  I would definitely goearly there project. [/quote] Applogies for terrible spelling! I meant we both have jobs...!

[quote user="Anton Redman"] Unlike the UK you will not have fast rising house prices to pull you out of the financial mire.  You also end up with a holiday home that is almost bound to turn into a penance rather than a pleasure at some stage in the renovation.  You want to go on holiday but are actually gong to work. When we started our first renovation we were both pretty well travelled and had no places left that we felt visit. It swallowed all of our holidays for six years.% years.  I would not have wanted to do it in my thirties.   [/quote] Sorry, I didnt make it clear in the beginning, this will not be a holiday home, its going to be our full time main residence. We're both quite young, early twenties so do feel we have the energy to do it, its more worries about cost etc Thanks for your imputs Hollie

Thats what I thought, when i was at university in Bordeaux, they only had one room for computers and internet, unlike my home university which had around 50 rooms! I suppose I could always give it a go and if all fails, start looking into something else...!

Hello, Seems there a lot of posts within the renovating section so hopefully people with lots of advice. My partner and I are currently looking for somewhere to buy in Haute Garonne, near Toulouse and we've come across a lot of older properties which need renovating. When I say renovating, it seems that they are habitable with running water etc but need work doing. We're trying to weigh up whether it would be better to pay more and buy something which is already done or to have a go at it ourselves. We've tried looking into costs but its very difficult to estimate without calling builders etc and getting long winded quotes! We both have drops (mine allows me to have quite  a lot of time off) which means I would be able to put a lot of work into it and my partner has the weekends free. Thanks for any advice Hollie

Great, thanks for that! Will get on to it straight away. Is it necessary to take insurance for the remainder (30%) or can I just pay as I go along...

Hi there, Wrote recently on here about applying for an E106 but no one ( at least I dont think as there are so many threads) has said what I do with it when I receive it! Am I eligable for a Carte Vitale now so will get all meds at a lower cost? Who do I contact? Thank you

Hello, Just looking for a bit of advice. I currently work in the UK and commute from France back and forward when needs be. I'm thinking of setting up an Internet site selling jewellery, ties, bags, scarf’s - accessories really and wanted to start trying it out now before I move permanently to France as I'll will need some sort of income to live on. Firstly, wanted to know what people though about my idea, do you think the French would be keen on buying things like that or should I look at something else? Also, does anyone know about tax, what are the allowances, and to pay etc? I don't want to be on the wrong side of the law but I’m really a beginner with all things like this! Thanks for looking - all comments greatly appreciated!

Hi there, well got my E106 through for the year. What a result...lets hope next time they will provide me with a 6 year one, that will save a lot of hassle! Yippee!

Ah, thats good to know! I thought is was going to be a lost cause and I was going to have to take out private health insurance etc! Costly! Have finally managed to get through to them and have to print out the E106 / E109... Will send it off to them today and I have my fingers crossed that it works as they weren't able to tell me over the phone! Yippee!!! - Task 4 ticked off the list of 103 tasks to complete in france! ;-)

Hello, I'm currently looking to buy an appartment / house in the Toulouse area but not in the city centre. Ideally I'm looking for advice on the area - Where is good to buy? I'm looking for a village area, close to contryside but also to transport connections. My boyfriend is going to be working for Airbus so preferably west of Toulouse would be better. If anyone has any recommendations, I would be extremely grateful With thanks Hollie

    Hi, just wanted to inquire about the E106 form you've written about. Have been trying to find out information about it but its so difficult to find someone who has the answers and no-one picks up the phone at the HM Revenue and Customs! I live in France but commute to UK for my job. I am paid into a UK account and pay my national insurance contributions to the UK also. Do you have any idea if I'm eligable? Hope you can help Hollie

Hello, I just wanted to ask if anyone knew much about the PACS and documents that I need. My boyfriend is french and i'm english and we're looking to buy a place in France. We have much more chance of obtaining a mortgage etc if we're in a pacs... What documents do I need for that in Toulouse and do they need to be translated etc? Any recommendations etc would be appreciated! Many thanks Hollie

I wonder if anyone can help. My boyfriend and I are planning to buy a place in the south of France some time soon. To explain the situation, I'm english and my boyfriend is french and we are renting at the moment in the south of france. We need to borrow about 80% of the total price for our next appartment and have no idea where to start. We approached a couple of french banks but they would not accept me as i'm paid into an english bank account and do not work in France! We tried to work it on just my boyfriends wages but the bank would not loan him as much as we need...Neither of us has any debt also! If anyone has any ideas of ways to start the process, I would be very grateful! Hollie