martyng
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Posts posted by martyng
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To add my two penn'orth, I have just been quoted 32euros by EDF to change the tariff from 18 down to 12 Kw.
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Thanks guys for all those suggestions and tips. Will have a go at one or the other this year.
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But anyone know the best way to (DIY) double glaze our doors out onto the terrace - 3 double doors, 12 small panes of glass in each door ...?!
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Most interested in this, Tony - did you get my email?
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Is there any mileage in someone (Will?) updating Will's FAQs - especially on setting up Internet and TV. I note they are from 2004, and as we are just about to come across, finally, to France next year, we will be wanting to start everything up. For instance since those days, FreeeSat has appeared on the scene etc.
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I put my two pennorth in a few posts back about our experience of buying using an intermediary - in our case VEF - and feel I must reply to the comments of panda and jon who disparage their (VEF) existence. Yes, when we eventually viewed properties (and that was not on a whim but after a long lead in period) we did see some that were not suitable, and out in the sticks - panda's description was a bit more pithy in an earlier post! - but then isn't that true of all house hunting whether in UK or France - if you have a bunch of particulars that look right on paper. We saw 17 in all - and the (two different regions) VEF agents knew them all - they do live in the area, are integrated/acquainted with local immobiliers etc. 17 is about par for the course methinks, and number 17 was spot on.
This type of arrangement using an intermediary may not be to every one's taste, but as others have said, if you are busy at home - to be able to prepare the way, set aside a couple of weeks to view, and then have the backing of a home-grown firm to assist, translate, find a mortgage company to suit etc etc - and then have the agents in situ with their local knowledge, contacts ref insurance agents etc, is just the ticket. We're happy anyway - we feel the fee was well worth it.
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For what it is worth, I agree with caro in that in some circumstances it can be advantageous to use a third party/UK agent etc. When purchasing our property earlier this year in the Dordogne we used the (admittedly RR) services of VEF (there are others). They took all the hassle out of buying at a distance, with a legal system you may not be familiar with, doing the necessary legal translations etc. They also trawled the market for a suitable French mortgage company (and they are very different and with tighter regulations than UK equivalents), and of course with their network of reps in country were able to carry out a very time-saving trawl of properties iaw our criteria. (Yes it is easy to open a bank account - but on that score they were able to recommend one, in the local town, with English speaking staff etc.)
The extra money spent was, in our humble opinion, well worth it.
(I look forward to a discount/commission from them if we ever move again within France!!)
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I know there are a lot of pool installers in the Dordogne - and that is part of the problem. Can anyone recommend one in particular - preferably English speaking, reliable, good after service, good range of pools etc.
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When we bought our house a couple of months ago, with a French mortgage, we were guided/steered/pushed towards an accompanying life insurance policy with the added hassle of extensive medical questionnaires etc (and how do you explain that taking statins regularly is not the same as regular medical treatment - but that could be for another thread!). As we are just coming up to retirement, the insurance company were concerned that the mortgage term would go well into our 80s (even though we are going to pay off the mortgage when we sell up in UK). My query concerns the need for this ?compulsory insurance policy. Is it a legal requirement? My UK Financial Adviser recommends cancelling this insurance - it will certainly be quite a substantial annual commitment. Any thoughts from the forum?
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I am just about to do a load of wall and ceiling painting on our newly purchased house, but not having moved full time to France yet, I have a query on disposal of dirty white spirit etc after cleaning the brushes. What is the norm in France bearing in mind that we have, as most houses, a fosse septique. Does it mind such stuff being poured down the sink etc? May be a very noddy-type question, but I have still to get to grips, as it were, with the actions of the fs.
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Thanks to Will, P-D et al in answering my query some posts back. Albert - yes I am intending to work from France (freelance proofreading) and the OH will work in UK on an agency basis. The new auto-entrepreneur regime as outlined by P-D sounds, at last, as something that can work to our benefit.
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Will,
This subject has probably been done to death on this and other forums (fora?) but as a newbie on this forum, and a newcomer to French property ownership (just bought near Lalinde (24) and trying to sell in the
When we eventually come over for good, the OH and myself will both be retired from fulltime work but hope to do a. freelance work as a proofreader (me) and b. continue as a maternity nurse with a UK agency (the OH) both on a small scale i.e. OH has made it very clear that the summer months are for the pool – her clients in UK will only be allowed to produce during the winter!!
How this scenario fits in with cotisations/French taxation etc is beginning to tax my brain somewhat. Any thoughts/comments/suggestions?
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Will (et al) - thanks. Useful stuff - I am better prepared now for my IFA/Siddalls etc!
Martyn
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As the originator of this thread, regretfully I am still confused. Having read all the comments, which have been very useful and thought provoking, I then read the HMRC documents (thanks Will for pointing me in that direction). Although I appreciate HMRC rules apply only to
Clear as mud!
But after all the legal discussion – with a fairly simple situation (married couple retiring permanently to France, sort succession so that assets go to other spouse, then equally to dependants) – financially in the long run is it going to be better to come under UK IHT rules or French? (Or is that too simplistic a question?)
Martyn
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What swift responses and succint comments - many thanks all. V. concise summary thanks, Pickles. I thought my IFA was being a bit insular. Our circumstances should be very straightforward (no offspring from previous marriages etc - just our two girls and a life time (well it feels that way!!) of monogamy), and we have already thought we might go down the line of a Communaute Universelle regime. I will be going for further specialist advice i.e. the Siddalls type of advice rather than my IFAs preferred contact - who is a UK IHT specialist. I look forward to any further comments.
Martyn
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Can any kind soul sort out what it means by being domiciled (in France or UK), specifically in relation to IHT/French succession laws. My UK Financial Adviser reckons that, even though I and the OH are just about to retire permanently to France, we will not be considered to be domiciled in France and therefore will not be subject to French IHT, but rather to UK IHT. Is he right? We will of course be ordinarily resident for tax purposes - he agrees that - but to be subject to French IHT he says we will need to be considered domiciled to France. He does not agree with Siddalls, with whom we had an initial meeting a few months back and who did not mention domicility (?) rather how French succession and inheritance laws would affect us.
Martyn
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Whoops - got it wrong with an attempt at inserting sad and smiley face icons!
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Trying again as we got no response in the SW region section! [:(] We are moving (retiring) to a house in Sauveboeuf, which is along the road from Lalinde, hopefully later this year. So this is just a introduction - if there will be any close neighbours we would appreciate hearing from you. One of our initial concerns will be to find language courses or groups, and then I will be looking for a golf course - and a tennis club, and Sue will be looking for coffee mornings and a natter!!! Any info and advice on what to do in the area would be appreciated. [:)]
Martyn (and Sue)
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Many thanks everyone - wood stove it is. Probably an insert into the existing fireplace.
Martyn
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Just moving to our house near Lalinde (24) and although there is a lovely corner fireplace in the lounge, the current owner has had an electric fire there to date. We would like to put in a wood fire - but should it be an open fire, for the ambience, or a closed wood stove for efficiency (?) of heating etc. What are the pros and cons? Any recommendations for good economical stoves?
Martyn
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First post, but hopefully first of many. We are moving (retiring) to a house in Sauveboeuf, which is along the road from Lalinde, hopefully later this year. We are currently going through the legal machinations and will no doubt have plenty of queries to ask you good folks - technical ones I will post on the relevant forums! So this is just a introduction - and if there will be any close neighbours we would appreciate hearing from you. One of our initial concerns will be to find language courses or groups, and then I will be looking for a golf course - and a tennis club, and Sue will be looking for coffee mornings and a natter!!!
Martyn (and Sue)
Timescale for registering - problem
in Driving in France
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