Hester

Perhaps the declaration of pension funds on your impots sur les revenues form, if it is for the first time this year, has caused them to think that she is receiving a UK state pension (not taking into account her age of course). Regards, Hester.

Hello, we have a multi-risks house insurance which contains a clause which appears to cover us for civil responsibilty for pets. However a neighbour, relating a story where someone has claimed against them, informed me that we need to let the insurance company know the breed of our dog (even though not on any list) in order to be covered. Has anyone else done this? I telephoned this morning, but it got very complicated and I think that it was probably not necessary. Waiting for someone else to ring me in the morning, maybe to sell me pet insurance, not sure! Regards, Hester.

Many thanks Dave.

Could anyone tell me if it is the same price to change the old carte grise on a second hand car from the seller to the buyer as it is to get one from scratch. We are having to buy a 9yr old second hand car (renault estate) as our old one is a right off. Didn't facture in the cost of carte grise and now think it may be around 500 euros looking at a french website.  So quite a shock as car costs 2,000 euros. Do number plates have to be changed now also (not because of change of dept. because of new system). Thanks. Regards Hester.

Blevinsfranks  say that treatment of goverment service pensions and UK rental incomes are not changed under the new treaty and  that the taux effectif should still be applied to such income.   They refer to article 24(3){a}{ii} of the treaty. Couldn't cut and paste but googled "avoiding double taxaton in France under the New Treaty". Hester.

Thanks for replies. I suppose it makes sense that a government pension should now be added to any others  to go towards total income, otherwise a tax credit  wouldn't be needed. Regards Hester.

Hello Minnie, do you mean when you had entered UK govt pension on the pink 2047 "other form". Also as well as in 8TK does the amount get entered on the previous page 1AS/1BS. Thanks, regards, Hester.

Hello, sorry to hear about your problem. You are being very patient with your dog and as you become more attached it would be difficult to have to move him on again. Our resuce dog had other issues which I am just starting to resolve nearly a year since we got him. Crate training is very big in other countries and in America most people train their puppies in this way (or so I have researched on the web). For night time it could be useful, the idea being that they will not soil in their crate, providing there are no underlying medical problems. That way you could leave him a bit longer every night to help his bladder control to get stronger. Also whilst checking about stress incontinence before having my female puppy sterilised I read that there is medication that they can take for life, but unfortunately I don't know the name. Good luck, hang in there. Regards Hester. PS some medications do make them pee more, our older dog was on steroids for arthritis and he drank and peed a lot more. Perhaps non-dog owners may scoff, but... we adapted a baby's nappy for him towards the end of his life, gave him another 8months and worked a treat! PSS just read your other thread and see that you're already experienced with resuce dogs so you probably know lots of the above stuff.

Yes, most folk around here (the limousin) have had at least one person in their family have take a course of antibiotics due to symptoms coming on after a tick bite. I had the "bulls eye" which was my initiation to the world of ticks. Since then I've been on the lookout for the little monsters, especially when Spring is around the corner. Back in 2002, we used to lie in the grass and walk through the fields without attracting any of the little blighters (wasn't even aware of their existence),  but now they seem to be everywhere except in a cold winter when they lie low. Last Summer didn't seem to be too bad, it was so hot it must have killed some of them off (apparently the only thing that can kill them - heat). So I suppose it makes sense, more ticks, more possibility of catching Lyme Disease.  

Many thanks Gardian and Woolybanana.     But......sorry to have wasted your time, it turns out to be the plug in timer. Should have tried that earlier but it was working on the overide, just the hours that were timed to come on when it didn't work. Lesson learned: plug in timers don't last forever. Thanks again, Hester.

Hello, we had our chauffe eau installed six years ago and usually have it switched on for four hours a day which gives us enough hot water.   This morning the water was barely luke warm, so assumed there is a problem. However, when we switched it to come on again the electricity meter is flashing, indicating power and thus heating up? But still not getting much hotter. Can anyone suggest why this might be happening. Thanks, Hester.

Thank you for your replies. I do have the triple package with Orange so will call into their shop and ask if it will work in my area. Can I also ask, do you know what the 3D TV's are? They offer 3D glasses to go with them. Will this just be for viewing certain films or programmes that are made in 3D, would it work for UK TV via a Sky box? I am going to go into town to ask, but useful to have some information beforehand. Thanks, Hester.

Hello, been browsing the glossy brochures that come each week and trying to work out what these new state of the art TVs can do. Is there any way of receiving french TV without a dish? ie via Orange live box and the optional TV receiver, or through one of the new TVs that seem have lots of "stuff" all ready to go. Please excuse my total lack of tech. speak and know-how. Thanks Hester.

We have had a SEB Actifry machine for a couple of years now; bought it before they came down in price. I love it. Makes two good portions of chips in about 20 - 25 minutes. Not quite as crisp as done in a chip pan, but a very good alternative. It's starting to get a bit greasy now but I think that the parts can go into a dish washer (we don't have one). I usually just wipe it out with kitchen roll and give it a wash every now and then. Regards Hester.

Good luck. You are so knowledgeable and always give advice in a thoughtful way. Always had confidence in your postings. Best wishes, Hester.

Hello Flossy. We have been thinking of doing the same thing for some time now, but haven't got round to it yet. I'm surprised at the costs that you have been quoted having read on another site that they are usually around 5oo euros with extra fees and taxes being payable on the death of the first spouse. The website does say that it is advisable to seek more than one quote which implies that there is no standard charge. The advantage of a French marriage contract, so I have read, is that the surviving spouse is able to do whatever they wish with the assets, whereas in other circumstances the consent of other inheritors would otherwise be required if, for instance, they wished to sell the main home. PS I have read somewhere that in a couple of year's time 2014? we can have a UK will which will be recognised in France ie be able to will our half of property to each other. Perhaps other posters know more about this. Regards Hester.  

Thank you Danny, I hadn't seen the other thread. Regards Hester.

Hello. I have obviously used the above service without realising it due to an extra 8 euros on my orange facture this month. I did a quick search on the forum and see that it is due to finish at the end of June anyway but could anyone inform me in what way I might have used the service. Is it when I have gone on certain websites? I can't remember seeing any warning that I would be paying extra. Can I disable it from now until the end of June? Many thanks, Hester.  

Many thanks for your help Parsnips and Val2. Regards Hester.

Thank you for your postings, it's looking like the Donation entre époux could be our best option, with other things like french bank account and car to think about. (Does it have to be valued also?)  Can I ask in that case would that mean that the children would have to take their share of any savings and that this is then 3/4 (between them) of half of the joint savings account. Regards Hester.

Hello. I have spent the afternoon reading through posts on the above subject as I have decided that it's time we took our "heads out of the sand" and thought about the issue of what happens financially when one of us dies. We'd always taken the view that, as we don't have lots to leave and that there is now some protection in France for the spouse that is left, we didn't really need to worry too much. However, the more I think about it, the more I realise that when one of us dies the other is going to have quite a bit less pension income, and the need to hang onto savings rather than having to immediately give some to the children, will be very important. I was also a bit concerned to read in one of the posting that we may not have much time left to implement the change of marriage regime should we wish to do so (ten years from purchase or French residency?). Unfortunately when we bought our house back in 2003 we bought it indivision. We then came to live in France in 2005. I have read about what seems to be our two best options;a gift between spouses or a change of marriage regime. There seem to be a few people posting on this forum who are very knowledgeable about these issues and I would be grateful for opinions on these two options given: We are married; two children. We would like the house and savings to pass onto the remaining spouse with the children inheriting on the death of the second spouse. We have very uncomplicated finances. viz a small house worth around 90,000 euros and a small savings account. If anyone knows how the two options compare in relation to fees payable on the death of the first spouse that would be very helpful too. We will need to see the Notaire, but from experience I find that other people's opinions are useful to have beforehand. Regards Hester.

Another fan here. Paleron, I think, was the cut of meat he was using. Anyone else remember the name of the rural restaurant where he cooked the meal. I think that I heard La Rochotte, but can't come up with anything via google. Regards Hester.

Many thanks for the replies. I can stop worrying about the pop-up! Looks as though it is something other than AVG that has slowed down my computer. Regards, Hester

Has anyone downloaded the new AVG 2011? If so I would be interested to know if you have had any problems since. My computer has slowed down considerably and every time that I switch on Windows security centre pops up the red shield to inform me that my firewall is not switched on. This only seems to last a few seconds before it comes back on. If you have any advice to help me rectify this problem I would be grateful as I always get jittery when I think that my computer might not have enough security. Thanks Hester.

That is the benefit of having an EHIC card issued by the French caisse d'assurance maladie, which was the case for most people until last year. Those of us who had to give up the card and apply for another from the UK (holders of what were E121's and E106's) now come under the UK rules which aren't as generous when it comes to reimbursement. Regards Hester.