connolls

Thanks for the information annie about the notaires experience of english and french law I will try and get one that has experience of both, and of course we can't enter into a PACS as we are already legally "married" under a Civil Partnership and would be committing bigomy. take care.

Thank you for the replies, I knew there were some in-roads being made in getting the civil partnerships recognised in france the same as the PACS are over here but i hadn't thought of the life policy to cover the 60% inheritence tax bill that my partner would face, it's a really good idea and i will look into it when we return in april. Once again the forum has been a really good source of information !!

Hi, I don't know if it's allowable to post a reply to this but here I go. As we will be returning to France in a couple of months and our Civil Partnership will not cover us in regard to ensuring my partner gets the house should anything happen to me. (the house is in my name only) I wanted to ask if anyone knows of a good english speaking solicitor around the Bellac area  so that we can get a will completed that will cover us. (we are 87290) Hope it's ok to post this and look forward to any replies. Best wishes.

Thanks to both NormanH and to Clair for the replies. I will look into it further and hope that it all comes to fruition. Best wishes.[:)]

Thanks for the replies and the links, NormanH I don't know whether this helps at all. My friend set up his registered small gardening business last year and  it has taken on so well that he now needs help to complete all the contracts that are coming in. We bought  a house a couple of years ago in Dept 87 and have been in the process of renovation to hopefully do a small B&B business in a couple of years time. We have had to return to the UK each winter to earn pennies to continue the work on the house. He has suggested that this year we could return and earn a "decent" wage by working with him and not have to return to the UK, which would be really helpful to us. He is siret registered and only wants to employ myself on the cheque de emploi TPE system. When we agree the wages does he have to work out what the tax, social charges etc will be or is this done "automatically" and is there a pro-forma on how to work out what these rates will be (i.e if he wants to pay me 10 euro's an hour, how much on top of that will the other charges be).................or is that as long as a piece of string. (obviously he will want to know what his total outgoings will be) to see if it's a viable option. Or does he decide that he only wants to pay out a "total hourly rate" say 15 euro's including the tax's etc...................GOD, I think i'm babbling on now and in danger of confusing myself. it's early days of talks for us yet but any help would be useful just for my information as we hope to return in the next couple of months. Thanks for any help NormanH.[8-)] best regards.  

So many viewings but sadly no replies....................is no one working in France !!!! L.O.L [:D]

Hello, Just a query to see if anyone has had any experience of the cheque de emploi TPE system ? It would be really helpful if anyone could let me know of their experience, as an employer using the system (ease of use, practicalities etc etc), and also if anyone has been paid using this system (again ease of use, practicalities etc etc). And any tips on setting it all up. Thanks in advance for any help.

Hello, Just a query to see if anyone has had any experience of the cheque de emploi TPE system ? It would be really helpful if anyone could let me know of their experience, as an employer using the system (ease of use, practicalities etc etc), and also if anyone has been paid using this system (again ease of use, practicalities etc etc). And any tips on setting it all up. Thanks in advance for any help.

Thanks vinny for the information and links, I will have a look at the suggested items. I can see your rational kathyc but as you will understand getting divorced from my partner would definately not be an option we would even consider. And as vinny said getting divorced for this reason would not be a "valid" reason. Thanks again for all thoughts on the discussion and also for the advice.

Hi again, Thanks for support and thoughts, Sorry to say Cathy that that's not possible, because despite the C.P. not being eligible for tax purposes etc in France we are still legally "married", we might be expecting a little spell in the Bastille or the the local UK prison for bigomy !! Just out of interest does anyone know of a english speaking solicitor local to Bellac area (87290) where we could do a French will, as far as I know an English will won't cover the French property for my partner as the house is in my name only. Thnaks.    

Thanks for all the info...............I must have been to sleep until the new year !!!!! Just out of interest i've been looking at the sea france ferries and they look quite promising, anyone used them and do you have any thoughts on the service if so. Once again thanks in anticipation.

Have I missed any posts about speed ferries ? I went to book our ferry over for april and it seems they have gone into liquidation................is this old news ? Anyone used the euro tunnel with a pet dog ? We have not used them before but think it may be a good option. Thanks.  

 Thank you for the quick replies, I've had a look on the net since the two replies, it seems that equality does not extend both ways across the channel. The U.K. accepts the french PACS partnership with all that entails (tax rights, inheritence rights etc) but the french do not accept the U.K. civil partnership. It appears that the only way we can get appropriate rights to our own property in France if one of us dies is to make a will in France and pay the very hefty 60% inheritance tax incurred by non married couples. I suppose we could sell the house before our demise and return to the U.K. Not exactly what we had planned !!!!!!. I feel a letter to my euro M.P. coming on !!!

Hello, I know I could proably look this up on the web but thought I'd post it anyway to save me some time..............that's if anyone knows the answer. Myself and my partner had a civil partnership in the U.K. in Feb 2007, we own a house in france and are currently in the process of renovation (not that that has anything to do with the question). Does anyone know if, as with a conventional marriage, that our partnership has the same legal status in France ? We have presumed that it does. Any help appreciated. Thanks.

Hi lisleoise, Fancy coming to do ours for us, give you some practise on old wonky walls. Maybe we could do a tiling swap !!  

Hi, You have all just scared me to death with these tiling tales as we are just about to part tile our kitchen (spashbacks and some half walls !!!!!) No choice really as we need the protection on the back walls and also a way to "hide" some of our grotty walls. Anyone got any neat tips or suggestions to help...................failing that a couple of  bottles of valium might be useful by the sounds of it !!!!! Have a good christmas everyone and think of us early next year as we attempt the impossible !!!  

A little "human" empathy might not go a miss on this subject instead of the snipes at each other. I'm certainly NOT one of those "Brit types" who fill their olympic sized swimming pools (I don't have one) or indeed own a Jag.    Just (I guess like a lot of people) trying to stay a float on a fixed income. Very few people are exempt from money concerns in the current global troubles and I sincerely hope that anyone "sitting very comfortably jack" doesn't  fall on difficult times themselves. Come on people it's nearly christmas " THE SEASON OF GOODWILL"  !!!! Have a happy one.

Sorry, just realised it's the Le Cerf Volant Hotel: as people have said..................silly me.

Hi, Just to let you know for future reference there is actually a hotel in the grounds of limoges airport...........not sure what it's called or how much it is, but if you go to limoges airoport site i'm sure it will tell you. it's about 1 minutes walk to the terminal !!! Great if you like a little light noise to help you off to sleep !! No seriously, no night flights at the current time.

Hi, We had a similar experience, we bought our house in 2005 and despite a number of attempts to contact all the relevant agencies we waited until 2007 for them to eventually send a bill, one had gone to the old U.K. address. The new occupants had not past it on to us !!! The tresor public were very helpful all the way through our enquires and kept saying it will find you !! Even our Maire said DON'T WORRY !! The tax wil find you ..........easy for him to say when you want to get things like that sorted out as soon as possible, anyway my advice is try to relax and don't worry....it will find you.!!! Just watch out they don't add on overdue charges if it goes on too long. Good luck.

Hello again, Well I'm totally baffled as the original poster, but will talk to the maire anyway, even if she thinks me a little strange. I'm still interested if anyone has suggestions of places to get resonably priced paving though !!! I didn't think such a simple question would create such a confusion, just shows i'm still not used to how weird french regulations are. Keep it up !!![8-)]

Hi sweet 17, Thanks for the reply, I'm convinced that what you say is absolutely right about clair as i've read some more of her advice on other things now. I'm just trying to delude myself on the area of 2 square metre's being the rule of thumb as long as i can.......................how sad is that. Mind you if i can't find any cheaper than i've already seen then i'll be leaving the old chippings down !!!! Now sad and lonely no more (L.O.L) [:D]

Hello again, from the original poster, The article appears to "talk" about "creating" floor space, as i won't be creating floor space, as i said, just paving over an already exsisting hard standing does this still affect me. I'm getting more confused by the contributions but very much enjoying the debate.[blink]

Hi thanks for that information, I hadn't even given it a thought, do you have to complete these forms even if you are paving over a hard surface area that exsists already in the garden, albeit covered in stone chippings. Thanks.

What..................no idea's.I'll keep looking but thanks for the viewings. [:(]