Panda
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Posts posted by Panda
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[quote user="oldgit72"]Strange isn't it how so many people who move to France prefer the UK. Makes you wonder why they bothered in the first place.[/quote]
Only about as strange as Brits feeling a strong need to run down their home country just because they've moved to another! [:)]
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Hello
There's something odd about that Steve, cover for medical is peanuts compared to the other agencies, just 8% of your income after allowances so you are not paying that much just to ensure medical cover at 70%,. I was up to the max on the micro earnings wise and paid about 600 for medical cover, the rest of the charges are general social charges which include pension (the biggy for me).
Its all a bit of a black art but you should not be paying more than about 25/26% of total income for everything, if you are then something is wrong either in your declarations or their calculations.
P
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[quote user="Francelover"]
I think the bigger property thing is a bit cynical and dismissive of many Brits' reasons for coming to France.
I'm sure you're right for some no doubt but I think many are here to change their quality of life in many ways and not just to get an extra 100m2 of living space. Many seems to genuinely wish to experience France and French life
Speaking personally, I haven't yet met a Brit that wants to go abck to the UK for any reason other than:
- they can't make a living here due to the language and employment position;
- some have missed family/friends
- some are worried about what they'll do as they get older and frailer.
Don't know any that are rushing back because they miss it so much!
[/quote]
As it's only your 12th post on here I have no idea how long you've been in France or how you manged to avoid anyone returning to the UK because of the raft of other reasons incluidng the isolation, the (poor) education and for many just not liking living in France and preferring the UK.
My own reasons are known by most, I dont hate France by any stretch but would never recommend anyone try to educate and raise a child in rural France, having a few extra trees to climb does not a great childhood make IMHO!
Conversely I now live in the UK, although in a small market town, I dont have an alarm and dont know anyone who's been burgled. In France both my near neighbours were burgled, one being a holiday home which got occupied by the burglars for a time, the local police were uninterested and unhelpful with a shrug and it happens a lot to holiday homes! I recently 'hen' sat here for my neighbour only to be told when asking how to lock the back door, oh I never do, just leave it open enough for the cat to get in!!
As for house prices, well they are dropping all over, France included, I know I will likely sell at a loss in France, if I ever even see a buyer. In the UK at least I am fairly confident having bought where's there's work that I will be able to sell when I need to, I have no such assurance in France when many properties taking 2 years plus to sell..
Lets not turn this into mine's bigger than yours type argument, this guys is after some advice after all. If you want to paint just the rosy side of France you've proably come to tthe wrong forum, it's warts and all on this one! I still have property in france and return for holidays, I like France but can't stand the attitude adopted by new immigrants to France in overstating the state of their home country when they dont have a clue waht France is really like, in fact it's the same as the UK, good places, bad places.
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In fact, if I were to become a gardner in France (not vey likely) I would go for a Sarl or other set up which allowed me to claim back all expenses, gardening must have high expenses, machinery puchase and maintenance being high as well as vans and petrol. You must be better off being able to offset that lot surely? The AE or Micro dont fair well for any business with high expenses IMO.
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[quote user="steve"]MSA who are the organisation gardeners have to belong to, have not signed up to AE. Why should they when they can charge a minimum of about 4k per year in cotisations, or roughly 50% of your profit/turnover depending on the regime). So as an AE if you only earn 10k, with the AE system you be giving away around 25% - with MSA its 50% or 5k.
Steve
[/quote]Not stirctly true Steve, in the first couple of years there is an assumed level of income on which cotisations are charged, you are at liberty to inform the agencies of your actual expected turnover and your fees will be adjusted accordingly. Once you are established the difference between the AE and the micro is minimal, 2-3% only in fact.
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Hello
I dont think a poor roof can be classed as a vice cache and especially not as you obviously had some discussion about the state of it. When he did the repairs you could have raised something at that point but I dont think 9 months on you can, just my opinion really.
As for the surveyor he seemes to have missed loads of issues, I would be pursuing him if none of this was highlighted in his report, it's his job to check the state of the property. The previous owner being bad at DIY is not uncommon after all and to prove vice cache it has to be an intended deception I believe.
P
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Hello
Someone more knowlegeable will need to come along on this but I beleive it could be the Black Redstart which makes a kind of sound like two marbles clinking together, very much like a childs rattle, we had loads when in France and now I've been lucky enough to encounter one in the UK where they are quite rare.
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[quote user="Deby"]Hi Panda, Hows it going how is your life back in Blighty?[/quote]
Thanks for asking Deby, all good so far, I have all of my 'capital' tied up in France and no sign of a sale so things are not as comfortable as they could be but my son is very happy in school and that's the main thing. I find, like the other posted above, that he has far more freedom and outdoor life here which is a shock really. It's just because there is more to do and lots of like minded kids to play with, we were far too remote in France for most of the time and when in the Alps where there were other kids the locals just would not accept him at all which really knocked his confidence.
So all in all, very good thanks but needing to sell some property in France to make things more comfortable.
P xx
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Hello Millie
You sound great fun, wish we had met whilst I was still in France. [:D]
As for the Pole well I personally would start by registering for email alerts on the website, if something catches your eye apply for it, if it's via the pole then go in and talk to them about it, if not just apply yourself. They cant really find you a job and wont put too much effort in but if you find something you like you have something to talk to them about rather than them saying they have nothing and you losing heart.
Go for it!
P x
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[quote user="woolybanana"]
[quote user="Panda"]To answer someones question about food in Uni canteens, the food was good in the one I frequented in Poitiers, with lots of salad choices. Students have cards to buy food with, I guess these are allocated as part of funding but I didnt have one (being a mature strudent) so have no idea. There were two types on campus though, fast food style (with loads of chips) or more restaurant style with healthy choices.[/quote]
So Panda, after students were we?[6]
[/quote]
Hello WB, I was after learning French, cheeky! I was ancient to my fellow students of course...
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Hello S17
I cant answer this but know that there seems to be a fairly regular re-zoning excercise in villages. Where once land is protected as brown or even green field (these have referecnes rather than names like the english method I understand), this can simply be changed it would seem without too much consultation so your scenario would seem very likely.
P x
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To answer someones question about food in Uni canteens, the food was good in the one I frequented in Poitiers, with lots of salad choices. Students have cards to buy food with, I guess these are allocated as part of funding but I didnt have one (being a mature strudent) so have no idea. There were two types on campus though, fast food style (with loads of chips) or more restaurant style with healthy choices.
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Another tear jerker from animal rescue gals! What a lovely story with a lovely owner and dog to boot. Well done to all
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Hello
I have a son the same age as yours and my concerns about his education started at exactly the same time for exactly the same reason. He was fine all through primaire (came to France at age 3), was bi-lingual and was top of the class. All seemed fine until the day I encountered a scene (I truly wished I never did) where he was physically pushed to the back of the line to go into school, the chldren shouting France is for the French, get to the back, the teacher was there she didnt do a thing. He didn't know that I was watching and he just shrugged and went to the back, when he came home that evening I asked him about it and he shrugged again and said it's always like that, it always has been. I was shocked, stunned even, he had been in France for 6 years at this time and it dawned on me then that he would never be truly accepted. I pushed him on it further in the following weeks and he did eventually say, he felt different, he always had and he hated it.
I was really worried about College too (he was due to start the next September), the local one being reknowned for drug issues and teacher apathy, the racist taunt was just a nail in the French coffin for me, I am now back in the UK, he is a much happier child now, he is out playing with his friends all day (we chose to live in a small town for this reason), he's independent, loves the variety he gets in school here (now plays the guitar and attends extra science classes) and is still top of the class!
I think if my local college had a better reputation and I had not witnessed him being made to feel so diifferent I might still be there but there were other issues of work, family illness and the decision was easy for me in the end and whilst I still love France I won't be back until my son is old enough to make his own choices.
You dont seem to have any of these issues so you should not be influenced by other peoples experiences, what is the local college like, can you speak to other French parents about it's reputation etc.
Please dont worry about things too much, you are doing the right thing, weighing up the pro's and cons, you will make the right decision for you and your family, dont rush into anything!
Best of luck
P
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Hello
You dont say what scheme you are under now, if Micro the difference in charges is minimal particularly after year 3. You will have been paying for an estimated level of income which if you meet mean you've paid more than you need to and this will be accounted for from this point onward. The point is the only difference between the two schemes is AE lets you pay as you go, no assumed leves of income no minimum charges, Micro has an assumed level of income and minimum charges BUT after year three these will revert to actuals and any over payments will be taken into account. So, providing you are declaring correctly the difference between the two schemes is a couple of percent, not worth the hassle of what you are suggesting. You can pay all your charges monthly if that's a beneift to you too.
Give us some more details about your situation.
P
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Hello
I wouldn't have an in ground again, I like Ernie's and others I've seen above ground, a fraction of the cost which makes it a smaller investment for the amount of use you get. There are a lot of cowboys installing and maintaining pools in France and I just think a DIY above ground saves all that!
P x
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Hello
Just as a bit of info I had all my animals blood tested in France over the last few years and it cost me about 85 euro per animal by memory, tests are of course more if required. It's also worth noting that the rabies jab is much more cost effective in the UK however as it lasts a lot longer (3 years I think).
So have the jabs done in the UK before leaving (as is required) get the blood test done in France, would be my recommended approach, then you are covered for any eventuallity.
EDIT, Jacqui's growing frustration on this thread made me really chuckle you can feel the annoyance radiating!)
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Hello
Just to be clear did you therefore negotiate a 7%(ish) drop in the price and so are now paying this much less for the house leaving you the money to pay the fees or did the net vendeur price change upwards by 7% to include the fees so that you could put them on a mortgage? Example:
Was it orignally say 146k (net vendeur) plus 9k fees
Now 150k (net vendeur) but seller pays fees new mandat signed?
If the latter nothing changes except you pay more tax to the notaire as mentioned by Judith, if the former a 7% drop in this market is a snip, many houses are going for up to 30% under FAI price and nothing is selling so Im not surprised the venduer agreed.
Panda
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Here in the cotsdwolds it hasn't rained for nearly 5 weeks and has been very warm night and day. I'm praying for some rain as I need the grass to grow for hay, a shortage is expected due to incredibly low rainfall in the UK so far. We were due some last night but seems to keep missing us. I'll be the one moaning when it rains for all of August, another Brit triat never being happy with the weather!
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Is this post a wind up?
Would you ask can I set myself up as self employed and then bill my brothers multiple jobs under my name in the UK?
Also you are saying can I pay his NI equivalent contributions through my self employed business so that he gets health cover along with me and my husband?
If its not a wind up, apologies, but please do some basic research starting with what is AutoEntrepreneur as from your question you really have no idea.
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[quote user="misplacedperson"]I know all about that. [:)]
However, such jobs are a handy way of going and looking at an area, since they provide accommodation and your recce triptherefore comes cheap. It's also the case that TOs will pay half decent wages to skilled tradesmen because otherwise they just don't get any.
Weren't you stirring it on Natives regarding tour op people-trafficking activities at one point? Always good for a wind-up, that one.
[/quote]Hello
Although I enjoy a good wind up I dont think Ive ever tried one in relation to people trafficking, I dont think the TO's will ever be short enough of willing lambs to have to resort to that.[:D]
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[quote user="misplacedperson"]No, but TOs need maintenance staff. Here, for example: http://jobs.alpineelements.co.uk/?url=alpine-elements-jobs-french-alps
[/quote]Unless he really wants to earn around 100 GBP per week those kind of jobs aren't really very attractive to anyone over 25. They get away with paying under minimum wage and don't adhere to hardly any employment standards (UK or French) the TO's are all the same , not a good one amongst them as far as pay and benefits go but they can do it as there are alwasy queues of teens happy to get a pittance for a 12 hour day as long as they can ski on their one day off.
How no one has ever clamped down on this practice is beyond me.
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Getting a mortgage in France is based entirely on your ability to pay it back so the most important question, do you have work?
The amount they can lend will depend on your income, not the value of the property. The other issue you will have is once back in the UK the mortgage you can get there will be affected by the mortgage you have in France, that is you will have to declare having another mortgage and then in my experience a barge pole may not get soneone to give you a mortgage.
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I agree money for old rope, well actually for the worming and defleaing treatment but still, far too high. I was charged a similar fee in the Charente so can't help on fiounding an alternative but what's really needed is a vet that will allow you to take along your own flea and worm treatment and only charge for seeing that it's done. I think 15-20 euro is a fair price, otherwise it's day light robbery.
Registering as handy man with Autoentrepreneur
in Earning a Living
Posted
Hello
What do you mean by declare, do you mean that this is your net revenue after expenses etc (as in the real regime you get to deduct actual expenses and account for VAT), if yes then that's probably about right, if you mean 50% of gross then that is more than you should be paying.
It was a long while ago but I did the calculations on my own income to compare the two countries regimes and it came our almost exactly the same as in if I was earning the same in the UK I would have paid a lot more in tax but less in NI, in France hradly any tax but high social charges, nothing in it really, a percent or two, it was quite an eye opener as I always felt the french system was higher, I think it's down to the way the bills come in, they look lumpy compared to PAYE.
P