DEEDS, DIVORCE & COST OF LIVING!

[Traci]

Hi, i'm moving to the Gironde at some point within the next 2 - 3 months with my daughter aged 9.  I am going through a divorce and its financially cheaper to move to our home there.  However i need urgent help, the french house is in joint names and the final payment is being made in 4 weeks, it was  a new build.  I have been told that to have my ex's  name taken off the deeds, the notaire will do this for 6% approx of half the value of the property, and cannot be done until we have made the final payment.  Is there a cheaper way to do this or is this the only way.

My solicitor is asking me what the cost of living will be, well as you can imagine having never lived there i have no idea!  So can i please have some idea on what to expect to be paying out initially, average bills, usual costs, shopping etc, rates, everything will help and the sooner the better and any surprises that i wouldn't be expecting.  Is anything cheaper and whats more expensive...........................hurry with replies as i'm pulling my hair out!

Thanks for any help offered..........Traci

 

[Kitty]

Can't help you on the deeds bit.

As for the cost of living: how long is a piece of string?  Food is cheaper and healthier in France.  But certain things, such as furniture, are a lot more.  Fuel bills are less (it is warmer anyway), electricity being less than the UK.  But water is more expensive.  School fees are substantially less, if you were privately educating.  Petrol/diesal is less as is running a car but my car repairs bills are high.  I reckon that your solicitor is being unreasonable for you to expect to know.  It really depends on your lifestyle.

Where in the Gironde are you going to be?  I am there with four children, three being girls.

[Russethouse]

Heres a list of things copied from a post by  Lori in March, it might give you some idea or a starting place for more specific questions::

Some of the basic items to tally up:

Home insurance (can be paid monthly or otherwise to suit your budget, but still has to be paid) You can ask what previous owner paid OR get a quote prior to buying
Car insurance  (same as above)
If car is used inspection every two years if licensed in France - 51 euros for inspection
EDF (ask what the house was paying prior to your taking it over - you can get this from EDF)
Water bill  (ask what previous owner paid - and determine how many people lived in the house previously to try to compare)
Again, this can be obtained from the water company - owners tend to fib on these issues.
Home heating - is it fuel, solar, electric? - we have fuel, but what-ever you have, this can be a shock - it was to us, but our house is big and old
Health coverage - can also be determined prior to making the move - speaking French would help enormously when contacting the French Health authorities to verify/ask anything.
Dental care - regular care is quite reasonable - anything else can do a real number on the budget.
Petrol - will you need to do a lot of driving - cost me 50 euros to fill up my tank.
Food - whatever you spend there, you could spend here.  Obviously this varies from person to person.
Garden care - will you have a garden?  Will you need a mower, strimmer, etc. or will you bring them with you.  Will you be the one to do the yard work or will you need help?  Any planting will need to be accounted for in plant/tree purchase, fertilizer, and maintenance products.
White goods - will you be buying them here or bringing them with you?  Prices for these things can be determined prior to the move if you are here for a visit.
Tax d'Habitation    -  can be verified by the local Tresor Public (can change somewhat from year to year, but we haven't encountered huge changes) due during last quarter of the year
Tax Fonciere   - can be verified by the local Tresor Public (same as above unless you plan to put a pool in or something that could raise the bill somewhat) due during last quarter of the year - can't rmember - one is Oct. the other is Dec.
Pool    -  if there isn't one, then it is a mute issue - if there is one, determine the annual maintenance fees - easy to get data.
Internet / Phone/ Portable   -  Not a huge addition to the budget, but when the budget is tight, it shouldn't be forgotten
Wood    - do you have a fireplace?  Don't forget the cost of wood - depending upon how much you use, it isn't cheap
TV Tax    -  116 euros per year unless you have NO TV in your house
Cost of Xmas (or the like), birthdays, vacations, outings    -  you can say you will forgo those types of luxuries, but HAVING to might have an impact on your true happiness .. 
Guests   -  will you be hosting any guests?  This too can break the budget.
Regular home / garden / car / mower, etc. maintenance   -    We have our chiminey swept every other year 60 Euros.  We have our fuel heating system opened up and cleaned every other year 140 euros.  We have our car maintenance done - liquid, filter changes, etc. around every six months - cost varries, but avg.  70 euros.  Mower gets air filter, oil and spark plug changed, with blade sharpened or replaced depending on use, every two years - 40 euros.

 

[Val_2]

The region where you live can also have a big effect on your cost of living too. I would suggest you work along the lines of the same as the UK because where you pay big there,the same would apply in France for health care. Don't forget too that you have to travel further in France to find things especially decent clothing and shoes and activities for the kids so cheaper petrol/diesel is cancelled out and in the sticks,public transport is not very good at all if any. You will also have to pay for school meals if they live too far to come home or you are working, school equipment like books and trips although eventually when youhave got sorted you can claim child allowance once signed off from the UK with the paperwork to proove it. Buying second hand vehicles in France is very expensive and usually buying new isn't a lot dearer as vehicles hold their value here. You also get on the spot fines for misdemeanors like speeding so you need money in the kitty to pay that. The utilities bills come every two months as well so money needs to be there for those.

[andyh4]

Traci I have to agree with most of the points made here except for Cathy's comments about heating.  No disrespect but her profile suggests she is a holiday home owner - and therefore does not have to enjoy winter in France.  Yes Summer is generally (much) warmer but winters are in most places much colder and what you saved in the summer,you will pay out (and possibly more) in the winter when it is    -10°C and below.

 

Since all registartion of property ownership in France seems to go through the notaire I would doubt if there is any alternative to paying the 6% through him.  Most of this in any case goes to the land registration authorities and does not stay in his pocket.  And authorities being authorities, there is no choice.

[Val_2]

As an idea we are a family of four adults with the usual household items including freezers,washer and drier,electric oven,electric chauffe-eau and electric radiators for heating if we need them as a backup to woodburning stove which is hardly ever and our regular two- monthly bills are always between 150 - 220€. If you have no town gas to the property then you will save that although fuel or tanked gas heating will be expensive and cancel the previous out and there will be boiler servicing each year on top of that. Our six monthly consumption of water is regularly between 400 - 480€ and that is four baths per day and washing machine nightly plus watering the garden in dry weather and washing vehicles.Health insurance I cannot help you with because it is linked to our business turnover and the mutuelle is tailor-made to suit us but you can expect to pay at least 100€ plus per month for a family to cover your top up. Don't forget too that if you have to use a clinic rather than a hospital,many do not take the Carte Vitale and you pay up front and then claim it back, thus again needing to keep funds in reserve.

[Kitty]

Following Andy's comments about heating:  Last year, I lived in France for about 6 months of the year, including 3 months during the winter.  My heating bills are less in France than the UK.  Depending on where in France you are, it is generally colder during the night and in the early morning, but the middle part of the day is warmer.

My UK fuel costs have escalated through the roof this year : not so my costs in France.  I understand that this is because the French have a surplus of electricity which they sell to neighbouring countries - perhaps someone can enlighten us on this?

[Cassis]

If you aren't near the coast then it is colder in winter in France than in the south of the UK, day and night, because you don't benefit from the moderating influence of the sea.  For the same reason it gets much hotter inland in the summer for a given latitude.  But the winter is shorter in the far south so you may benefit from that.

Phil

[Cerise]

Traci - you have my sympathy for the situation you find yourself in.  You don't say whether you or your daughter speak French, but if not unless you really want to live in France don't be pushed into doing so just because you are getting divorced and 'someone' (lawyer, ex?) says it is cheaper.  You may of course see it as a new adventure and life and if so, I wish you good luck.  However, you say you have never lived in France and my experience is that in the end the cost of living is not a great deal lower than the UK and wages are a great deal lower.  As you have a young daughter I assume you will have to work and I think you should factor the cost of that (in lower earning possibilities for example) into your costs and if you don't have any French the cost of a translator all the inevitable necessities.  A person earning the SMIC takes home about 950 euros a month before tax - not that they'll pay any on that - and after cotisations.  That is about £675 and you will be very lucky to earn more than that unless you are a bi-lingual professional.  If you start up your own business you have all the associated costs, so do remember that when talking about money.  Getting divorced is horrible (been there, done that) for all concerned and at a low time in your life it is easy to grab any opportunity without thinking it through.  Starting a new life in another country is hard even when you have love and support but alone with a child to raise when you don't feel that sparkling anyway could be horrible.  Note I say COULD as some people manage whatever the circumstances.

I know this is none of my business and I dare say dozens of divorced single parents who have 'gone it alone with only 10 euros and no French' will leap out to prove me wrong, but whatever you do don't underestimate the cost of living here or the difficulty of being alone in a place where your language skills may not be up to every day living.

Good luck anyway.

 

Maggi 

[Traci]

Hi Cathy, thanks for your reply, we will be in Hourtin.  Are you living anywhere near there with your family and if so, can you recommend any schools?..........Thanks for your help.