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How can UK companies come and work in France temporarily?


Abbaye
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[quote user="Abbaye"]

... for example, say, a UK roofing contractor .... if he has an offer of working on a house in France ... how do you legally do it?  Can you just trot over, bring a couple of labourers, and off you go?  Invoice the client, who presumably would be English (say its their holiday home) and so they can write you a UK cheque to pay your invoice.

I know a lot of people do it and just wonder how - just cant be that simple?!

What about insurance?  Would your UK professional indemnity insurance cover you?

Anyone done this or know about it?

Thanks

Abbaye

[/quote]

You asked a specific question and got specific answers - problem is, you and others didn't like the answers. What conclusions are we expected to draw?

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Any answers that were given (which were not actually answers, just repetition of what we already know in that France is strongly regulated re business activities) were also accompanied by the suggestion that I wanted to come over here and set up something without going through the relevant authorities and how cross it made people bladdy bladdy blah and how people are sick of it la lalala ....and I have taken great exception to that   ... perfectly normal response I would say if you feel your reputation is being questioned.

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'Nick'

It's not that anyone didn't like the answer, more that you don't like the question!  You do of course have to set up, be registered and qualified etc. etc. to live and work permently in France, no one is denying that. 

To employ a buisness to come over from another part of the EU, not on the black but a employing a business who are legit in their own country, to build something here is not automatically uninsured they will have indemnity insurance and will be covered to work in Europe if they truly are legit and that's easy to check out. 

You can also still get a 10 year warranty whether french or otherwise, a legit building company like those I was referring do offer this.  Buying a wooden house and having it put together by the manufacturer is something I would consider for the future I intend to check with my local notaire how they would handle a warranty offered by a non french buisness on this basis, I will let you know what he says.

Panda

Be careful when choosing an avatar as like your dog you may start to look and act like it!

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I think this document gives a fair summary of the requirements

http://www.clermont-fd.cci.fr/europe/doss/2006/0906.php

If you bring in a foreign contractor from another EU country to perform a one-off contract they will have to

Prove to the Prefet that their employees are appropriately qualified (Three years experience etc) and obtain a certificate from the Prefet to that effect.

They will have to notify when they are starting the contract to the Inspection de travail

They must obey all French employment laws, minimum wage, 35 hour week etc

If they are working for an individual they will have to register for French VAT

They must provide a ten year insurance / guarantee as required by French law (Which I bet has to come from a French insurance company......)

So it can be done if the job is big enough to warrant jumping through all the hoops.

 

 

 

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Most larger jobs around here, especially for companies that can't afford to sit waiting in hope that some day the artisan might deign to arrive, are done by Belgium companies.

Like the new shopping centre going up very close to me and the recently completed new airport, by the rapid rate of construction and the way that the airport was completed and snagged according to schedule I would think that the main contracts have some element of penalty clause.

I very much doubt that these would be accepted or even understood by most building companies and artisans local to me, more the pity for if I had used and enforced such contracts I would still be sitting in an unfinished ruin but slightly better off[:D]

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[quote user="Abbaye"]

Frankly I am furious that my original question has brought about threats of reporting people to the authorities and other such ridiculously out of context comments ..... it is verging on defamation and actually rather worrying.

No more from me .......

[/quote]

Abbaye think you are reading things into this.

I viewed Nicks comments as one of frustration on his part - he is fully legit with all the costs associated with that but losses some jobs because others who are not legit can easily undercut him.

If his livelihood is being taken from him then I can understand his attitude.

However, you seem to be taking the attitude that it was directly aimed at you.

The threads often meander but normally do provide the answer to the original question which seems to be the case in this thread.

Paul

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[quote user="J.R."]

Most larger jobs around here, especially for companies that can't afford to sit waiting in hope that some day the artisan might deign to arrive, are done by Belgium companies.

Like the new shopping centre going up very close to me and the recently completed new airport, by the rapid rate of construction and the way that the airport was completed and snagged according to schedule I would think that the main contracts have some element of penalty clause.

I very much doubt that these would be accepted or even understood by most building companies and artisans local to me, more the pity for if I had used and enforced such contracts I would still be sitting in an unfinished ruin but slightly better off[:D]

[/quote]

I live and work in north west France, and we do lots of municipal contracts.  Penalty clauses are a part of life and are dealt with efficiently and speedily!! (For example, I have just three weeks to decorate a new sports centre using just me and one other worker!)

Perhaps immigrants to France don't realise that there is an accute shortage of appropriately qualified people in the building and related trades. That's why you may have to wait for a while to get work done. It's nothing to do with people taking their time on jobs!!!  We just can't get the staff!

Aly

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Of course I'm an immigrant!  It's not a form of slander but a word which describes someone who immigrates to a country (in this case France) from their country of origin.Those of us who live here will all remain immigrants for the rest of our time here unless we successfully apply for French citizenship.

I work for a French company and found it very hard to come to terms with for the first while, but my French colleagues had every right to resent me being there for this very reason.  After several years it's much better, but to them I will always be an immigrant. Even when I apply for citizenship here I doubt if they'll agree that I'm technically French!

Aly

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Catalpa,

I simply replied in the same tone as the poster.

My problem is that quite frankly I think that the original post was a bit of a windup (if so, it has certainly succeeded). This subject has been discussed endlessly and I personally think that anyone who is legally registered to to whatever it is that they actually do, would have done enough research to already have this information.

I do get very annoyed by the endless stream of people arriving here and deliberately flouting the law simply because they can get away with it. (In fact not only flouting it but actually exchanging information on how to do so!) We could have done the same thing all those years ago but  felt that it was immoral never mind illegal. Consequently we had a much harder time of it financially although we have eventually ended up in a much stronger position than some other Brits locally.

I don't go out of my way to be attractive, but to be honest and decent.

Aly

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[quote user="Charlotte3"]

I live and work in north west France, and we do lots of municipal contracts.  Penalty clauses are a part of life and are dealt with efficiently and speedily!! (For example, I have just three weeks to decorate a new sports centre using just me and one other worker!)

Perhaps immigrants to France don't realise that there is an accute shortage of appropriately qualified people in the building and related trades. That's why you may have to wait for a while to get work done. It's nothing to do with people taking their time on jobs!!!  We just can't get the staff!

Aly

[/quote]

Aly

I understand and agree.

I am also very flattered to be recognised as an immigrant for the first time, I try very hard without success to convince others (who consider themselves ex-pats) what being one means.

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