Warning for expats moving to France

[Coral]

I am not sure where this should be posted so I hope this is OK.

I am in the last steps of packing up to move from Japan to Uk and France.  The shipping company gave me a list of documents I need to provide among them I need a Change of Residence attestation from the French embassy.  OK.  I went along and in the 'chat' (ie. broken Japanese/O level French/English ) it came out that as I am English and not French and as my property is classified as a holiday home I would have to pay import duty of 10%, TVA (19.7%?) plus other assorted taxes and that in spite of my stuff originally coming from UK over 20 years ago.  If it was being shipped from UK or another place in Europe these would not apply. I had already been warned that this might be the case and I had asked to go via UK adding a few items from home in UK, but the shipping company reassured me that it  wasn't so and thought I was misinformed (was trying to be 'clever').   They just booked me for a direct shipment. 

I have tried to phone, I have emailed but no response and the shippers packing is supposed to be next week!!  Panic!!!!! I feel like just locking the door and walking away.

So Expats be careful.  The shipping company may not be fully informed.  Your case might be unusual for them.

Coral - I want to be in ariege!!

[Russethouse]

What are they asking for TVA on, the current value ? (is there TVA on second hand goods under a certain value?) the insurance value?. Aren't some items exempt? Is there a threshold ?

Will you be able to reclaim at a later date (your move is going to be permanent isn't it?)

Hope this is the only blip - Good Luck with the rest of the move

[Coral]

Hi Gay

I think he said the TVA was on the declared value for insurance and the shipping company's minimum insurance value on a 20ft container is the equivalent of GBP7,000. So TVA ...? OUCH!!!  But it is just so frustrating that by going via UK I would avoid all that.  The difference in shipping time and cost is minimal.   I shipped my car back to Uk last month and it sailed through with no problems at all -- or VAT .

Yes my move is going to be permanent eventually but I have to finish my contract here in Japan first.  I have to empty the place here to put it up for sale and home in UK has to be rebuilt for rental.  I am juggling so many balls and they are all in midair!  At least the cats' rabies shots are up-to-date.

Coral - I want to be in ariege!

 

[Russethouse]

>>I think he said the TVA was on the declared value for insurance <<<

Oh thats tough ! I was hoping there may be a loop hole but I guess its all sewn up - better luck with the rest of the move

[Mpprh]

Hi

I don't know where to check this out, but ...........................

I worked in a Belgian European office and we had staff arriving from Japan, Dubai, and US. My understanding was that "reasonable" personal effects were free of duty & VAT.

I think you should search some more ?

 

Peter

 

 

 

[Ian Hoare<br>All the best<br>Ian<br>La Souvigne Corrèze<br>http:www.souvigne.com]

Hi,

I wonder how the shipping company would view a well documented suggestion about a discount. It seems to me that they have misled you quite badly, either deliberately or out of ignorance, and that you might have cause for action against them. Rather than going that far, I think that a strongly worded letter explaining that their advice was entirely wrong and might well be costing you a bomb, and asking what discount they proposed, might meet with some success.

Good luck anyway, and do let us know how you get on.

[Coral]

Peter

I think that Belgium is more `reasonable` than France .  I spoke to the shipping dept where I work and apparently they always send their overseas (European ) transfers through UK.

Ian

An email has already gone to the shipping company with a request that they change the routing or I cancel.. along with a strongly worded and distressed complaint about their service! .. Luckily I got it out to them on the 8th day prior to scheduled packing so there will be no cancellation charge.   But that is an excellent suggestion to request/demand a discount.  Hmmmm!

 

Thanks for your support everyone.  I:m keeping my fingers crossed and I:ll keep you informed .

Coral - I want to be in Ariege!!  

[Fumanzoku]

I shipped from Japan to France, having to pay tax on my motley collection of goods came as quite a shock, seemed to rest around the status of my house here. I just paid it, and forgot about it... until now.

[Coral]

Hi Fumanzoku

Thanks for your comment. I really think the shipping co should have been aware of the tax position.

 BTW I did wonder if your name meant human family   or discontented thief.  But then my dictionary is rather old and extremely limited.

Coral - I want to be in Ariege!!

[Fumanzoku]

"human family   or discontented thief"

Hi Coral, 'Fu-manzoku', fu being the negative, means un-satisfied

[Coral]

Hi everybody!

My shipment is on its way -- At last!!  I found another shipper who is +/- GBP1,000 cheaper; offered an insurance cover costing considerably less; and arranged shipment via Felixstowe without question.  He thought that for me a shipment via Marseille would be crazy and suggesting it was plain incompetent. 

So, my advice for any expat - or anyone - moving is definitely to ask around and keep asking. 

I've been rather delayed with my move but I'll soon be there.  July!!! Tour de France!! Wine!! Cheese!!

Thank you everyone for your advice, comments and ideas

Coral - ariege in one more month!

Hi Fumanzoku,  I mis-syllablized your name.  The catch phase in Tokyo these days is 'human' for just about everything with the usual f/h confusion.  Thanks for straightening me out.....but unsatisfied in France???  

[Ian Hoare<br>All the best<br>Ian<br>La Souvigne Corrèze<br>http:www.souvigne.com]

Hi Carol,

Thanks very much for bringing us up to date on your moving saga. I'm really delighted that you've got a better company and that all's OK now.

Once the move is over we look forward to hearing how it all went and how you have got on with settling in.

[Coco]

And you should be able to buy plenty of wine and cheese to enjoy the Tour de France with that extra thousand!  My mum had terrible problems with a well-known (within LF advertising pages) removals company, just coming from UK to France.  They left half her patio pots and BBQ behind and only wanted to compensate her with £100.  I was using them 6 weeks later so threatened to cancel if they didn't give her reasonable compensation.  They still only increased it to £250 (and anybody who has purchase large ceramic patio pots in the UK will know that won't buy many - and she had lots), so I cancelled anyway!  But it's certainly worth pushing these people.

[nckryder]

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but can you import japanese cars into France ???

If so what are the retsrictions and legislations???

Thank you in advance for any help or advice given..

 

 

 

[Anton Redman]

[quote]Not sure if this is the right place to ask but can you import japanese cars into France ??? If so what are the retsrictions and legislations??? Thank you in advance for any help or advice given..[/quote]

Have a search under vehicles in France using 'Japan'. I know all the reasons why second hand cars are cheap in Japan and on a good day can read the script but I would not recommend trying to import.

[Coral]

In April I  shipped my car from Japan to UK with no problems at all except for the search I had trying to get insurance for an import.  My reason for bringing it to UK?  It is 10 years old and so unsaleable in Japan in spite of only having 30,000Ks on the clock and being in excellent condition.  The shiment cost less that i would  have had to pay for a similar car in UK.  I do not know if it would get past the bureaucracy  in France but rather than go that route I am leaving it in UK for use  when I visit family.

If you are going to buy at auction in Japan and ship, get a model that is/was sold in Europe and conforms to EU regulations.  Japan has its own ideas and cars for the domestic market may not conform and have a lot of problems in EU.  Whether you could ship first to UK, deal with the dvla and then to France (??hmmm???) ....... it could work out cheaper.

I am thinking of buying a Japanese car in France.  I know servicing is more expensive but how often do you see a Japanese car broken down at the side of the road?  Alternatively I am thinking about a Citroen Berlingo Estate... any advice anyone?

Coral - almost in ariege.

 

[Ian Hoare<br>All the best<br>Ian<br>La Souvigne Corrèze<br>http:www.souvigne.com]

Hi.

Completely off topic and off thread.

I've had a Honda since I moved here 16 years ago. Bought in Belgium to take to France - had to do so via the UK so I could have kept it 6 months there first (£1000 Japanese vehicle tax). Rules may have changed now of course.

To get French plates you need a "certificat de conformité" from Honda and pass an examination by the Service de Mines. Again, the rules may have changed since then.

Apart from the fact that I've never broken down with either of the two Hondas I've had here, nor either of the two I had in the UK before we moved, servicing is no problems, there's a brilliant dealership nearby, with "rolls royce" service (remember them they used to be brit made cars).

[Coral]

Ian

I am astounded.  How on earth did you come to pay £1,000 Japanese vehicle tax?!

For the Mitsubishi I shipped to UK , a 2550 cc, I didn't have to pay any UK import duty or vehicle tax possibly because I inherited the car from my husband and we'd had it over 10 years.  In Japan it was only £250 a year vehicle tax and my Suzuki that I'm leaving here is only £20.     

 I was thinking of buying a car for France from Belgium and moving it through UK like you did but now I'm really hesitant about it!!

You a right about being off thread so apologies to the admin.  but isn't it more info for expats moving to France?

Coral  - almost in ariege  and the Tour dF is going almost past my front door! 

[Ian Hoare<br>All the best<br>Ian<br>La Souvigne Corrèze<br>http:www.souvigne.com]

Hi Coral,

You asked about how I came to pay japanese Car Tax. I'm afraid my language was careless. It was a special japanese car excise duty. My Aerodeck would have cost £13k in the Uk, but I couldn't get a LHD one there so had to buy it "abroad". I bought it in Belgium. Tax free it came to £7k odd. Then came the Japanese car excise duty plus

£2.5k VAT. Total cost around £10.5k. A significant saving.

Sorry for the careless language.