Help-dream becomes reality!!!

[Mac]

After thinking about buying a house in France for years and dreaming about it too--it's about to become reality. We have had an offer accepted on a house! However am I alone in now coming down to earth with a bump and thinking 'What have we done?'

We want to live in France permenantly-for some years at least. We have done research-both of us are early retirees.

What did others find the biggest problems when they first moved aqnd what were the things that you really worried about only to find that they weren't as bad as you thought?

My main concern in the french tax system-although the tax explainations on this site are great.

What one piece of advice would you give me to help the move go smoothly?

 

[woolybanana]

Learn French. Ask for help if it is needed. Dont listen to old wives tales. Beware of men living in barrels!

[Braco]

What are your real concerns and dreams?

[Joe]

I agree with you about the language.We have been here almost a year and we are trying very hard to learn the language.We found the admin bit,ie the car and medical process etc not to bad.I am thinking positive for the future.Enjoy!

[Joe]

[quote user="Joe"]I agree with you about the language.We have been here almost a year and we are trying very hard to learn the language.We found the admin bit,ie the car and medical process etc not to bad.I am thinking positive for the future.Enjoy![/quote]

[andyh4]

[quote user="woolybanana"]Learn French. Ask for help if it is needed.** Dont listen to old wives tales. Beware of men living in barrels![/quote]

 

** Yes but be prepared for 25% of the answers being totally wrong - even sometimes from officials

[zarathustra]

Language barrier was one of the hardest things when I first arrived. Despite I spoke very little French, I always refused to speak English (and refused to ask someone if they might speak English), and can remember having to do such things as visit the tax office for my first return (my accountant had made a mess of things, so I decided to do it myself). Although my health has always been very good, I ended up in a Paris hospital, and it was very difficult to explain what had happened to me (got there in the end). Despite what people think, the French often do not speak English beyond a few words they learned at school.

Fortunately my wife is French and could help with quite a lot. I still found the administration side of self-employment a nightmare, though the longer you're here the more you begin to understand.

If you're moving to a small village or hamlet, go and say hello to your neighbours - they'll appreciate it, and it will help you settle more quickly. If you're in Paris, you probably don't want to do this, as neighbours are rarely interested in knowing one another, and would find it wierd you knocked on their door to bother them.

Bonne chance!

[minnie]

Have you thought and dealt with the "health payment" aspect i.e. health insurance for early retirees? This, in my mind, is the major hurdle. If so Good luck and enjoy...

[mint]

Minnie's hit the nail on the head.  Without a doubt, this is your NUMBER ONE priority.

[bettyboop]

Health Insurance - I believe this can be very expensive.

Correct me if I am wrong, but arent people getting around this by registering as Auto-Entrepeneur ,thereby entering the system.

Think I have read this on here somewhere

[Sprogster]

I believe the use of the Auto-Entrepeneur route has some major disavantages and in itself is quite costly. Others are better qualified to explain, but I think one of the problems is that it only covers one person.

Also there is the risk that if this is seen as a loophole it will be closed swiftly.

[Gardian]

• Check out your bornage situation before you sign the Compromis, just so that you're sure exactly who owns what and where your boundaries are
• Kick off the HMRC tax rebate process asap - don't leave it (plenty of info on here about the process
• Don't pack the corkscrew: put it in the glovebox of your car, ready for that 1st night glass [B]
• Budget to buy yourself one of the ubiquitous little white vans (with a towbar) + a remorque (trailer) - very handy for all those bulky things that you need to get (delivery can be pricey) 

[Mac]

Thanks for all answers. I always knew that health care was going to cost us so have kept money in reserve. The problem is of course that by the time we had enough money to fulfil the dream we are too old really to start working in another country,although not old enough to collect oap. 

[Sprogster]

Mac, it is not only the cost of comprehensive private medical insurance to consider, but that you or your wife do not have any pre-existing medical conditions such as hypertension, that can preclude you from obtaining the level of cover required to be legally resident in France, as an early retiree.

[nobody99]

Sorry Sprogster but it is not right. The whole family is covered as an Auto-Entrepeneur you have to fill out the paper from RSI with your wife and Chilton’s name birth ……

Just started about 1 years ago as a Auto-Entrepeneur in Biot Côte D’Azur.

[AnOther]

To address your original question; I'm sure your feelings are little different to those felt by many many others and you'll probably agonise and doubt yourself for the 7 day cooling off period, and possibly beyond, we did I don't mind admitting, but it's turned out just fine and after 3 years we have no regrets whatsoever.

Don't worry about the tax system, unless you have complicated affairs then it's not really so difficult and there is plenty of help available come the time. Many villages have a travelling adviser who visits the Mairie specifically to help people with their returns.

Language is obviously very important but in terms of the actual move and getting established what you have will be what you have and further learning is a longer term issue.

Health cover is of course an absolute No1 priority and as others have said may be difficult to secure if you have history. AE may be an option but personally I would be very cautious about pinning the viability of my legitimate residence in France on it. You would still need a top up Mutuell.

You say early retired but that can mean anything, what's more important is how long you have you got to go before one of you reaches UK state pension age. If it's just 2 or 3 years then that may be manageable but if you are say mid 50's then you'll need to complete 5 years of legal residence to be qualify for automatic entry to the French system.

Going AE or working in France at all has implications, principally that it changes your 'competant state' from UK to France which in effect means UK can wash it's hands of you completely, at least until you reach retirement age, but even after that I believe France remains your competant state. Something else to research if you decided to go that route.

Bonne chance

[Sprogster]

nobody99, the fact remains that the French government do not want early Brit retirees moving to France and affiliating to a health system they would not have contributed to during their working lives. If the AE route becomes a popular loophole, than you can guarantee the French authorities will crack down and deny health cover where they believe it is being abused by early retirees, to get around the system. If you are running a genuine and viable business under the AE scheme fair enough, but for most early retirees it is unlikely they want to start a business at that stage in life.

[Ellis]

Good luck living in France -

[sab23]

Ellis

I would definitely say that learning the language should be your first task. It may seem daunting at first but you will see very quickly that it will make your life much easier, even with a limited French...

Good luck and enjoy your new life!!!!

[nectarine]

Like you, two years ago I posted "eek we're moving, advice please" and got really helpful advice.

Amongst it was: pack everything, and then throw half of it away. You won't need it and will never look for it (very true). You'll pay a fortune to have it moved over and then store it in the loft for years.

Language, start taking lessons now, evening classes, private lessons, internet lessons, whatever, even to get a basic grasp for a simple sentence. That really makes a difference, trying to speak the language, will break down barriers and show your willingness to integrate.

Get copies of all your documents and, if necessary, extra certified copies of your birth certificate, marriage, etc. You will need these and be sending them out to plaes, so always have some spares.

Get certificates of conformity for your vehicles now, if you want to register them in France. Far easier to deal with the UK side of things, usually cheaper too, and have those documents ready. But don't tear off the 'export' certificate yet, keep it until you actually have your French registration document. also get a fresh MOT and tax disc to give you several months without worry here ... because when the MOT and tax expire you will definitely need to get those vehicles registered or go back to England for new MOT, etc.

Examine your financial situation and open, if you wish, new bank accounts now. You can't open new bank accounts if you are not UK resident so if there's a deposit account you've been eyeing up then do it while you still have a UK address as you can't do it from abroad. Same with credit card - we use Nationwide which doesn't charge a conversion fee - but again you can only apply for it if you are in the UK.

Health cover - that's all been said but make sure you have your E forms (are they 106 or 121, can't remember) entitling you to medical treatment in the EU, as that too will give you some period of cover without worry.

Good luck!

[Quillan]

I would go further than nectarine's suggestion about packing. Basically I would only bring newish stuff that you have a receipt for. Should you have to claim on your contents insurance they (the French insurance company) will always (in my experience) want to see the original receipt and that usually means an invoice as opposed to a till receipt. Basically other than capital items like white goods (you may need a 'Y' piece to join the hot and cold water together for your washing machine, they are cheaper to buy in the UK and European machines are cold fill only so only expect one tap) with receipts I would flog everything else in the UK. Local adverts and Ebay is quite a good way of getting rid of them then whats left get a house clearing company in. I have to say I didn't do this so its based on what I know now as to what I thought before I moved. We still have stuff that was stored in our loft in the UK, never been out of the box's in 10 years and is now hogging space in the garage here.

Buy a load of UK to European plug adapters, cost a fortune in France and you will discover you have all sorts of things like phone chargers etc that may need them.

Hope that helps

[jb1]

HI THERE, JUST SOLD AN APARTMENT IN THE ALPS, AND MY ADVICE IS TO GET A BRILLIANT ACCOUNTANT, IF YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE ABUSINESS.THEY DO SO MUCH FOR YOU, AND THEY ARE WELL WORTH THE FEE. MY ACCOUNTANT WAS FRENCH BUT ENGLISH SPEAKING, AND NEVER LET ME DOWN.

[Kitty]

Am I allowed three things?

1. Learn French - I have no idea how people can live here permanently without speaking French

2. Health cover - Check that you can afford it

3. "Safety net" - Preferably don't sell up in the UK completely until you are absolutely sure that you can live in France e.g. rent for a year first

[AnOther]

Welcome to the forum but there is no need to SHOUT, we can read you in a normal voice [;-)]

[virginia]

Come with a positive state of mind. i hate English ex-pats who spend all their time moaning about the French system. If they are not happy why don't they move back! Yes there are always some problems, but very few that cannot be overcome. My husband died 6 months after moving here, and it was horrendous, perhaps the worst thing that could have happened,but I moved forward, and have never regretted making the decision to stay here.

Virginia