Llantony Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 We are hoping to try living in France and my OH wants to just sell up & go. I'm a bit concerned about just selling up as if we later want/need to return the UK housing market may have raced ahead of us. Even for occasional visits we would have no relatives we could/would want to land on for UK visits and our sons have small flats and no room.My ideal would be sell our UK house and be mortgage free (what joy!) and buy something modest and maybe return to UK for 3 months Dec-Feb, have Christmas with the kids , catch up with friends and miss the darkest, dismalist time of year in rural France. I know others do similarly, but how does this work with things like health and insurance? If we opt into the French health system - which does seem a lot better where we are - are we excluded from the UK one (except for emergency treatment)? Travel insurance usually covers up to 30 days so wouldn't cover medical expenses. Which country to insure the car in? And again, if France, would we be covered for 3 months in England?How do others manage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumziGal Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Where will you live for 3 months in winter if you sell your house? Holiday rentals are horribly expensive over Christmas - I know, I've just done it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Some friends of ours did similar when they moved to Spain; they sold their house in the London suburbs and on the strength of that and their pensions/lump sums bought a flat on the south coast (handy for kids, cheap) and rented a place in Spain. Eventually they found a finca they had to have and restore, and ended up selling the flat to fund it, which I think was a mistake, as they are now into their late 60s and both have health 'issues' and may end up either alone, or finding it difficult to cope. They never let the flat simply because they wanted free use of it, and it had most of their prized possessions in it - and who needs the hassle of tenants if you can avoid it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 If you spend 3 months in the UK the French heathcare system will cover you for the UK. It depends on your age as to how much you will have to pay into it (if you are over the UK state retirement age you get the full amount)- but if your main residence (where you spend the longer half of the year - I think that's right?) is in France, you will have to be in the French system. The standard of health care varies from place to place (as per the UK) but is generally pretty good in my experience, and that of those who live near me. Beware though, the system generally only pays around 70% of costs (it varies a bit) so you will need top-up insurance.Without a doubt, if you are not 110% convinced that French life will be for you, then buy a small property in the UK and rent here. Then you will know for sure that the life is for you (it most certainly is not for all) - and on top of that, the region you select; and not least of all, renting is cheaper here than in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llantony Posted January 13, 2007 Author Share Posted January 13, 2007 [quote user="Llantony"]"My ideal would be sell our UK house and be mortgage free (what joy!) and buy something modest and maybe return to UK for 3 months Dec-Feb"[/quote]So that's where we'd live! Not keen on renting out our current UK house - it would barely cover the mortgage but for a house of this type & area people would expect it to be immaculate and it isn't. I have thought of buying a small house or flat in the Uk and renting it reasonably to one of our sons on the promise that we could come back.It sounds a bit pessimistic to try & have an insurance of a property in the UK in case things don't work out, but who know what the future holds... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Pessimistic, no, very practical and level-headed - yes. Just read some of the threads on here like "What's it like returning to the UK" etc. It ain't all wine and roses for some! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Smith Posted January 13, 2007 Share Posted January 13, 2007 Getting old and one of you dying isn't a risk, it's a certainty. This becomes especially important when people buy rural hideaways, meaning that one partner could end up spending their old age alone and isolated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted January 14, 2007 Share Posted January 14, 2007 Llanthony, that's exactly what we do. To me it offers the best of both worlds. I love my bit of England and would never want to sever ties. But we can satisfy Mrs Will's love of France (she works here) and although I love France too I couldn't do it full time.If you have any specific questions about practicalities, please ask. Cooperlola has answered your initial points very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llantony Posted January 15, 2007 Author Share Posted January 15, 2007 Thanks for helpful replies. In 2003 we bought a small house in France in a relatively lively village - I refused to consider a ruin in a huge plot of land in the country - especially for a holiday home. (I have to be the boring practical one as husband gets carried away!) That's why we still have a mortgage. We have made some really good friends. However there are good & bad points to having very close neighbours. Also, tho we have a lovely view it's only from the garden above the house - which is accessed by 39 steps - and all we see from the living room is a concrete wall about 10 feet away. This could get depressing so we might look for another property using the equity from UK house. It might take a while to sell the French one so buying/selling could be a stressful process. A bit complicated, maybe I should start buying lottery tickets.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 [quote user="Mister Fluffy"]Getting old and one of you dying isn't a risk, it's a certainty. This becomes especially important when people buy rural hideaways, meaning that one partner could end up spending their old age alone and isolated.[/quote]Yes, I love my rural retreat now, in my early 50's but Mr C and I are quite sure that we'll move into the village once we're beginning to get infirm - more practical even for two but much better when the inevitable happens and one of us is left on our own. In the UK we lived a long way from the nearest village and I once broke my leg and was housebound, for one reason and another, for about 15 months. I couldn't go anywhere without a lift and Mr C was at work 12 hours plus 5 days a week. I have never been so bored. The country life can feel like a prison if you're not able to get out and about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pennie Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Whatever you do, don't let go of a property in England, however small. Having lived in France for 6 years, but keeping a tiny propery in England, we are so pleased we did! the excitement of living in France can wear off! grandchildren draw you back, as does the language and the culture! Know too many people who are keeping a 'stiff upper lip' in France saying how wonderful it still is, at the age of 70 and loads of grass to cut and health wearing down and they 'lie'. They can't get back here. Imagine being really sick abroad and not having a consultant to speak your language. We joined the health system. Why? It cost us a lot of money per quarter but we were fortunate not to need it. However, we kept our GP in England so are stil covered here and have our health card for the EC. Stay 'English' would be our advice and tell the French the minimum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Avery Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 "and they 'lie" Hmmm......... just like somebody else did about where they lived to their GP amd the UK National Health service??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RumziGal Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 [quote user="Ron Avery"]"and they 'lie" Hmmm......... just like somebody else did about where they lived to their GP amd the UK National Health service???[/quote]I think the point was that if you express discontent with France you get shot down in flames by people who say it must be your own fault, France is perfect, why don't you go home, etc.Maybe at a time when you're already low, it's easier to pretend than have people kick you when you're already down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknown Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 That's a very good point Rumzigal and very well put, though what Big Ron said is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hastobe Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 If you keep a property in the UK then, even if you only spend a few months of the year there, you may not lose your UK domicile for inheritance tax purposes - particularly if you have UK source income (i.e. UK pensions etc). Just worth bearing in mind..Kathie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maude Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 I would certainly keep some form of property in the uk if possible.Been here 4 years plus,love the space etc, but would like to turn the clock back and to have stayed in our last uk house.Would not want a holiday home here in any circumstances,but would have come for 6 months at a time and either rented short time in either holiday caravans or brought my own tourer before making the final decision on whether to move "permanently" or not.I would have toured many areas (as we do now) without having the boredom of being captive in one area .Have seen many gites in all sorts of area and they are either very expensive,or rough to say the least.Prefer my own body fluff without paying for someone elses.House prices are now so avariciously greedy,that we certainly couldnt afford to return.Miss the grandchildren obviously,and certain cultural things such as being more easily able to converse with doctors and officialdom generally.Other points mentioned in other replies about losing a loved one etc seems to increase in proportion to the increase in birthdays!If only we had lived in the south,we would have been able to do much more than we are doing with the larger equity .Preferably to have had a holiday home in the uk . C,est la vie ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pennie Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 Didn't lie - didn't de-register Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 But if you were to use your UK GP's services before moving back to the UK permanently then you would be lying. As you would be if you were to use a UK EHC to get cover outside of the UK.When you move back to the UK you would automatically have the right to register , so I don't see the reason for what you are doing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pennie Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 what's a uk ehc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pennie Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 I still pay all expenses for the house in England - do not rent it out - and have been registered with the local doctor for 25 years. I have paid all my national insurance contributions and therefore feel qualified to use my doctor when in England. I also pay a considerable quarterly amount to the French health system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 UK EHC as inHowever, we kept our GP in England so are still covered here and have our health card for the ECEuropean Health Card If you are not resident you are not entitled to register for UK NHS treatment whatever you have previously paid into the system, or are currently paying in France. The correct route is to have a French EHC and use that on your return trips. The cost will then be picked up by the French system. Its easier to live in France and get treatment in the UK than it is the other way around. As a French resident you get a card which entitles you to whatever a UK resident would get IE 100% free. The other way around and you only get 70% paid.Your situation isn't as clear cut as some in that you do have an address in the UK, but you are not a permanaet resident.See the NHS website.Anyone taking up or resuming permanent residence in the UK is entitled to free National Health Service (NHS) hospital treatment in England. If you intend to live permanently in the UK you will be exempt from hospital charges from the date of your arrival in the country but you should expect to be asked to prove your intention and that you are legally entitled to live here. This exemption applies to your spouse and children (under the age of 16, or 19 if in further education) if they are living here with you on a permanent basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamedup Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Pennie,where we pay, or so the french tell me has absolutely nothing to do with whether we are allowed to be within the system in that country. We can 'decide' ourselves that it is our 'right' to be this that or the other, but as I have found out from the french end at least, there is little good sense or logic or anything that I would find just. So you can be registered with your doctor in the UK, but whether you have any right to do that if you are french resident, maybe you should find out properly.If you are a french resident, then you will be in the french health system and they will issue with a french EHIC card, which you can use in the UK for emergency treatment there, including using your 'old' GP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Unless you have something you need to hide, there is no point whatsoever in staying outside the system, and every point in doing it properly - or am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 [quote user="Will"]Unless you have something you need to hide, there is no point whatsoever in staying outside the system, and every point in doing it properly - or am I missing something?[/quote]Oh, I doubt it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 there is no point whatsoever in staying outside the systemIn this particular case the issue seems to be staying inside both systems. The question is how can that be correct? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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