Angie Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I would really like to query our high property taxes which seem to have risen a lot again this year, despite not having any improvements/changes to the property. We are very rural and do not have a lot of amenities close by. Firstly what are the chances of the Tresorie having made a mistake with their calculations (the house was new 10 years ago and the builder completed and submitted the forms) and more importantly, would they be likely to increase them further if we appealed?!!! That's what's worrying me as we absolutely could not afford to pay a penny more!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I would ask at the Mairie first, firstly because the rates are set by the conseil municipal so the mayor will know the whys and wherefores of any local increases better than the tax office, and secondly because unlike the tax office the Mairie can't revise your bill it upwards.It is unlikely that there has been a mistake, the avis are all spat out by the computer so unless for some reason they have been given wrong data, why would the calculation be wrong.Is it a holiday home? If live in France and pay taxes here, there may be reductions if the taxe d'habitation is disproportionate to income. On the other hand there is a list of I think 90 or so communes that this time for the first time are charging a supplement to holiday home owners. You'll find the list if you google, I think parts of Annecy, Bordeaux and Paris are among those on the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 It has been all over french news for months about these bills rising, what some consider out of proportion.As in the UK for example, the government have cut their funding to local councils and councils in spite of making cuts, are subsequently increasing these bills.Re those 90 communes, well, when I watched a news report about it, the one in question was most certainly not one on that list, as the Maire of the place was talking on french news, just a small town near the swiss border, cannot remember the name of it, but I did look it up at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Yes there will almost certainly have been something about it in the local papers when the rates were set earlier in the year, especially if there were big rises, these things are obviously of interest to everybody locally.Where I live they managed to keep it the same as last year so of course the mayor took the opportunity to get good publicity for himself, saying how committed he is to keeping taxes down bla bla bla, but good for him all the same.The rates are set at the end of the summer IIRC so in the future it might be an idea for the OP to find out in advance, to avoid a nasty shock and no time to save up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 This happened to us too, and at first I put it down to the fact that our income had gone up mainly due to the favourable exchange rate. (It all comes from the UK)I went into the tax office and they told me we might get a reimbursement because for some reason the govt. has passed a measure exonerating many people whose bills have suddenly gone up. For 2015 and probably 2016 too.They told me to ring the dept that sends out the bills.I tried to ring a few times and as usual with these phone nos after 5 minutes said ring back later. So I wrote a letter, and got a reply yesterday, apparently confirming that we should get an exoneration, and reimbursement ( ours goes out by prelevement.)I later found this same letter has been sent to many other people.So .....fingers crossed. To Angie - try asking in your tax office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfblind Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 I don't understand the link between "increased income" and these 2 taxes. They are based on the property value and local tax rates.The only income related tax would be the taxe d'habitation as you can get a reduction for low income or complete exoneration if you are over 60 and low income. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Income going up can take you over one of those thresholds.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 Our income was above any threshold, but we had a reduction on our taxe d'hab when our children were at home. That is how it works, the parts count as well as income. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 [quote user="halfblind"]The only income related tax would be the taxe d'habitation as you can get a reduction for low income or complete exoneration if you are over 60 and low income.[/quote] Not correct, you can get a partial dégrèvement (mine is 90%) of taxe d'hab but not an exoneration even when you are Under 60 dependant on your income, the same is also true of taxe foncière which is limited to no more than 50% of your RFR, not very generous saying that if you are on a low income then we wont take more than half of it for taxe foncière, and the other half for taxe d'hab no doubt [:P] I will be going to the hotel des impots soon to try and get a partial refund for both the taxes for the last 2 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 The tax office doesn't send out the bills, but they should tell you the place that does, there are several different ones depending where you live. Ours is in Lyon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 My tax office (=centre des impôts) definitely calculates the bills, unless the system has changed recently, because a couple of years ago I was stuck in the queue behind a woman who was obviously querying hers, couldn't hear the entire conversation but the fonctionnaire and the customer were looking at the screen together and talking about garages and staircases and ceiling heights and all the usual, so I'm sure that that was the query. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 Yes I think you're right about the calculation side, but our local tax ofice doesn't deal with paytments, as I said, ours go to Lyon.Why is it so complicated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 Yes I think you're right about the calculation side, but our local tax ofice doesn't deal with payments, as I said, ours go to Lyon.Why is it so complicated? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinabee Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 [quote user="Patf"]Yes I think you're right about the calculation side, but our local tax ofice doesn't deal with paytments, as I said, ours go to Lyon.Why is it so complicated?[/quote]Because it's France :) The rates are set by various levels of local government (commune, intercommunalité, département, etc.) the base is set by the state (I think), but the tax office have a hand in evaluating the valeur locative. The calculations are done by the tax office, who also send out the bills. The monies are collected by the tresorie or online by the dgfip. Nobody really knows how it all works apart from a bloke from Caen . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardian Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 ........ and his staple diet is probably Tripes a la Mode de Caen. Breakfast, lunch & dinner, with maybe a slice or two extra at teatime.Explains it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinabee Posted December 3, 2015 Share Posted December 3, 2015 [quote user="Gardian"]........ and his staple diet is probably Tripes a la Mode de Caen. Breakfast, lunch & dinner, with maybe a slice or two extra at teatime.Explains it all.[/quote]You've met him! And for a change he has the andouille de Vire or boudin noir Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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