Domestic Taxes in 16

[CandA]

Could anyone give us the benefit of their experience on rates bills. We have a house near Champagne Mouton, (Turgon Commune), currently used just (unfortunately!) as a second home. We’ve just received our bill for “taxe foncière”. It’s not too bad at all but we understand that there might be some discount on account of the more limited services used by second home owners. Is that the case – or is it much the same as in England where those discounts are pretty much a thing of the past? It’s not a problem but if we could save a few bob here we could buy some more stuff for the jobs we want to do sooner rather than later.

And can we ask about the “taxe d’habitation”? We understand that this bill usually follows the other one but that there’s an element of means–testing. It’s not that we’re likely to qualify for any reduction in the bill, it’s just that we wouldn’t want a form sitting in our post box in France holding things up!. And is it correct that the “taxe d’habitation” is usually about half the “taxe foncière?

Sorry about all the questions but these taxes are new to us as we didn’t pay either of them last year as we only took possession in March.

Thanks in anticipation of any help.

[Boiling a frog]

You actually pay more if it is a second house not less.Altho some people on low income can get a discount it is only on your main house and you have to be french resident and tax payer There will not be a form lying waiting for you and yes genarally tax habitation is less than tax fonciere

[zeb]

Hello canda - have you been into the Trésor Public at Champagne Mouton and made sure that they have your UK address for ALL your bills? Even after living here for a couple of years we had problems with them as they were still sending some bills to our old address in the UK!!

Your rates are based on the size of your property - habitable space, number of bathrooms etc - same as the UK but we lived near North London when we were resident there and have found that our bills here (near Champagne Mouton) are a fraction of what we paid before. You have to pay for rubbish collection though even for a second home - that bill is sent separately.

There are exclusions from paying the tax fonc. but is mainly those living agricultural dwellings or young farmworkers.

If you want your letter box checked let me know!

regards.....helen