Redevance Audiovisuelle - Taxe d'habitation

[Ptostevin]

Hi

We received our Taxe D'habitation through the post today which now includes payment for the TV licence. This is our 'holiday home' (a misnomer as its sometimes anything but a holiday when we are out there!) and as we do not have a TV we do not want to pay the 116euros - does anyone know the correct procedure for opting out? The form does not give you the option...

thanks

Paul

[BJSLIV]

Earlier this year non-residents should have received a form giving the the option to tick the box to declare that they did not possess a set .

I should contact the Hotel des Impots to find out what happened to yours.

 

[Ptostevin]

Thanks - we never received one nor did my sister-in-law who also has a maison secondaire. I'll contact them or pop in at half-term when we are across there.

Paul

[Lizzie15]

I never had one either.

[Quillan]

If you have not registered you house as a second home then you won't have received the form.

If you have a TV arial then remove it and then tell them you have no TV or radio then they will give you a rebate. There was a long thread on this some time back, I can't find it at the moment as the search facility seems to have gone tits up yet again but you might like to try a search on "TV Licence".

[Ptostevin]

How do you register your house as a second home?  And what is the relevance of it being a second home (except being able to get this form!).

Paul

 

[BJSLIV]

Its not really the second home dimension that matters , more the non-resident side. Thats because if you pay French Income tax you can indicate that you are a non-TV owner on the tax form. If you don't get the tax form , and they haven't sent you the opt out form then they will include the TV on the tax d'habitation.

I think it was all brought in in a rather rushed manner, so the systems are proving to be less than perfect.

 

 

[Quillan]

But there is a sting in the tail, do that and when you come to sell under the new regs you will have to pay 33.33% as EU holiday home owner from outside France as opposed to 16% by letting them think you are resident here. So theres the rub, do the right thing and register as a holiday home and not pay your TV licence fee and pay 33.33% when you sell or don't, pay for your TV every year and only pay 16% when you sell.

[Nelson]

[quote]But there is a sting in the tail, do that and when you come to sell under the new regs you will have to pay 33.33% as EU holiday home owner from outside France as opposed to 16% by letting them think ...[/quote]

Hi Quillan

I am not shaw or the facts here but havn`t you got these figures the wrong way round.(thats if its capital gains tax you refer to.)

regards colin

 

[Quillan]

Not according to Art 244 bis A du C.G.I. dated 01/01/2004 which I just so happen to have in front of me. It used to be limited to just the first 5 years but has now been extended to 7 and will be extended even further in 2007

[Nelson]

Thats not what it says here

http://www.frenchentree.com/fe-legal/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=1908

regards colin

[Quillan]

Yep thats an artical written by a guy who works for a company who's main objective it to make money. The document I quoted is THE reference as it is issued by Direction Générale des Impôrts and it IS the French law and it's what they give to Notaires when they work out what tax you will pay. I don't think the document you quote is used by Notaires. Drop me a private email and I will scan it and send it to you if you want. It is in French.

[BJSLIV]

The rate of CGT is

16% if you are  resident in France or Elsewhere in the EU.

33% If you live outside the EU.

Of course if you are resident and paying taxes in France then your main residence is totally exempt from CGT. Though you would be liable to VAT if you sell any new build house within the first five years, which in effect is  a gains tax by another name.

The sting in the tail is that if you are resident in France then you also get hit for the 11% social security charges. The question of registering pricipal / secondaire really only applies if you are resident in Framce so that they know which of your houses you want to be is to be exempt from CGT. It also links the secondaire to the main residence thereby exempting it from the need for a TV licence!

So if you are non-resident all your houses are secondaire. And it's not a question of letting them think you are resident, because when you come to sell you have to show where you pay taxes, so that they know whether to charge the social levy, and also so that they can inform the Inland Revenue, for example, of what you are up to in France.

 

[Miki]

Whoops just edited out my post as BJ had already posted the same thing...sorry !

[Benjamin]

There are a lot of percentages getting quoted in the last few replies. Percentages of what?

 

Benjamin

[BJSLIV]

As is usually the case Capital Gains Tax is calculated as a percentage of the taxable gain. IE The gain , les expenses, less any reductions due to length of ownership.

[Benjamin]

So where does the social levy (11% social security charges) fit in when you are selling a house?

 

Benjamin

[LesLauriers]

If you are a French tax resident selling a maison secondaire you pay 11% social charge on the capital gain.

[Miki]

At lunch today Les, a French friend joked that the social charges (CRDS and CSG) would soon be on petrol, resto meals and parking charges. If he hadn't let out a giggle after seeing my look in his direction, I swear I was almost prepared to dive in the river......the Brits may have stealth taxes but this one is even craftier than the craftiest tax ever invented !!

[LesLauriers]

[quote]At lunch today Les, a French friend joked that the social charges (CRDS and CSG) would soon be on petrol, resto meals and parking charges. If he hadn't let out a giggle after seeing my look in his dir...[/quote]

Could it be the power of the unions perhaps?

If the Goverment say they need to put up taxes there would be opposition from the unions - perhaps?

If the Government say the are increasing social charges the unions have to accept that it is for the greater good of the people - perhaps?

I don't know, I'm not French - what I do know is that, however you dress it up, it's all tax, just that some of it is by a different name. From where I sit there is no stealth about it!

The one that really gets me is the new regulation that wealth tax cannot be more than 60% of your taxable income! 60%! Imagine paying 60% of your old age pension albeit that you are sat in a grand chateau!!!

Strange, strange country, it will be interesting to see what happens when Chirac finally departs - if he can tear himself away from his catering allowance of course. Still, no doubt he's got a decent pension lined up.

PS Tell your pal not to joke about it - some silly sod might think it's a good idea.

[Miki]

"....PS Tell your pal not to joke about it - some silly sod might think it's a good idea"

Don't laugh but I swear behind my back three mobiles immediately started dialling and a couple of note books to my left sprung in to action ! I hope it was only paranoia

I am laughing but one peek at our social tax bill, added in with the new much increased Foncière (with Ordure menagere this year for us) and no doubt Hab tax and an increase there and it might be a slightly hysterical laugh you will hear !!

It would not surprise me that the social taxes were part union approved but not totally. I know a few rather not well off folks at all, who are lumberered with it and they complain that this tax is simply unfair and they personally feel the whole impot system should be over hauled. Now where have I heard that bfore ! Tax one side the other half complain and so tax the other side and..........