Tax D'habitation

[elasticrock]

Hi folks, 

I own a small studio flat up in the alps and just wanted a bit of advice on the tax d'habitation situation. It's not a huge amount of money a year but I did hear from somewhere that due to Covid, if it hasn't been let out to anyone then you may be due a discount? I've also read that if you only use the property for a couple of weeks a year and let it the rest of the time then you won't be liable for the tax d'habitation but would then be liable for business rates? 

Any advice much appreciated! I've tried contacting the local tax office but they've turned their phone number off and haven't replied to any emails yet. 

It's a furnished place and usually let for around half the year but over the past couple of years there haven't been many tenants at all. 

 

Cheers. 

[crabtree]

If it is a second property then it is not exempt.

[elasticrock]

ok thanks

[Lehaut]

And some places have exercised their right to increase the tax by a considerable amount to offset the loss and to discourage second home ownership.

https://www.lemonde.fr/economie/article/2021/10/14/taxe-d-habitation-forte-hausse-de-la-surtaxe-sur-les-residences-secondaires-dans-de-plus-en-plus-de-villes_6098406_3234.html

Might be time to sell before the new DPE bites ?

[Alan Zoff]

When we first bought the French house, property taxes were a fraction of what we paid in UK. But French charges have gone through the roof (no pun intended) and are on a par now for a much less valuable property - including 18 months when we were unable to use it or any local services. When I spoke to the tax officer, he said that when the government introduced a waiver for older French residents, they had to recoup the shortfall from somewhere and he assumed foreign second-home owners were seen as an obvious target.