Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Having found a property when do I have to pay my deposit and who to?

The deposit – depot de garanti – is paid after the expiry of the seven day period of reflection. It normally amounts to between 5% and 10% of the price to the vendor. It is paid usually to the notaire acting either for yourself or for both parties, (if this is one and the same). The notaire will bank it and account for it in the final computation of sums due at completion (signature de l’acte de vente).

Q: I have been told I may not have to pay any council tax for the first year of ownership – is this true?

There are two types of property tax in France. Taxe Fonciere is paid by the property owner. It is based on the habitable surface of the house etc. The period for this is 01/01 to 31/12 each year, but the bills are issued in September/October for payment in November. As the new owner you will pay a pro rata proportion of the year's tax to the vendor who will receive the bill during the year, ie. if you purchase the property on 1st July you will pay 5/12 of the total amount due for the year. Beware: extensions or conversions of previously uninhabitable areas will naturally and eventually result in increased taxe fonciere.

Taxe d’Habitation is paid by the inhabitant residing in the property at 1st Jan - so if this is not you, it will be the vendor. You will pay it the following year.
Taxe d’habitation is based on income tax returns submitted to the French tax authorities, except in the case of a non resident owner when there is a fixed sum due.

Q: I have changed my mind about buying the property - but I am outside the 7 day period. Can anything be done?

If you have any doubts at all its better to retract during the 7 day reflection period. You are likely to lose your deposit, and you will be asked to pay the agency fees if you bought the house through an agency. The owner can still take proceedings through the courts to force you to complete the purchase. House purchase in France is a very serious business, as it should be to protect all interested parties. Do not take it lightly, it may be a costly exercise to do so!

Q:  Can I take my uk reg car to France and drive in it legally, whilst living there?

You can drive your UK registered vehicle in France quite legally provided you have a current MOT and valid insurance. After three months residency in France you should make an application to the local prefecture or sous-prefecture to register the vehicle in France with French number plates. Comprehensive information on how to do this can be found on our sister site www.MigrateToFrance.com

Q: How are prices of owning / running a home in France compared to those in the UK?

House prices are generally much cheaper here in France than for the same sized property in the UK, but that does of course depend on precisely where. Provence and Paris are reknowned for being very expensive areas, and generally house prices have risen throughout France in the last 4 years. At present, for example, estate agents in Poitou-Charente are valuing a property in average condition at € 1,200 per m² habitable surface.

But whatever agents say, vendors have the price they want usually fixed in their heads and so despite advice to the contrary a property will be marketed at an overinflated price and stay unsold for some time, either until reduced or until, in certain cases, it is on the market long enough for inflation to catch up with the price! It can take up to 1-2  years to sell a property in some areas of France. See the page on mortgages on our sister web site www.MigrateToFrance.com for more information

Running costs compare favourably – ‘council’ tax, insurances, water are all generally cheaper than in the UK. Warmer climates mean reduced heating costs. Most people find the cost of living still cheaper, although since the introduction of the euro and rising inflation the gap has shortened somewhat compared to 12-15 years ago.

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