New property form: How are owners being informed about this?
Some readers say the only knowledge they had of this new rule came via The Connexion and that they would otherwise have faced a fine for non-declaration
A number of readers only heard about the new declaration through The Connexion
HJBC / Shutterstock
Reader question: We have completed the declaration but did not hear anything about it except via The Connexion. How is it being publicised as we would have been fined if we had not read your article?
The Connexion has heard from several readers with similar queries, in most cases people who do not live in France but own property in the country.
In April, we asked Sandrine Majorel-Delage, who is heading the project on behalf of the central tax authorities, how non-residents, in particular, would have known about this new biens immobiliers declaration if not through us.
In response, Ms Majorel-Delage said the authorities had used information from their databases to email property owners about the new declaration if they had their email address.
She said this included non-resident second-home owners. In total some 16.5 million emails had been sent out when we spoke, she stated.
Online declaration translated into English
She added that public service adverts had also been placed and communications made via online forums, including some likely to be read by non-residents. They had also translated the online declaration into English.
The tax authorities’ teams have, meanwhile, produced several press releases about aspects of the process for French-speaking journalists and many websites and newspapers across France have mentioned the property declaration in articles.
Their time and resources would, however, naturally be limited in terms of communicating internationally to non-resident owners of French property around the world.
It is not surprising, therefore, if some people have fallen through the gaps, for example if they own French property but had no online account with the tax services as they do not declare any income to France and have previously relied on receiving paper statements for local property tax.
In all cases, we are glad our information has helped to get the word out.
Related articles
