Notaire

Small increase in notaire fees for property buyers expected in France

The fee is expected to generate revenue of €30 million a year to fight against coastal erosion

Couple must reimburse €400,000 for French home that cannot be lived in

The problem was only discovered after the property had been sold

Why have French notaires said my husband’s UK will is not valid?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query

practical

Does my late father's UK will need a notaire in France?

Rules vary dependent upon the assets addressed within a will

Tips for making a will in France without a notaire

We also cover ways to store your will securely and how foreigners can make different options to French residents

Can bank loan pay for notaire home purchase fees in France?

This would allow buyers to effectively expense the fees over the life of the loan

7 key points on property market in France from new notaire data

Several areas are now predicted to see significant falls

MAP: See house price changes near you in France in new notaire data

From +9% to -20%: A few areas have seen rises but most have seen decreases

4 ways to lower the price when buying property in France

From agency commission to negotiating the cost of furnishings, here are some tips

What is France’s certificate of inheritance, when do I need it?

The certificate is one of the options in simple inheritance cases, where smaller sums and no real estate are involved

Seven key trends in new French property market data

Property ‘euphoria’ is at an end in France, reveals notaires’ report

From +12% to -9.8%: how French property prices have changed in year

Many areas have seen values drop but the south shows continued growth, a new notaires' report shows

Explainer: Role of notaire in France and what to do if not happy

What you can expect from your notaire, what standards should they adhere to, and what you can do if you find them lacking

Notaires offer free auditing service for French properties

Notaires in Toulouse and nearby departments want to help sellers improve chances of striking a good deal

New data highlights six key trends in France’s property market

It includes the news that property prices fell across the country in the first quarter of this year

Seven property trends highlighted by latest French notaire data

Property prices rise across France, Paris bucks apartments trend and first-time buyers struggle

How do I change notaire in France if I am dissatisfied with service?

Reader is particularly interested to know how documents could be transferred

French property in 2022 and 2023 predictions: Low sales, rising prices

New figures show 2022 trends, and notaire experts look ahead to next year

€900,000 for French home owners whose house was built on polluted land

The family noticed a viscous liquid in the sub soil while gardening

How can I leave my French property to my second wife?

Recent changes to French inheritance law make it more difficult to leave French assets to a partner when you have children from a previous marriage

Can I deduct furniture from notaire fees when buying a French house?

Getting exclusions can make a big difference to what you pay but it is worth using a valuation expert to avoid problems later

Seven key points from latest notaire data on French property sales

The report shows that house sales in France are starting to steady although some areas have seen 17% plus price rises in a year

Does a UK will suffice for a French/English couple living in France?

Partner article: We guide you through at the relevant succession regulation – and consider the implications of inheritance tax

Time to sell not buy property in France advise majority of notaires

Rising mortgage rates and predictions of a slow decline in property prices are among the likely reasons

French property: empty offices identified as urban housing solution

Notaires believe planning regulation should be amended to make conversions easier

Estate agents bypassed as French property prices rise

Three readers share their experiences and tips for buying directly from the seller

Is it cheaper to sell French property with a notaire or estate agent?

We look at how commissions work for both

An unsellable house, garden sharing: Four French property updates

We also look at where flat prices have stagnated in the past year and how people are trying to cool down their properties in this summer’s soaring temperatures

‘Slowdown ahead’: Five French property trends from latest notaire data

France’s notaires network warns of a potential property market slowdown linked to high inflation in the coming months

How can I get a copy of the title deeds for a property in France?

We look into why the acte de propriété is important and how to get a version if you have lost (or never received) one

French property deeds: What are they and what happens if I lose them?

We look into the acte de vente, what format this document comes in, who stores it and how you can get a spare copy of it

Shortages, grant delays: Five updates for property owners in France

We look at delays in receiving reimbursement from renovation subsidies, a new court ruling on promises of sale and the effects of the Ukraine war on the building industry

Shared walls, €7,800 house, notaire fees: Five French property updates

We look at a court ruling on who owns walls on the edge of properties, tips to reduce notaire fees and a very low priced house in Brittany that had buyers scrambling to bid

Can I claim expenses against income tax without invoices in France?

A lack of invoices for construction work on a property could prove problematic when selling up

France lockdown: Are notaire offices staying open?

Notaire offices were closed during the first lockdown in Spring

Can I travel to France from UK to sell my second home?

France introduced a partial lockdown on April 3 meaning you need an essential reason to travel around the country. We explain how it works and what documents you need

House buyers in France warned over notaire money transfer scam

Criminals are hacking the email accounts of notaires and then sending out emails to clients asking for money to be transferred

What can we do when our French notaire does not respond to our calls?

Barbara Heslop of Heslop & Platt answers a reader query on the steps to take when the notaire you are working with is not communicating effectively

How can I sign a French power of attorney from UK?

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on how to remotely sign a French power of attorney

French property 2021: House sales are down but prices rise

Paris has seen the sharpest impact with an 18% fall in the number of sales, however year-on-year house figures showed a 5.2% price rise

When can I expect my money back from notaire in France?

Sarah Bright-Thomas of Bright Avocats answers a reader query on when notaires return any funds to the buyer after a house purchase in France

New system allows notaires more use of video conference

Notaires hope they will, in due course, be able to conclude all important legal contracts by video conference

Alert after fake French notaires scam bereaved

Gendarmes are warning people to be on the alert for crooks passing themselves off as notaires to scam money from the recently bereaved.

Make sense of ... building a new home in France

It may seem daunting but having your own home built for you from scratch in France is a realistic alternative to buying an existing property

France legalises all remote notaire sales signatures

Notaires in France can now organise signatures on property deed documents remotely so as to avoid unnecessary contact during the Covid-19 crisis, allowing house sales and property deals to go ahead.

Can I sue over cellar that is too damp to live in?

Q: When I bought my house, the cellar was described as living accommodation but it is too damp. Can I sue the seller?

Father died intestate in France, now notaire is silent

I need advice about a property my sister and I inherited from our father who died unexpectedly last year. He left no will. We are struggling to hear from the notaire he dealt with in France and don’t know what to do. L.S.

Candles add drama to French property auctions

There are various ways to buy property at auction – from an ancient candle system to the internet

Rights in France over damp and woodworm in new home

We bought a house in June. Prior to seeing it, I asked the owner and estate agent if there was damp or woodworm. They denied it and I have an email confirming it. They also denied any problem during visits. We had a survey done, which found woodworm in both lofts and a damp/condensation problem through poor ventilation. Had we known, we would not have bought the house. The owner failed to do a parasite survey as part of the diagnostics. The agent and notaire failed to mention this and said there was no need for a termite report in this area. I understand now that this particular diagnostic is a requirement. I am now considering going to an independent notaire. SW

Notaires must confirm sellers are not bankrupt

Notaires ‘must modernise and go high-tech’

Notaires must be ready to reform and modernise – and that means embracing technology, their new president has said.

Fraud alerts on rise – but not by enough

An increasing number of fraud and money-laundering alerts from property professionals have been logged by the Tracfin anti-corruption agency.

Summer slump leads to 12.1% fall in new-builds

House-building slumped over the first half of 2018 with just 119,900 building permits approved between May and July... a fall of 12.1% on 2017.

French notaires expand their online help

One of the first and most accurate sources of information on the property market is the Notaires de France website notaires.fr which carries useful statistics on sales prices and legal advice on the stages of a property purchase.

French law can help you enjoy the fruits of your work

Many people have complicated family situations (children from former marriages etc.) and there are many solutions for achieving their inheritance wishes, whether via the EU Succession Regulation or other solutions, but what if we ask: “What do the French do?”

How are you married? I’m not talking about church...

When I ask people how they are married, they look at me perplexed. My favourite reply is still “in a church!”. When talking about marriage, in this instance, I mean the marriage regime.

Bank won’t release cash

Since selling our holiday home of 30 years, we have been unable to access the proceeds of the sale from a branch of Crédit Mutuel de Bretagne.

Should you use a notaire for gifts in France?

In a recent edition you mention how a notaire is required when you make a gift of a property (bricks and mortar). Is a notaire also needed for other kinds of gift? P.W.

Confusion over notaire fees to settle estate in France

My husband died recently and I am confused following a visit to the notaire to find out the costs of settling the estate. We had a typical French marriage contract and he left everything to me in a will. There are no children, brothers or sisters or surviving parents and the only property we owned, in which I live, was purchased in joint names. When I asked the notaire for an estimate of the costs she said it would depend on the value of the property... This implies I will have to pay, what, I have no idea, for the house I already own and have paid for. Can you explain? L.O.

Notaires head out to dispense free legal advice

Property, marriage, pacs and inheritance advice offered for free on trains, in cafes and market places for two days later this month

Inheritance rules for second home in France

Reader asks a question after a disagreement between French notaire and UK lawyer over a second home in France

Is sister’s British will valid in France?

My sister has died and has left a will in English and set out according to English formalities; signed and witnessed. It was not lodged with a notaire. Is it legal? S.B.

Now, you can sign on the dotted line... electronically

More than two-thirds of legal transactions are now signed electronically at notaires’ offices in France and the first to be signed this way à distance , when the two different parties are not in the same office, have already been carried out.

Allowance is for direct family

When a childless person wants to leave money to a nephew or niece am I right in thinking that, although there is no special allowance on death, there is a special tax-free allowance of €31,865 for a lifetime gift – at least within France? However, I don’t know if any British gift tax would then apply if the donor lived in France and the nephew lived in Britain? M.R.

May a notaire refuse certain work in France?

Can a notaire refuse work? I have been told of a case where a notaire would not deal with settling the estate of a family member who had died because he thought it was not worthwhile due to the low value involved. Someone else I know asked a notaire to draw up a will for her estate which includes a house in Romania but the notaire refused saying it would be complicated and not worth it for him. H.T.

Notaire should have checked on Google

A notaire has been held liable and made to pay damages for not doing checks on Google to get more information on a man selling a house

New sales record as buyers’ confidence is restored

Positive outlook as low mortgage rates drive sales

Notaires and avocats offer free legal advice

FREE advice from notaires is available around France on Wednesday and Thursday next week – on trains, in cafés and in market places as well as more classic venues such as mairies.

Prices go down, not up, in new-style property auction

Riviera villa price will fall by €22,000 a minute until a bidder buys it or it reaches reserve

Re-writing UK wills in French

My parents, in their 90s, moved to France to be near me. They rewrote their UK wills, stating they were to be used when they die. I asked our notaire if he needed a copy and he said he needed my parents to re-write them, preferably in French. Is this correct? J.F.

Wrong address on invoice: can I still reduce CGT?

I am selling a property, and the notaire will not accept certain invoices to diminish the capital gains tax liability as they do not show the correct address or are not marked ‘ facture ’. I cannot get two large invoices re-done as the supplier, in this case a mason, has died and no one took over his business. Is there a procedure whereby I can swear an oath to the effect that they are genuine and were paid by me? I.M.