Qa

What does the term ‘fiché S’ mean in France?

What does it mean if someone in France is described as fiché S?

France's loi Carrez – why is it so important?

The loi Carrez – why is it so important (I have only come across this concept in France)? Which areas are counted?

How to recycle in France: Seven common questions answered

Should you clean the yoghurt pot before recycling it, do you need to take the lid off of bottles, can you recycle plastic packaging? We explain how it works

practical

Could France soon have a Sixth Republic?

I have heard that we may soon have the end of the Fifth Republic. What will change if there is a new republic – how is this decided and by whom? GT

Can I donate my body to science?

You ran a helpful article on burial and cremation recently – is there an option of donating one’s body to medical institutions and universities for student training and research? D.K.

How long does planning permission last?

If you obtain planning permission to build a house, how long is it valid for? J.V.

What does bikers’ leg gesture mean?

What does it mean when a motorbike rider puts out their leg when they go past you – are they being polite, or the opposite? T.D.

Can members of the public use cheap ‘books’ postage?

My post office refused me the right to the cheap ‘books and brochures’ postal rate, saying it is only for businesses – is that true? S.R.

Can a person outside France be someone’s curateur?

Can I have French curatelle power of attorney with regard to a French resident if I am in UK?

Nag-ging doubt: Can I ride a horse in town?

Is horse riding allowed in towns? Are there any specific rules? B.R.

Can social worker help with debt?

How can I contact an assistant social and what kind of help they can offer? For example, if someone has financial difficulties and large debts. J.W.

Is French pension body allowed to seize money?

My husband is in dispute with Cipav, the pension body for self-employed professionals, over unpaid contributions. A court found in its favour and we are in negotiation to work out a payment plan. My husband and myself have received letters from our bank for a saisie-attribution on our joint account. As the debt belongs to my husband, can Cipav block a joint account? J.L.

Tax situation in France different if I am Irish?

I was born in Northern Ireland and recently claimed Irish nationality as well as British. If I tell the tax office I’m Irish, will it affect the taxation of my UK government pension, which is currently taxed in the UK? P.J.

What about DLA benefit and pensions after Brexit?

I receive Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in France from the UK government and pay tax in the UK on my medical pension. What will happen to these after Brexit? G.L.

Water leak at my French second home

I returned to my second home to find there had been a massive water leak. Am I liable for the resulting big bill?

I live in France but still declare income to the UK

I am a retired British citizen living permanently in France. All my income, pensions etc are in the UK. I submit a UK tax return because that is what I did before I retired. I know there is a dual UK/France taxation agreement. Must I submit a declaration to the French tax authorities? C.W.

French Pacs still valid in UK after law change?

Will our (mixed-sex) Pacs be recognised by the UK after the recent change in civil partnership law there, meaning it is now open to all couples?

Resident in France, buying a car in UK

We live in France but wish to buy a car in the UK as we cannot find what we want here. How complicated is it to buy a car in the UK without an address there and how do we insure it to drive it home? Also, if we wait until after the transition period ends, will there be added problems/charges?

Tenant responsible for boiler maintenance in France

Are landlords responsible for the servicing of boilers and for repairs if they break down?

MSF and French nationality applications

Are UK “multilingual” birth certificates acceptable for nationality applications without the need for translation?

Do I declare interest within UK investment bonds?

My wife and I moved to France in 2006. We are both retired and have incomes from pensions. We also have some UK investments called flexible investment plan, flexible options bond, capital investment bond, investment bond etc, depending on the company they are with. We told the French tax authorities of these bonds and sent them a list of the companies. We do not take interest from them and do not need to. Any interest they make stays in the bond. Am I right that we do not have to declare this interest? J.R.

French property transfer on divorce holding up sale

When my husband and I divorced in 2018, an English court awarded me our property in France, with my ex-husband keeping a house in the UK. I am now selling the property in France. My notaire has said I have to pay €11,000 to remove my ex from the title deed and that my ex also has to sign by proxy to agree to this. Why, when the English divorce courts have made a judgment?

Why is France refunding pills but not counselling?

Why are antidepressants free but sessions with psychologists are not? A.H.

Why is money due for French pensions alimentaires?

We are paying a monthly payment to the tax office headed “Pensions alimentaires, Revenus de source étrangère (taxés comme les salaires)” , which we have never paid before (we have paid our usual income tax). Is this new? L.A.

French pension top-up is repayable from estate

I receive a pension top-up benefit in France. Is it correct that this must be repaid from my estate when I die? T.F.

Can we put French house into an SCI and include son?

We own property in France and would like to put it into an SCI and include our son and his children who live in France. Can we do this and can we set it up in the UK or do we need to do it in France? P.I.

Registering French car for UK plates

What are the rules for taking a French-registered car back to the UK? Ours was originally British and is still right-hand drive. N.M.

Charged extra for our car by French authorities?

We bought a new Land Rover Discovery TDV6 3.0L and had agreed on the price but, when given the bill, we discovered the price included €8,000 marked as MALUS ECO PASTILLE. In addition, we now receive a demand each year for €189. Can you clarify if these charges are correct and why? T.B.

As retired teachers, how would we be taxed in France?

I am French, my husband is English. We are retired and receive teachers’ pensions in the UK. We may move to France. What income tax would be due to France? N.G.

Can I keep French Carte Vitale if I move?

Can I keep my Carte Vitale after moving to the UK if I rent out a French house? H.S.

Is a French gendarme same as an agent de police?

What is the difference between a gendarme and an agent de police ? D.F.

Is home in France eligible for fibre-optic internet?

How can I find out if I can get fibre-optic internet in my area? D.U.

Taxation for work done outside France

I live in France but my wife works abroad. She had a three-year contract in the Middle East but was made redundant. She went to court for wrongful dismissal and won a sum which represented the full earnings she would have earned. Is this taxable in France if transferred? She was assessed locally but had nothing to pay. Now she works in Central Asia. Will the French tax her? It has been suggested to me that she has to be out of France for six months in the year to avoid it. She pays tax there at 12%. P.F.

What is the tilde in Breton?

I read about a Breton family winning a court battle to keep the tilde on their son’s Breton name Fañch. In Spanish, this alters the sound of the letter N. What does it do in Breton? S.B.

Is the word paysan insulting in French?

I was listening to a radio report about a recent tractor protest in Paris and heard the reporter refer to the farmers as paysans . It sounded insulting, like they were calling them “peasants” – did I understand correctly? R.G.

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.

Buyer pulled out in France – do I get compensation?

I signed a compromis de vente with a buyer for my property at the notaire’s, then he pulled out without giving a reason. Will I receive compensation? J.T.

Has French-British tax treaty been cancelled?

Have the French cancelled their tax treaty with the UK? We have received a demand for payment of French tax calculated on our gross UK income for 2018, ignoring tax taken in the UK. We have been told to reclaim tax paid in the UK from the UK. M.N.

Are France’s ESF ski instructors state workers?

Are ESF ski instructors state workers or, if not, are they officially regulated? J.A.

Is it possible to use BBC iPlayer in France?

I have been struggling to use BBC iPlayer at my French holiday home – is there a way around this? I thought the BBC was bringing in the right to sign in from abroad temporarily for BBC licence-payers? H.D.

How can I obtain VAT number in France?

I am a micro-entrepreneur. I would like to know how to get a VAT number. I will go over the €33,200 limit soon. EH

How are incomes declared in France after spouse loss?

My wife has died and I understand I will have to make two tax declarations in 2020. How do I do this? Secondly, when we made tax declarations, we were previously taxed as two parts. How will this work now? D.B.

Scooter permits and driving issues in France

I want to do the one-day training to be able to ride a 125cc scooter but is it possible with a British driving licence? I have held a car licence since the 1970s. One local driving school told me it is not possible. Is that true? R.R.

Is there an ombudsman for car hire problems in France?

We had an issue with a car hire firm in the UK when we were charged costly insurance which we had not requested. We emailed an ombudsman for the UK car hire industry and they helped. Is there equivalent help in France? H.B.

Who is woman in Paris 2024 Olympics logo?

The Paris 2024 Olympics logo is clever as a flame and a woman’s face – but who is it supposed to be? G.S.

Can you avoid prison by joining French Foreign Legion?

I was told people can join the French Foreign Legion to avoid prison. Surely it is not true? S.M.

Does France have a ‘speaker’ in its parliament?

John Bercow, who recently stepped down, made the role of Speaker of the House of Commons famous even in France thanks to his memorable interventions during Brexit legislation debates and booming cries of “Ordeeeer, ordeeer”. Does the French parliament have an equivalent? [Editor’s note: the speaker is now Sir Lindsay Hoyle] J.P.

Should French council pay for lamp on my wall?

There are two street lights and two spotlights for the church attached to my house. Although they obviously pay for the electricity, should the commune be paying me rent? A.W.

Do I need French dossier médical partagé for children?

My doctor has suggested that I should create a dossier médical partagé for my child-ren – is it necessary? J.N.

How is UK’s 15-year voting rule calculated?

When does the UK’s 15-year limit for overseas voting start to run? S.W.

Set up online fundraiser for a good cause in France

Is there a way of setting up an online page to benefit a French charity? I want to raise money for a cancer centre but you cannot use JustGiving in France. J.C.

Declaring UK pensions in France

For a UK NHS pension (non-government) or state pension, a P60 end-of- tax year form is not available. If tax relief at source is provided through the UK, there will be no need for an annual UK tax return and so no year-end UK tax calculation statement of income from HMRC. In this case, how should these UK pensions be submitted for French tax? C.D.

Work and claiming transport costs in France

I have done some short-term employed part-time work and have been told I can claim kilométrage (transport costs) against this income. Is this true and, if so, how do I do this?

Can mystery €200 rebate be French tax rebate?

We had a pleasant surprise when we checked our avis d’impôt tax statement and saw there was a rebate of over €200 on top of the fact that we owed €0 as usual. Our income is government pensions and UK rental income, taxed in the UK. Is there a logical reason for this rebate? I.S.

Paying rent into UK personal bank account

I am retired and live in France and have rental properties in London. I opened a small business account with Barclays while I lived in the UK to deal with consultancy work I had and continued the account with rent being paid into it. Barclays now says it is closing business accounts held by people outside the UK but I can keep my personal account. However, it says I cannot pay the rent into it as it is not a salary. Is this right? S.L.

How to improve the WIFI signal in my French home?

I am having lots of visitors to stay for Christmas – any tips for improving my wifi?

French resident turned down for a UK deposit account

I have a cheque account with a UK bank and rang to ask if I could open a deposit account and was told I could not as I live in France. I thought we had the right to open accounts from abroad? J.D.

Leaving French property to just one child?

I have owned a French property since 1983. Can I leave it to just one child (who is involved with it and loves it as I do) instead of my two other children who are not remotely interested?

I live in France but received a donation from the UK

If a family member in the UK wishes to give me money, would that be taxed? I would use it to pay some of my French mortgage. B.R.

Is French business set-up needed to sell a few items?

My husband is retired and has a hobby making wooden items. He occasionally sells them at a fête or after an inquiry. How much can he earn before he is required to register a business? Can we show the work on internet groups and occasionally sell items? A.B.

How to take action when parcel is delivered damaged?

I’ve had several bad experiences of mail-order goods delivered damaged. I believe the items left the vendor in perfect order but in transit, or possibly at the depot waiting for delivery, they have been dragged across the floor and soiled by black tyres and other dirt. I do not like blaming the vendor of the product but how can logistics companies be called to account? M.M.

How much of my tax goes to fund French state schools?

How are schools funded in France? Is a portion of local property taxes spent on the local schools or are they fully funded by central government? G.K.

How can I watch English TV from my home in France?

I miss English TV. How can I access this from my home in France?

Does the UK share driver details with France?

Does the UK share driver details with France if a British-registered car is flashed for speeding in France?

Charged for drains service I can’t use at French home

Our village has been connected to mains drainage. We have not yet been able to have the work done for our home to be connected to it but have received a bill from Suez Eau France charging us €396.55 for “Collecte et Traitement des Eaux Usées” [collection and treatment of waste water]. Surely it is illegal to charge for something that is not being done? S.D.

Long-term car rental in France

Is it possible to rent a car by the month, or longer, in France?

British probate and residents in France

Earlier this year, my spouse died. He was English. In 2016 we moved to France and bought a house here. He only had a British will. My notaire asked me to obtain probate in the UK. Everything we have is in joint names, including bank accounts in UK and France, and land and property in France. My application was rejected because there is nothing to probate. Do you know how this should be dealt with? I can’t get the land and house into my name until succession is approved. S.W.

I cannot vote but can I join a French political party?

I am American and I live in France. Can I join a French political party, even though I cannot vote? As a matter of interest, what are the numbers of members of the main ones? T.W.

Transfer payments from UK to French state pension?

I live and work in France. In light of Brexit, can I transfer payments from my UK state pension to my French state pension? B.R.

Change of French home’s ownership under tontine regime

A friend and his wife bought a home under a tontine . His widow thought she would become the full owner with no fee but her notaire said there is €4,000 due to register the change of ownership. Is this right? N.H.

Income tax declaration abolished in France next year?

I have heard that the annual obligation of income tax declaration is being abolished in France from next year? Is this true?

Can I insure for car rental excess in France?

Are there firms which insure French residents for the excess on car rental insurance in France? J.H.

Effects of taking French nationality

We are British and live in France. Will our inheritance or tax status change if we take French nationality? G.R.

What if I go over French VAT threshold this year?

I am a micro-entrepreneur and am going to go over the limit this year when I must start charging VAT. Does that mean I must charge VAT retrospectively to all my clients from the start of the year? L.D.

Do I have to renew my French driving licence?

I am confused about whether I need to renew my French permis de conduire (driving licence). It was issued on December 1, 2014, and the face of the card says it expires on December 1, 2019. The reverse shows no expiry in column 11 for category B – a car. Should I renew it or not? G.W.

Qa