Buying holiday home in france

ben09042013

We are looking at buying a property in france. It will be cash and not mortgage but we are not entirely sure how things are since brexit. We are looking for advice post brexit and also other people’s experiences. This is something that is in the initial stages but any advice positive/negative will be taken on board 

Thanks 

Paul and Claire 

eddddy

I guess I should warn you, that I'll be painting a fairly gloomy picture...


I know a few people who have bought property in France. TBH, they all regret it - but perhaps that's because of naivety and lack of research on their part.

Maybe if you read/write French well, you understand relevant French law, you understand how property buying works in France and/or you know some people living in France who can help you - it may be easier. The people I know had none of that.


One couple initially said how wonderful and helpful the French estate agent was. He explained the French house buying process, and explained that nobody in France has surveys when they buy a house. Then he sold them a house with subsidence without telling them, which they later had to get underpinned.

With hindsight, they're pretty sure that the estate agent regarded them as 'daft foreigners' - and sold them a house that none of the locals would touch.

And they had to sign lots of legal house buying paperwork, which they couldn't read or understand.


Then there was the hassle of dealing with electricity companies, broadband companies, house insurance companies etc - with contracts, bills and letters written in French, and trying to discuss problems to call centre agents in French.

It got to the stage where they dreaded the postman coming - in case there was a letter from an insurance company, a utility company, a government department - which they'd have to deal with.


Those that eventually decided to sell-up found their properties difficult to sell, and made losses. But maybe that's because they were naive, and estate agents suckered them into overpaying for properties that the locals weren't interested in.


TBH, if you're looking for an occasional holiday home, I would look seriously at just renting one.

hazyjo

Sadly I have a similar story. Friend's sister bought a house in France, as did their comfortably off parents - several years ago.

Both now living back in England (from this year due to ill health) with no money and both with houses they can't sell which are getting more and more damaged the longer they're left. There's barely any equity left in one, and the other's prob worth less than when bought.

Sounds idyllic, but the reality can be harsh. I'd seriously consider renting some lovely places each year for a tiny fraction of the price.

Tax and death laws are very different to the UK - think that applies to homeowners in general whether it's your full-time home or not (really not sure though, look into everything thoroughly!).

AdrianC

OTOH, I know plenty of people who've moved full-time from the UK to France, and regard it as the best thing they ever did...

But they've got involved PROPERLY in their local community. They speak French. They know that they aren't "ex-pats", but immigrants.

The time has gone to do any halfy-halfy. If you don't already have French residence, you aren't going to get it just part-timing. Do it properly, or not at all.

Greymug

A couple of friends bought a holiday property in the French Alps a few months ago.

It's true that all the documents that the estate agent/solicitor/bank send you are in French but for most that's not a problem. My friends don't speak any French but managed to translate and understand everything just by using google translate.

They had no issues whatsoever, no EA trying to trick them, no hidden nasty surprises. Just a long thorough process with a fair bit of paperwork. That's it.

Greymug

eddddy said:

Then there was the hassle of dealing with electricity companies, broadband companies, house insurance companies etc - with contracts, bills and letters written in French, and trying to discuss problems to call centre agents in French.

Do call centres in the UK offer other languages in addition to English?

How entitled.

TripleH

Do call centres in the UK offer other languages in addition to English?

How entitled.

Welsh?

I think it is something that can catch some out, but having said that you should expect that the French (quite rightly) assume if you are dealing in France then you deal in French. Other countries can be a little different and you can have a language for legal dealings and another for other types.

Greymug

TripleH said:

Do call centres in the UK offer other languages in addition to English?

How entitled.

Welsh?

I think it is something that can catch some out, but having said that you should expect that the French (quite rightly) assume if you are dealing in France then you deal in French. Other countries can be a little different and you can have a language for legal dealings and another for other types.

He's talking about the language spoken in call centres, not language for legal dealings.

canaldumidi

Make sure you understand

* local taxes

* regional national  taxes

* inheritance tax

* inheritance laws - unlike UK you cannot leave property in a will I believe. There is a legal hierachy of claims on the property

Obviously that's on top of Brexit changes to residency rights, health care/benefits etc

There are several good UK websites dedicatade to French property ownership. Use https://duckduckgo.com/ (or google if you insist!)

eddddy

Greymug said:

eddddy said:

Then there was the hassle of dealing with electricity companies, broadband companies, house insurance companies etc - with contracts, bills and letters written in French, and trying to discuss problems to call centre agents in French.

Do call centres in the UK offer other languages in addition to English?

How entitled.

Ummm... I think you've missed my point completely.

I don't think any of them expected French call centres to speak anything other than French (and I didn't suggest that).

So I'm not sure that you can accuse them of being "entitled".


The problem was they hadn't thought through the fine details of the stress and hassle associated with buying and owning a property in France.

Perhaps they should have thought of it this way -

• "Consider all the stress, problems and hassles you've had to deal with in day-to-day life and property ownership in the UK for the past few years."

• "Now consider how you would deal with similar stress, problems and hassles in a foreign language in a system with unfamiliar rules and laws."

FWIW, I know somebody who rents in a French city - and she loves it (she spoke fluent French before moving there).  It's the people who have bought property in the "idyllic French countryside" and have limited GCSE French that ended up super-stressed.

becky_rtw

There are a few other issues on top of what everyone has said:
1. You are limited on a tourist visit to a number of nights
2. If you get a visa to stay longer you cannot usually do any kind business/have any income
3. Builders in France can be tricky, always get a finishing date as part of the job or they will come on site and down tools to go and do another job
4. Dont make an offer on a property unless you want to buy it, its basically contractual at that stage, and yes you do this without having a survey - get a builder to come and look at it with you
5. There are two types of contract for purchasing so you need to know which one you have 
6. There are issues currently with pensions in France, but suspect that's not relevant for just a holiday home
7. Who pays the Estate agents varies
8. The notaire (who does the legal contracts) will often work for both the buyer and the seller. They are very good in general but will speak limited English. Its usually recommended, even if your French is good, to have further legal/translation support. Depending on what you need added to the contract e.g. land/building work etc.

I'm sure there are more. There are a number of good agents who specialise in selling to British residents who can talk you through the process, but of course they want you to buy a place so go in with your eyes open. 

This place seems to have good advice:
How to Buy a House or Property in France (frenchestateagents.com)

We are planning on retiring to France in some years so I have researched some of the process at the stage, I am sure there is more to know.