Living abroad tips and hints for money savers

droopsnout

We've had bad news, too.

Our village is having to bring its treatment of sewage and waste water up to latest standards. They drew up two different plans for the installation of a communal system, but the cost to operate it would be such that we would have to pay 6 euros a cubic metre based on the readings of the water meter.

So those plans have been put to one side.

Each house will have to install its own equipment that meets the latest standards - at the householder's expense. It seems that we could easily be in for a bill of 7500 euros.

I've been reading Total France's forum, amongst others, to improve my knowledge of this kind of thing, and it certainly looks as if we have major works to do here, including the digging up of paths that we expensively had redone last summer.

We have some hard thinking to do about whether to sell the house or not. We knew we would sell at some point, as the house would be too big for us to manage, so maybe, as with s-d-w, someone somewhere is telling us something, and we'll leave a few years earlier than anticipated.

Cloud of depression meantime hangs over Chateau DS.

seven-day-weekend

Oh dear droopsnout, that's far more serious than a bar closing.

Maybe we'll both end up being ex-expats.

droopsnout

Don't think I could live in the UK again, s-d-w.

At this point, I don't know what we'll do. We need time to think things through, to talk to other people in the village, and so on.

On the back of the poor exchange rate, it was not news we needed!

seven-day-weekend

I feel for you droopsnout as I know you don't want to move, whereas it wouldn't bother me.

I hope you can get things sorted in one way or another.

Savvy_Sue

Oh how depressing for both of you.

DS, I don't know what Green groups there are in France, but is it worth contacting any of them to see if there are environmentally friendly methods of dealing with sewerage and water waste, which would perhaps be less costly or even partly DIY?

I only ask because as an avid Archers fan, I am aware that some of the drains at Bridge Farm have recently collapsed, leading to a leak of effluent into the Am, and rather than put new drains in they are looking into either reed beds or a Weeping Wall. No idea what's involved in either of those, and it may not be at all satisfactory in your case, but thought it was worth a mention.

droopsnout

Regrettably, we don't have enough land for a reed-bed, and can't find any reference to a Weeping Wall anywhere, but all installations have to meet the latest French (and EU) norms, and not all systems available in the UK are licensed for use in France, apparently.

What will happen is that a local inspector will visit each household in the village, draw up a report of the situation as it is currently, then say what has to be done to bring any existing installation up to scratch.

The figure I quoted of 7500 euros is intelligent guesswork, but given that our situation is somewhat fiddly to manage, it's likely to be higher rather than lower, I think.

EdInvestor

A useful guide to Spanish tax from KPMG

http://www.kpmg.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/TIES/SPAIN_2008_TIES.pdf

If you use the same link but replace "SPAIN" with other countries' names, it should work.

Suggest anyone interested prints off the info as they may block the link if it's too popular

Merrywidow

What despressing news, Droopsnout and SDW - you must be very sad. SDW - why would you not mind moving? I thought you loved your little house? Are you both saying that returning to England is the only option.
Droopsnout - would you be able to sell your house with that problem hanging over it? Chins up both of you.

seven-day-weekend

I do love our little house Merrywidow and the neighbours and the villagers are lovely, and the scenery and weather is beautiful....but you know, sometimes I miss my Midlands city, and being able to walk out of my front door and be in the city centre in twenty minutes, and being able to walk round the city, go to the library, go to the Art gallery, look round our beautiful city centre church, to be able to have everything within walking distance....I wouldn't want to move back permanently (especially as we would have to share a small house with our son and a lodger), but I would like to spend several months a year getting my 'fix' of civilisation.

Wow, what a long sentence!

I think living here full-time for me now can get a little claustrophobic - the highlight of my life today for example is ordering a repeat prescription!

Without driving for ages there is not a lot to do. Time (for me at least) can hang very heavy. It doesn't bother my husband as much, he is more hermit-like than I am.

But yes, six months in either country,best of both worlds.

droopsnout

Hi, Merrywidow.

No, I don't think that returning to England is an option at all for me. If we do sell, we would stay in France.

Interestingly, our feelings for the relative remoteness of our location mirror those of Mr and Mrs s-d-w. That is, Mrs DS would like more on her doorstep, whereas I'm not bothered one bit by our position in a tiny village. However, I fully understand the ladies' point of view. I'm not a hermit, as I do like to go out and meet people and talk - but that's easier for me as I speak the language a bit.

That said. we were again discussing things, and an interest was expressed in stopping here for another few years.

Regarding the sale of the house, yes, the sale of a property involves the preparation of a report on lead, asbestos, termites, electrical installation, and now waste water and effluent disposal. If a property doesn't meet the standards required, the purchaser has the right to know, and the value of the property would be adjusted accordingly. So, for instance, if we do nothing about a new installation, and then sold the house, we would have to do something about it, perhaps in co-operation with the purchaser, who would have the advantage of being able to choose their own system.

However, all installations will be inspected every four years to check that they are operating according to the norms. If we do nothing, then we'd be breaking the law. As would a dear old lady opposite us, who we believe hasn't a cat's chance in hell of being able to afford what is required.

What will they do? Fine her? Imprison her? It's an interesting situation.