Your Questions

Do you have a question about life in France? Email our man in the know, Oliver Rowland, at news@connexionfrance.com

Why can I not cancel health policy with a month’s notice?

My health mutuelle provider says I cannot cancel with a month’s notice but need to wait until the anniversary date. Do mutuelles not come under the same rules as other contracts which you can cancel with a month’s notice? J.G.

How can you find out about water restrictions?

Thank you Connexion for alerting us to water restrictions now in place in many departments of France. One query: If we hadn't read it on your website / newsletter how would we have known about this and what penalties would we have faced?

French telecom company keeps sending bills

Orange persists in sending monthly bills for a Livebox and internet usage despite me returning the Livebox last year and requesting it suspends the telephone line. I also sent a recorded delivery letter to this effect to Orange’s customer service department in Lille, which was not acknowledged. While in France in February, I phoned its English-speaking line twice to try to sort the matter. Who can I contact to resolve this?

Second home in France and pool alarm

Our property has a pool alarm. Does it matter if there is no one at home to hear it when we are in the UK?

French TV licence for my second home?

Do I need a French TV licence at my holiday home? Are there detector vans?

Earnings limit to benefit from French ‘micro’ rules?

Could you clarify the limit that I may now earn as a micro-entrepreneur? I have been affiliated for 10 years and am registered as a “consultant” advising clients on their property renovations and repairs. C.A.

Should I take out new French 'AV' policy?

If you have an assurance vie there is a tax-free element after a number of years. If you receive another lump sum you want to invest in AV, is it best to top up the one you already have and, if so, are you able to take advantage of the tax-free element already existing? Or should you take out a separate AV and start again from scratch? M.M.

How long before I am resident in France?

Is there a maximum number of days allowed in France each year before having to register for French tax, other than taxe foncière or taxe d’habitation? C.F.

Capital gains tax deductions for French property?

My wife and I bought a holiday property in France in 2001. We are resident in the UK.

Do British drivers get fines for speeding in France?

Does the UK now share driver details with France if a British-registered car is flashed for speeding in France? Does the owner of a British-registered car have to pay if they receive a French fine at their home in the UK? A.M.

Is cancer care free with Ehic or S1?

I have been diagnosed with cancer and am hoping soon to move to France. Can I access free chemotherapy with my Ehic/S1? M.H.

Why are electric cars not allowed to tow?

I want to go greener and buy an electric car, but the model I was interested in is not permitted to tow anything and I have a caravan. Why are electric cars unable to tow? F.J.

Do we have to get a TV licence in France?

We have a TV to watch DVDs and have no aerial or dish. Do we have to pay for a licence? We have a PC with slow broadband so do not use that either for French TV. M.H.

What do sworn translations cost in France?

I need to have British birth and marriage certificates translated when applying for French citizenship. The first price quoted was €60 per page. Is this a normal price? It seems steep. P.P.

Would French blue badge be valid in UK after Brexit?

Will my French disabled parking blue badge still be valid in the UK after Brexit? C.C.

Surfing the internet safely while in France

Now that I am in France I find I use my internet much more. How can I improve my online security?

Respecting distances in our French garden

We plan to work on our garden and want to know more about distance rules we must respect in relation to planting trees near to the boundary with our neighbour. There is a wall separating our two properties. As long as the roots do not disturb this wall, are we OK to plant quite close to it? F.L

How do we lodge our claim for subsidence?

How do we deal with the administrative part of a subsidence claim?

Do we need wills in England and France?

We have just started the procedure of having wills drawn up by our local notaire and have asked for them to be administered under English law. We do not own any property in the UK but have bank and NS&I accounts there.

We understand that the money in these accounts will be covered by our new wills but we are unclear as to how our beneficiaries will access these funds after our deaths. Do we need English wills to cover the UK funds? What about probate? What will our beneficiaries need to do? F.A

UK pensions: tax and charges

My wife and I are under the age of 65 and have UK pensions. I pay UK income tax, which I believe is correct under the double taxation agreement. Last year (my first full year in France) I also paid French income tax on the same pensions. The UK tax is higher than the French tax. Can I reclaim the French tax?

How can I get client to pay his invoice?

I am an independent worker and a client has not paid an invoice for €3,500, despite it now being more than 30 days old. What can I do?

Can Britons travel in Schengen?

With Brexit approaching, can Britons still travel around the Schengen area with a British passport? Can residents in France use a carte de séjour? R.C.

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