Second Homes

Electrical anomalies are not always serious but it is best to be transparent with the buyer

John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on options for those with property in France but living and building a will in the UK

The Foreign Office says second-home owners should be able to prove they own or rent accommodation with evidence such as a tax or utility bill

Signing up for a free police ‘drive by and check’ scheme are among simple steps recommended to protect your empty property from burglars

A new councillor for the Brittany regional council has demanded a resident-only rule for house sales saying rising prices for holiday homes are preventing locals from getting on the property ladder

Depending on whether you are moving from outside France or within, your main residence will be such once you have established yourself there with the intention to stay

After applying online for a long-stay visa, you must visit a visa office in person – in London, Edinburgh or Manchester 

La Poste’s forwarding service is not limited to EU countries so has not been affected by Brexit

There should not usually be a set requirement by your insurer to spend a certain amount of time at a second home per year 

Changes to the way properties are assessed for energy output mean some homeowners will need to provide extra paperwork to get an accurate rating or risk undervaluation