Shed light on property tax

THE QUERY from “B.L” in July’s issue about garden sheds struck a chord.

We erected an extension to our garage and a small garden shed. Both of them had a base of less than 19m2 each.
We applied to the mairie for the necessary permis de travaux and after jumping through various hoops, received them.

About 12 months later we received two bills of €260 each for the urban taxes. I queried these bills and was told that it was the law. I then asked what the tax office was going to do about the people in the commune who have erected sheds without notifying the authorities. No answer.

I’ve now received two letters (one for each project) informing me that my taxe foncière is likely to be increased.

This law tempts people into fraud by not declaring new buildings – if I had known how much my projects were likely to cost me in terms of increased taxes I would, perhaps, have been tempted not to declare. Alternatively, I might not have done the work at all – thus denying the wood suppliers and Mr Bricolage the money I paid them.

P J TYLER, by email