-
French passport queue rules not being applied consistently
French residency card holders share their passport queue experiences
-
Why French astronauts don’t get the same hero treatment as in the US or UK
The first female French astronaut was met with a rather muted reception at home
-
Rent-free tenancy can cause inheritance issues in France
Recent case shows impact of letting an adult child live in property for free
French renovation rule over children having to OK work is insulting
Firm told readers they needed to have their children sign-off on a payment they need to make to it
We recently decided to have work done on our house and were told by the firm that we needed an attestation giving approval from one of our children.
We are owner-occupiers with no debt and, although both over 75, we are in good health and not suffering from any physical or mental decline.
Fortunately, we have a good relationship with our children and the signature was a formality, but clearly that would not be the case for everyone.
It seems that in France we cannot ‘spend our children’s inheritance’ without their permission! My (French) son-in-law tells me this is put in place for our protection, but I cannot quite get over the insult!
Catherine King, by email
Editor’s note: French law is indeed generally protective of children’s inheritance rights but this scenario sounds excessive, assuming the property is not partly-owned by your children.
This was confirmed by notaire François Trémosa of Tremosa-Leschelle et Associés, near Toulouse: there is no law imposing any permission unless you are deemed mentally incapable but in such a situation it would be a judge that imposes precautions, not a renovation company.
Related articles
Can a proxy sign acte de vente for French property purchase for me?
French property tax: buying, selling, capital gains, inheritance
How can I get a copy of the title deeds for a property in France
