Can I deduct furniture from notaire fees when buying a French house?

Reader Question: I have been told you can deduct furniture from notaire fees when buying a house. Is this true and how does valuation work?

Notaire fees are based on the value of the property, not other goods the seller includes.

In the case of a fitted kitchen, you can deduct the price of electrical goods, such as a dishwasher and fridge, from the price.

Beds, mattresses, tables, chairs, freestanding cupboards, garden furniture, swimming pool tools and a jacuzzi can also be deducted. But the price of fitted furniture, such as cupboards and work surfaces, cannot be deducted.

Baths, hot water systems, showers, chimneys, fixed mirrors, panelling, fitted bookshelves and shutters also cannot be deducted.

Valuations and evidence

The seller must list excluded items, along with the price paid and an estimate of their current worth, in the compromis de vente.

To avoid future problems, especially if the goods make up a significant part of the price, it is worth having the valuation carried out by a commissaire-priseur – a state-registered auctioneer.

The seller must also provide copies of sales receipts for goods excluded from the price, in case of later queries from tax authorities.

Getting exclusions can make a difference to notaire fees – for every €10,000 deducted from the sale price, fees fall by between €700 and €800.

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