Couple must reimburse €400,000 for French home that cannot be lived in The problem was only discovered after the property had been sold
Why have French notaires said my husband’s UK will is not valid? John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query
Does my late father's UK will need a notaire in France? Rules vary dependent upon the assets addressed within a will
news Tips for making a will in France without a notaire We also cover ways to store your will securely and how foreigners can make different options to French residents
Can bank loan pay for notaire home purchase fees in France? This would allow buyers to effectively expense the fees over the life of the loan
7 key points on property market in France from new notaire data Several areas are now predicted to see significant falls
MAP: See house price changes near you in France in new notaire data From +9% to -20%: A few areas have seen rises but most have seen decreases
4 ways to lower the price when buying property in France From agency commission to negotiating the cost of furnishings, here are some tips
What is France’s certificate of inheritance, when do I need it? The certificate is one of the options in simple inheritance cases, where smaller sums and no real estate are involved
Seven key trends in new French property market data Property ‘euphoria’ is at an end in France, reveals notaires’ report
From +12% to -9.8%: how French property prices have changed in year Many areas have seen values drop but the south shows continued growth, a new notaires' report shows
Explainer: Role of notaire in France and what to do if not happy What you can expect from your notaire, what standards should they adhere to, and what you can do if you find them lacking
Notaires offer free auditing service for French properties Notaires in Toulouse and nearby departments want to help sellers improve chances of striking a good deal
12 key Q&As for anyone selling a property in France Documents, charges, capital gains, notaires…we answer key questions See how property prices have changed in your corner of France Britons no longer the biggest group of foreign homebuyers in France New data highlights six key trends in France’s property market
Drought-damage hotspots, new home nightmare: 5 French property updates Plus a notaire’s costly mistake in measuring a property and more signs of a property market slowdown Quarterly property prices in France ‘fall for first time since 2015’ Falling prices, fewer sales: what latest French notaire data shows 13 things you can do through a French notaire apart from buy a house How can I make my French will easier for my UK family to administer? Seven property trends highlighted by latest French notaire data
How do I change notaire in France if I am dissatisfied with service? Reader is particularly interested to know how documents could be transferred
French property in 2022 and 2023 predictions: Low sales, rising prices New figures show 2022 trends, and notaire experts look ahead to next year
€900,000 for French home owners whose house was built on polluted land The family noticed a viscous liquid in the sub soil while gardening
How can I leave my French property to my second wife? Recent changes to French inheritance law make it more difficult to leave French assets to a partner when you have children from a previous marriage
Can I deduct furniture from notaire fees when buying a French house? Getting exclusions can make a big difference to what you pay but it is worth using a valuation expert to avoid problems later
Seven key points from latest notaire data on French property sales The report shows that house sales in France are starting to steady although some areas have seen 17% plus price rises in a year
Does a UK will suffice for a French/English couple living in France? Partner article: We guide you through at the relevant succession regulation – and consider the implications of inheritance tax
Time to sell not buy property in France advise majority of notaires Rising mortgage rates and predictions of a slow decline in property prices are among the likely reasons
French property: empty offices identified as urban housing solution Notaires believe planning regulation should be amended to make conversions easier
Estate agents bypassed as French property prices rise Three readers share their experiences and tips for buying directly from the seller
Is it cheaper to sell French property with a notaire or estate agent? We look at how commissions work for both
An unsellable house, garden sharing: Four French property updates We also look at where flat prices have stagnated in the past year and how people are trying to cool down their properties in this summer’s soaring temperatures
‘Slowdown ahead’: Five French property trends from latest notaire data France’s notaires network warns of a potential property market slowdown linked to high inflation in the coming months
How can I get a copy of the title deeds for a property in France? We look into why the acte de propriété is important and how to get a version if you have lost (or never received) one
French property deeds: What are they and what happens if I lose them? We look into the acte de vente, what format this document comes in, who stores it and how you can get a spare copy of it
Shortages, grant delays: Five updates for property owners in France We look at delays in receiving reimbursement from renovation subsidies, a new court ruling on promises of sale and the effects of the Ukraine war on the building industry
Shared walls, €7,800 house, notaire fees: Five French property updates We look at a court ruling on who owns walls on the edge of properties, tips to reduce notaire fees and a very low priced house in Brittany that had buyers scrambling to bid
Can I claim expenses against income tax without invoices in France? A lack of invoices for construction work on a property could prove problematic when selling up
France lockdown: Are notaire offices staying open? Notaire offices were closed during the first lockdown in Spring
Can I travel to France from UK to sell my second home? France introduced a partial lockdown on April 3 meaning you need an essential reason to travel around the country. We explain how it works and what documents you need
House buyers in France warned over notaire money transfer scam Criminals are hacking the email accounts of notaires and then sending out emails to clients asking for money to be transferred
What can we do when our French notaire does not respond to our calls? Barbara Heslop of Heslop & Platt answers a reader query on the steps to take when the notaire you are working with is not communicating effectively
How can I sign a French power of attorney from UK? John Kitching, a director of French Law Consultancy Limited, answers a reader query on how to remotely sign a French power of attorney
French property 2021: House sales are down but prices rise Paris has seen the sharpest impact with an 18% fall in the number of sales, however year-on-year house figures showed a 5.2% price rise
When can I expect my money back from notaire in France? Sarah Bright-Thomas of Bright Avocats answers a reader query on when notaires return any funds to the buyer after a house purchase in France
New system allows notaires more use of video conference Notaires hope they will, in due course, be able to conclude all important legal contracts by video conference
Alert after fake French notaires scam bereaved Gendarmes are warning people to be on the alert for crooks passing themselves off as notaires to scam money from the recently bereaved.
Make sense of ... building a new home in France It may seem daunting but having your own home built for you from scratch in France is a realistic alternative to buying an existing property
France legalises all remote notaire sales signatures Notaires in France can now organise signatures on property deed documents remotely so as to avoid unnecessary contact during the Covid-19 crisis, allowing house sales and property deals to go ahead.
Can I sue over cellar that is too damp to live in? Q: When I bought my house, the cellar was described as living accommodation but it is too damp. Can I sue the seller?
Father died intestate in France, now notaire is silent I need advice about a property my sister and I inherited from our father who died unexpectedly last year. He left no will. We are struggling to hear from the notaire he dealt with in France and don’t know what to do. L.S.
Candles add drama to French property auctions There are various ways to buy property at auction – from an ancient candle system to the internet
Rights in France over damp and woodworm in new home We bought a house in June. Prior to seeing it, I asked the owner and estate agent if there was damp or woodworm. They denied it and I have an email confirming it. They also denied any problem during visits. We had a survey done, which found woodworm in both lofts and a damp/condensation problem through poor ventilation. Had we known, we would not have bought the house. The owner failed to do a parasite survey as part of the diagnostics. The agent and notaire failed to mention this and said there was no need for a termite report in this area. I understand now that this particular diagnostic is a requirement. I am now considering going to an independent notaire. SW
Notaires ‘must modernise and go high-tech’ Notaires must be ready to reform and modernise – and that means embracing technology, their new president has said.
Fraud alerts on rise – but not by enough An increasing number of fraud and money-laundering alerts from property professionals have been logged by the Tracfin anti-corruption agency.
Summer slump leads to 12.1% fall in new-builds House-building slumped over the first half of 2018 with just 119,900 building permits approved between May and July... a fall of 12.1% on 2017.
French notaires expand their online help One of the first and most accurate sources of information on the property market is the Notaires de France website notaires.fr which carries useful statistics on sales prices and legal advice on the stages of a property purchase.
French law can help you enjoy the fruits of your work Many people have complicated family situations (children from former marriages etc.) and there are many solutions for achieving their inheritance wishes, whether via the EU Succession Regulation or other solutions, but what if we ask: “What do the French do?”
How are you married? I’m not talking about church... When I ask people how they are married, they look at me perplexed. My favourite reply is still “in a church!”. When talking about marriage, in this instance, I mean the marriage regime.
Bank won’t release cash Since selling our holiday home of 30 years, we have been unable to access the proceeds of the sale from a branch of Crédit Mutuel de Bretagne.
Should you use a notaire for gifts in France? In a recent edition you mention how a notaire is required when you make a gift of a property (bricks and mortar). Is a notaire also needed for other kinds of gift? P.W.
Confusion over notaire fees to settle estate in France My husband died recently and I am confused following a visit to the notaire to find out the costs of settling the estate. We had a typical French marriage contract and he left everything to me in a will. There are no children, brothers or sisters or surviving parents and the only property we owned, in which I live, was purchased in joint names. When I asked the notaire for an estimate of the costs she said it would depend on the value of the property... This implies I will have to pay, what, I have no idea, for the house I already own and have paid for. Can you explain? L.O.
Notaires head out to dispense free legal advice Property, marriage, pacs and inheritance advice offered for free on trains, in cafes and market places for two days later this month
Inheritance rules for second home in France Reader asks a question after a disagreement between French notaire and UK lawyer over a second home in France
Is sister’s British will valid in France? My sister has died and has left a will in English and set out according to English formalities; signed and witnessed. It was not lodged with a notaire. Is it legal? S.B.
Now, you can sign on the dotted line... electronically More than two-thirds of legal transactions are now signed electronically at notaires’ offices in France and the first to be signed this way à distance , when the two different parties are not in the same office, have already been carried out.
Allowance is for direct family When a childless person wants to leave money to a nephew or niece am I right in thinking that, although there is no special allowance on death, there is a special tax-free allowance of €31,865 for a lifetime gift – at least within France? However, I don’t know if any British gift tax would then apply if the donor lived in France and the nephew lived in Britain? M.R.
May a notaire refuse certain work in France? Can a notaire refuse work? I have been told of a case where a notaire would not deal with settling the estate of a family member who had died because he thought it was not worthwhile due to the low value involved. Someone else I know asked a notaire to draw up a will for her estate which includes a house in Romania but the notaire refused saying it would be complicated and not worth it for him. H.T.
Notaire should have checked on Google A notaire has been held liable and made to pay damages for not doing checks on Google to get more information on a man selling a house
New sales record as buyers’ confidence is restored Positive outlook as low mortgage rates drive sales
Notaires and avocats offer free legal advice FREE advice from notaires is available around France on Wednesday and Thursday next week – on trains, in cafés and in market places as well as more classic venues such as mairies.
Prices go down, not up, in new-style property auction Riviera villa price will fall by €22,000 a minute until a bidder buys it or it reaches reserve
Re-writing UK wills in French My parents, in their 90s, moved to France to be near me. They rewrote their UK wills, stating they were to be used when they die. I asked our notaire if he needed a copy and he said he needed my parents to re-write them, preferably in French. Is this correct? J.F.
Wrong address on invoice: can I still reduce CGT? I am selling a property, and the notaire will not accept certain invoices to diminish the capital gains tax liability as they do not show the correct address or are not marked ‘ facture ’. I cannot get two large invoices re-done as the supplier, in this case a mason, has died and no one took over his business. Is there a procedure whereby I can swear an oath to the effect that they are genuine and were paid by me? I.M.
New records for dynamic property markets The first five months of 2017 have seen sellers benefiting with 907,000 transactions registered and all completed at speed, notaire figures show.
Changes where the well-off are buying Whether it is a decision on a new tramway or the loss of major industries, the way property is owned in towns and cities evolves over the years, as these graphics from the Notaires de France show.
New website shows real market prices Notaires are to offer a new website showing the latest information available on ‘real’ property prices as part of a new role set for them by the government.
French property market beats expectations Notaires recorded more than 900,000 property sales in the 12 months to May, as buyers make most of competitive prices and low mortgage rates
Property selling times fall but prices rise Estate agents say sales are being completed slightly quicker