Discussions

Hi,I plan to submit my retirement file in France, but I have worked in different EU countries. I spent the last 20 years in France and contributed to the pension scheme here.Could anyone advise me a person or organisation who could help me to understand my rights and explain me what i should do Thanks for the helpPeter

Hello!Me and my wife have been working and actively contributing to the social security in another EU country for several years. We have a son. I'd love to move to France again and one idea is to have a second child while my wife learns French and becomes qualified to get a job in France. Do you know if there is an agreement between EU countries that would allow her to receive the "complément de libre choix d'activité" (Ccla) subsidy in France based on the social security contributions that she made in the previous years in that other EU country?And are you able to confirm that "des allocations familiales" (Af) would be provided to a family of 2 kids regardless of past contributions to the French social security provided one of us is actively working and contributing at the time?Thanks.

Hello,Having had my QROPS pension value divided by half by a dodgy company in Spain claiming to manage wealth (who have since closed down), I'm now looking for someone (IFA or company direct) who can help me get what's left out of their hands and with a real company.  If anyone has any recommendations please let me know....

Hello I have just received notice that HSBC are closing my bank account in Nice and have given me no reason for doing this. I have tried calling them but got no explanation on the phone.Has anyone else had any experience of this? From what I have read online I think there is little chance they will reconsider. Also could anyone tell me what other Banks or recommendations I could open a Euro account with. I have a second home in Nice but my permanent residence is in the UK. Thanks for any help or advice

If you wish to apply for French residency I am been told that one has to show five years french tax returns is this true.

Does anyone know if household insurance is invalidated by the loss of a key?

Our Nice apartment suffered a mains water leak last November (so not our fault). The insurance company are about to start to repair the damage (mainly painting, replacing laminate flooring) but are asking for a franchise of 163€ up front, which they say will be re-imbursed when the claim is finalised. Is this correct, should I pay? My neighbour hasn't had to pay anything.

I am 'officially' domiciled in UK where I have a property, receive my pensions, pay my taxes. I have 2 children, one in France and one in UK and wish them to inherit equally on my death. I have a second residence in France where I own a small property. In fact  I spend more time in France than in UK.I am worried that the french laws might be applicable to my property in UK as they don't have a tax free threshold like in UK and my children would have to pay 20% taxes on it.Has anybody experience on that subject ?  Would appreciate any advice...

Hello.   Does anyone know someone who can assist me with registering with Orias.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks.

After 12 great years I have t sell my apartment in Nice Port.Can anyone recommend a  reasonable local  company to carry out the necessary statutory diagnostic tests on the property ?Many thanksCM 

Our Apartment has damp coming through the wall from next doors shower.I have contacted the syndic, our insurers , next door neighbour and their letting agent.The neighbours letting agent has sent a plumber to visit us, without arranging for their client to be available.I strongly suspect they may be trying to link it to an unrelated incident which does not include me.Whose duty is it to establish the cause of the problem, please. I can see it could involve cost to my neighbour (or their insurers) and is not in their interest to help in any way.Sticking to the only established facts - the wall is damp as confirmed by the plumber who could not find any cause from my apartment for the damage.Thanks

HelloWe have quite a complicated situation - I am taxed in the UK as all my work is sourced there. I have been officially resident there for last few years, paying my tax and receiving my state pension directly into my UK bank account. My partner is French.  I live part of the time over here, around the allotted 6 months of the year issue -  with my husband who lives here permanently and pays tax here. We were married in the UK 18 years ago, but have never officially legalised the marriage in France - ( first question - do we need to do so with Brexit coming up?). We are planning to move to another part of France this year and live there - so with more and more time spent in France, and although my work is still based in the UK,  I believe I will now have to declare myself as resident here. However, we are very confused about how to go about this, knowing the paperwork is a nightmare, and with the next French tax return coming up - and so on - how to deal with the double tax thing and get everything sorted out.  Basically we need someone who can help us with paperwork and keep it all under one roof!  I have an accountant in the UK, but he doesn't have French contacts.  Arggg - any suggestions?  We don't earn much money,  but of course we are willing to pay a reasonable fee for someone who can do all the necessary to sort it out.Thanks in advance for any help.

Hello there,Does anyone know how the system works? When I bought a place in the UK, everybody was thrilled if one had a sizeable deposit, no matter where it came from (obviously within the realm of what is legal). I am now looking to buy a place and my parents have offered to give me some cash towards it, however, the mortgage adviser tells me that a French lender would not accept this because these are not "my" savings? One cannot get a gift from a loved one?We then asked whether we could co-own the property, with my parents helping with the deposit, but given they are too old to take out a mortgage (and why would they, if they have money in the bank?!), again this would be unacceptable. Please tell me I misunderstood this?I do have a property to sell back in the UK, which would fulfill the stipulations of the French lender, however, if this takes I while, is the French system likely to wait in the way we do at home?Warmest,Madeleine

I need to recover money from a syndic that was sent to them by bank transfer in error.  I sold a property and all my obligations to the syndic were discharged with the notaire.  I asked someone else to make a payment to another syndic.  In error, the person paid the wrong syndic, namely the one that was managing my apartment that had already been sold.The syndic has been told countless times that the money was sent to them in error. Instead of returning the money to the sender, it has invented a pretext to keep it.  A member of the conseil syndical has alleged that I left "encombrants" in the bin area.  This is trumped up. I left a month ago anyway, and it is alleged I did it last week.I have emailed members of the conseil syndical.  No reply.  They must have instructed the syndic not to return the money to the sender, but the sender has nothing to do with the bins.  It is her money.  How can she get it back ?  In the UK. it is possible to use the government's online claims service, This is cheap and effective.  Faced with a CCJ (County Court Judgement), the wrongdoer invariably pays up, and has to pay the online court costs.   Is the only alternative to use an "avocat" in France and write letters to threaten court action ? The amount that was sent is 535 Euros.  If the syndic continues to ignore requests to return the money, the avocat's fees will quickly eat up the amount that the syndic owes. The lesson is in France you cannot trust anyone.  No wonder there are avocat offices on nearly every street. The whole country is at war with itself. I was acquainted with members of the conseil syndical for nearly 18 years.  I would never have suspected what they have done. The syndic staff, once polite, now want me off the phone straight away. Yet they are the ones who have committed the theft and should be guilty.

Can anyone recommend an English speaking Lawyer who deals in property matters. Preferably located between frejus and St Tropez. Thanks

Looking for a recommenation of an accountant for small business, an SARL, including payroll.

Hello We have been secondary residents in Antibes for the last 20 years. Until now, we have had a simple bank account with Banque Populaire, no checks, only a Visa Electron each. We tank up the account regularly and pay all recurring payments in France from it. We also use it for shopping etc., when we are in France.Now, BP wants to terminate the account. I guess we don't pay them enough fees etc.Any good suggestions about a new bank? Are there any internet-only banks, which would be interested in us? (We are not interested in having larger amounts in France for longer periods of time). And we are not fiscal residents of France.Thanks in advanceThomas

Dear All,I would like to propose my specific know-how for free in order to improve my english very quickly... Indeed, if you want to know more about Business Law(Management/Setting up/Purchase) and Accountancy in Monaco, and you are up for giving a couple of hours in english, I would be pleased to help you at anytime by phone or in meetings in Monaco. I'm 38 yo and I was in charge of 30 firms projects management for clients (France/Monaco/London), and I have been working 10 years in Monaco.Feel free to contact me first by email fo any kind of project.Rgds,Raphael

It says on the Anglo-Info web page that the Syndic has up to 3 months to send out the Minutes after an AGM.  I have been told that the French law is in fact '2' months not '3'.  Can anybody help on this please and where do I find the correct information.

I wonder if anyone can help me. I'm not totally sure if this is the correct forum, but finding the right advice is difficult.I am a UK passport holder who has lived in France for the past 5 years. Presently I work in Algeria and require a new business visa as my old one is about to run out. Six months ago to start my contract I obtained my visa from the Embassy in London. The process took over 2 weeks and I was stranded in London, away from my family, all that time. I am asking; is it possible for a UK passport holder to get an Algerian business visa from the consulate in Nice.I have tried the website but to no avail. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.