TAXES
- Taxe foncière - Grondbelasting: Degene die eigenaar van een huis is op de 1e dag van het jaar is verplicht deze belasting te betalen. Betaling dient te geschieden op 15 October van ieder jaar, ook als het huis is verhuurd.
- Taxe d’habitation-Woonbelasting: Deze belasting gaat eveneens in op 1 Januari, te betalen door degene die in het huis woont of geacht word daar te wonen, dus ook vakantiewoningen. If not, the owner must pay it whether it is his main residence or it is used occasionally as a second home. As long as the property is furnished, has running water and mains electricity the tax must be paid and this by the December 15th deadline.
- Impôt de solidarité sur la fortune- Wealth tax : This taxi is due if the value of the owner’s capital assets, real estate and movables in France exceeds €732, 000. He will be liable to taxation on the amount over and above, based on a sliding scale. UK residents must submit their ISF Tax Returns (US residents their IRS tax returns) with the Recette des Impôts de non-résidents located 9, rue d’Uzès, 75094 Paris Cedex 2.The deadline for this tax is July 16th. If the owner does not submit his or her return or the value of the taxable assets is underestimated, penalties of up to 80% of the tax payable will be incurred.
- Audiovisual tax: Whether renter or owner, the occupant of a property, possessing one or more TV sets, must pay the annual audiovisual tax which amounts to approximately €120 and is paid on January 31st.
ELECTRICITY
- As soon as the property changes ownership, the new owner will need to subscribe to EDF-Electricité de France for electricity, GDF-Gaz de France for gas. To do that, you have to contact the agency showing them your rental contract and giving them the name of the previous renter. You can get the contract in your name by contacting EDF either by telephone or letter. In a very short time your electricity will be on.
TELEPHONE
- France Télécom for a land line. A France Télécom land line is also required even though a low-cost telephone service will be used for calls or a high speed internet connection for both telephone and internet service. All you need to do is contact France Telecom at 1014, if possible with the name and the telephone number of the previous renter. If the previous renter had a land- line installed it will be easy and fast for you to be connected. Furthermore, the access costs to a line won’t be very high if the previous renter was disconnected within the last 6 months. You will be connected within 48 hours. If you want to install a new line it will take one week to be connected and you may need to do the necessary work to prepare for the installation. Since deregulation, fixed phone lines are also possible through the cable depending on the geographical location. Some apartment buildings are equipped with cable and the basic fee is added to the “services charges”.If you want another server for your telephone communications you can contact Cegetel (7), 9 Télécom (9), Télé 2 (4) which offer more competitive prices. You will receive an invoice every other month but you can choose to pay monthly. You will pay a monthly fixed price and then you will pay for your telephone calls and any others services you have opted for. The invoice lists all calls made plus the price of the monthly fees and services.
INSURANCE
- As a renter, you are responsible for
damages caused to the building or to your neighbours by fire or water leakage.
You are obliged to take out an insurance policy to protect you from these
events and the rental agency or owner of the apartment can ask to see your
insurance contract whenever they wish. You could be legally denied the right to
rent a space if you don’t have a policy.
You have to have in your possession an insurance contract when you sign your rental contract. Most insurance companies offer a policy entitled ‘multi-risk for dwelling’. Don’t forget to tell your insurance agent the number of square meters of your apartment and any other units you might be renting such as the cellar, garage, basement space.
In case of damage, inform your insurance agent immediately and the owner or representative. That communication has to be confirmed and done by mail. The more precise you are the better. Even the smallest of lost should be communicated. The consequences often arrive late and unsuspected.
For water damage, don’t forget to fill in a friendly draft of the damages with a neighbour or any other people involved in the matter. Your insurance agent will send you a proper form to fill in.
The insurance policy is to be renewed each year
BANK
- French bank account- Non resident property owners should consider a non-resident French bank account to facilitate payment of utilities and other with direct debit. Payment sent by post can be slow or get lost. Not only may the homeowner’s utilities be cut off, but he may have to pay a penalty for non payment as well as a fee to reconnect the service.
SATELLITE TELEVISION
- A satellite reception system can be installed subject to local zoning rules. Canal Satellite and TPS, the two satellite operators in France, have a number of pay-per-view packs.
CABLE
- Paris and almost all the Paris region has a cable television network. If you’re TV fan, and a remote control maniac, happiness is just a button away thanks to France Télécom Câble, Noos, NC Numéricâble and others. And, don’t forget, just pay a monthly subscription and that same cable will provide unlimited Internet access, at a speed of at least 512 kbps.Of course, lots of operators have an ADSL internet facility, i.e. using the phone line, with even faster speeds. This same connection can provide you with lots of television channels, billed according to the pack you choose.
