Taxes d'habitation / fonciere

Chris · Post by **Chris** » Thu 22 Nov 2007 19:19

What's the difference between these?
Also, it seems very unfair that I have to pay the taxe audiovisuelle when I don't have a TV, just because (presumably) someone else has put a satellite dish on the roof of my block. Anyone know if there is a right of appeal?

Roger O · Post by **Roger O** » Thu 22 Nov 2007 22:58

Fonçière is equivalent to rates in the UK - linked to rateable value there, but to potential rentable value in France. Habitation is a "live-in" tax. Whoever owns the property (whether actually inhabiting it or not on 01Jan of any year pays the tax. Calculation is made on various factors and linked to Impôt sue le revenue (income tax) of the owner (presuming taxable in France.) When we owned our old place in Soède and lived in Switzerland we were taxed at a very low rate because, as owners, we were not taxed in France on our revenue and declared habitaion June-October inclusive only. We let the place June-August and used it in September. Our agent (ODV.com) collected the tax as included in the rent.

The audio/visual is quite new as included in this tax and no longer levied separately. I'm not so sure of all the "rules" involved.

Rose · Post by **Rose** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 00:22

It is up to you to inform the authorities that you do not have a television.

Kathy · Post by **Kathy** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 08:11

When we bought our house the crafty vendor split the Habitation tax between us. I have since found out that we were not obliged to pay this. He pulled a fast one there due to our ignorance.

outie · Post by **outie** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 08:22

Kathy,it is quite normal to split the years tax between the buy and seller,I do not think they were pulling a fast one.

Kathy · Post by **Kathy** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 08:41

Fair enough. We did split the Fonciere too. I know that splitting habitation tax is done however you are not legally obliged to do this and originally I would have done this as a goodwill gesture. However my seller was called Mr Scrooge and believe you me we did not get anything we didn't pay dearly for. Once we had signed the act du vente and the pull out period passed a personality change took place. The smiling obliging vendor became very greedy. We have found the dishwasher doesn't work and the only tool left, a rusty saw broke on first use. I think scavengers leave more at the scene! .

DavidB · Post by **DavidB** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 09:25

Normally, when you buy a house in France, the Taxe Fonciere in the year of the sale is the responsibility of the vendor. It is normally agreed at the final signing (l'Acte Finale) who will pick up what proportion (on a pro rata basis).
E.g. if the final acte is in Sept, the split is 9-3.
The Taxe d'Habitation is the responsibility of whoever is in occupation of the house on the 1st January.
On the statement for the Taxe d'Habitation, there is a box you can tick if you do not have a TV. I'm not sure what the situation is if there is communal aerial on the roof...I presume it's covered as part of the management costs if it is an apartment block.
Regarding the condition of the house when you move in, it's not unknown to find that the vendor has apparently treated it like a slum since the compris was signed. Thankfully, we have only experienced it once.
DavidB

opas · Post by **opas** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 13:12

When we viewed our house with the owver it was empty short of a few light bulbs, when we had signed (we did view the house again the same day just before going to the notaires) we realised that the tight sod had taken his cheep fittings/bulbs and left us with about an inch of flex hanging from the ceiling....Outie had to buy those little block things(sorry the term escapes me) that you put the wire in one end and screw down and new wire coming out the other to extend enough so we could wire a light bulb holder to! Shame the guy had common sence to turn off the mains before cutting his precious light bulb off

Roger O · Post by **Roger O** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 13:30

opas wrote:(sorry the term escapes me) that :

They call them "dominoes" don't ask me why!!

Kathy · Post by **Kathy** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 14:18

I think the terminology you are grasping for is 'Block Connector'.

.

blackduff · Post by **blackduff** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 15:18

Roger's choice of name is most used by electricians in France. This particular item is calle "barrette de connexion" in the Brico Depot's catalog.

All in all, the electricians ask for dominoes. These are called "borne de connexion rapide" and they come in various holes.

Blackduff

Kathy · Post by **Kathy** » Fri 23 Nov 2007 15:32

My hubby wrote block connector, he has been told off for writing under my name! I suppose they look like domines in shape and have dots. Opas I think your seller sounds as tight as the proverbial ducks ****, even worse than mine.

edann42 · Post by **edann42** » Tue 27 Nov 2007 17:23

Must say that I was a little suprised having visited our house the first time after buying it, that the television aerial had gone, every light fitting and bulb in the house had gone and door handles were missing!! As we are 'gutting' the place it didn't really matter, but it was a suprise considering the aged Spanish couple were moving into rented accommodation!!!

Edwin

sue and paul · Post by **sue and paul** » Tue 27 Nov 2007 18:14

when we moved in, there were bare wires unearthed just sticking out of the walls. Paul ran his 'live wire' detector thingy over them and they WERE live! We couldn't just tug them out through the conduit we expected to find, because they were plastered inside the walls - no conduit. There are other parts of our walls, which register 'live', even tho there are no visible sockets, or even bare wires!! Since the previous owner is deceased, we THINK we know what he died of

DavidB · Post by **DavidB** » Tue 27 Nov 2007 18:23

We had the same thing happen to us in UK some years ago....the seller cut off the light fittings plus flex, & made off with some carpets and a grate(!) that we had paid for and was listed in the contract of sale. We never ever got
anything back or the dosh.
At least in France you know where you are, and all these reports are quite normal. The seller is obliged to leave the kitchen sink and fixed items like radiators/boiler etc....our first house had a sink on breeze blocks, and a non-funtional chauf-eau on the wall. Pioneering spirit prevailed.
At least you know about it now, but it's a pain when it happens.
...taking the door handles off is out of order, though.
DavidB

Post by **Kate** » Tue 27 Nov 2007 19:04

We had the same problem - not a light bulb in sight and she even took the garden shed (which was in the contract), parts of the fence and the plants out of the garden!!!!

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