We have owned our house in Charente since July 04. Previously it had been converted from a barn, and the attached house restored, by a frenchman purely as a comercial enterprise. He only received the first Tax Fonciere the October after he sold it to us. We have duely paid one since. However we haven't received a Tax d'habitation yet. I put it down to the fact that the mayor likes my OH as they are both farmers and we are never at the house on the magic date of Jan the first. We only manage to visit about 8 weeks in the year. Are we being naive and just storing up trouble for ourselves?
All advice gratefully received.
not paying tax d'habitation
I don't think it is the Mayor who chooses who pays the tax d'habitation. You should be paying it even if you are only at the house for 8 weeks a year. I don't see why the 1st of Jan date would be relevant. The tax bills usually come about November time.
I don't think there is any need to do anything, but don't be surprised if a bill turns up one day.
Ju
I don't think there is any need to do anything, but don't be surprised if a bill turns up one day.
Ju
Why don't you contact your local canton tax office - they should be able to help you. Our first bill was sent to the address in the UK we had when we bought our property (it is the notaire who gave all the details). If you have been sent a bill and don't know about it, you may have to pay the 10% supplement that is added for all late tax payments. As you were resident on 1st Jan last year you should have received a bill in Oct/Nov latest, unless you are exempt for some reason (being a friend of the maire isn't mentioned in the official text!)
http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/part ... itation&l=!)N235
http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/part ... itation&l=!)N235
Thanks for the contact Susan. I read somewhere that the person residing in the house Jan 1st is liable for the tax. Also that the maire sees how many bathrooms etc you've got. He certainly asked us if the pool had been completed. I know that I read ages ago that if the property has been derelict and therefore not had tax paid on it before that this might be a reason. I assumed that if they know about you to charge you one tax they'd automatically charge the other. It has been nearly 2 years now. I hope they would understand why we haven't paid it sooner!
cheers
Mandy
cheers
Mandy
The bedrooms and pool will make a difference to your tax fonciere rather than your tax d'habitation.
For the purposes of the tax residing on the 1st of January means that it is you who is in possesion of the property on that date, you don't actually have to be living there. It just means that if it is a rented property (ie long term let) then it is the tenant who is in residence.
Ju
For the purposes of the tax residing on the 1st of January means that it is you who is in possesion of the property on that date, you don't actually have to be living there. It just means that if it is a rented property (ie long term let) then it is the tenant who is in residence.
Ju