David, if this is socialism then I come from the planet Zog. Socialism is redistributive. Thus far the PS has simply penalised the poorest for being poor and is working up the food chain. Soon everybody will have 75% tax on everything, so it will no longer be worth living, therefore everybody will leave, dwindle or die. Socialism should encourage improvement in living standards, redistributive tax on the rich to support those less well off and taxes on sectors with high incomes and surplus/excess profits that are redistributed to help those that need boosting thrive. Name any so-called European politician or party that has ever even tried that? You cannot because it has never happened. Hollande and socialism are like north and south - opposite poles.
Keep an eye out for today's budget too. Expats living here are sitting ducks too because they have no political influence on the French parliament. Holland has ordained to all communes that 25% of all houses must be HLM and that in many towns (and who knows villages in the future) the commune will be fined if they don't achieve that level. This means that community funded projects have to be undertaken which in turn means that the commune has to be taxed to fund the projects. Charges Sociaux on income from financial investments also goes into the pot. That's what yer gets with socialism. I have considered all the options but will still carry on living here for the time being. Further steep increases in taxation might force me to move though, although other options are not necessarily that attractive! Hollande does seem intent on driving out the really high earners with today's 75% announcement, but I don't suppose many on this site will be affected!?
House owners are sitting ducks I'm afraid. The taxe foncière will continue to go up and up because you are all considered as sale bourgeois and should be fleeced until you squeal. Hollande does not like rich people, and lots of rich people own houses. Even people who aren't rich own houses, but because they have the means to buy, and cannot easily escape, they will be ordered to cough up.
This is only the beginning.
Ask any Frenchman.
(oh, and if you don't like, you can always sell up and go back...)
Absolutely correct - I'm outta here!
had a phone call from my French neighbour yesterday. Our usual update on what's happening - oh and guess what? She complained about the Taxe Foncieres going up. Seemed normal to me to complain about it...When in Rome..
Oh and she's posted mine out to me...watch this space for as soon as the heavy thud lands here I'm sure I'll be moaning too.
Agree Angela....there are great things about living in France...and ditto living in the UK...but there are irritations about living in both....
Now they're the genuine happy brigade and fortunately there are many of us. Doesn't mean we can't have a whinge from time to time though! As I've said before, I'm very fortunate to be able to have homes in both countries and accept the good and the bad in each. Love Britain, love France but I do find the percentage increase in this year's taxes foncieres to be heavy.
love IT!!! being called Juvenile at age 73 is a compliment!
Yes, I do confess to being part of the 'Happy Brigade', and in a position to judge after being resident in 12 different countries.
Far from the Happy Brigade there seems to be an influx of 'whingeing Poms' as the Aussies used to say.
And please stop squabbling for once. Yes, I know I do it too, pot calling kettle black and all that. But sometimes it takes one to see one and right now some of it looks like four children each with a water pistol loaded with a different colour ink and looking at who is squirted with what. Parents will understand, no matter how many years ago...
I opted to follow this thread because it concerns an issue which could greatly affect me but it seems to be going extremely off topic with talk about 'plebs', happy brigades and brit bashing.
The question asked in the discussion is "Does anyone have any experience of claiming rebates?" to taxe foncieres issued in France, not the UK or anywhere else. I'm a single mum with an extremely low income and I'd like to know the answer before a potentially horrendous bill lands on the mat. Can we please not bicker and get this back on point?
Oh yes, the happy brigade. The 'economic' refugees are many (and I do have sympathy) people who sold in UK during peak times, came to France bought cheaper property and lived off the capital and now find themselves in a situation where they can no longer afford to return. Instead of being honest about their situation, many find delight in 'Brit bashing' and cracking France up to be some kind of Utopia. I avoid them!
Love it! A lot of them are economic refugees and couldn't return to their home countries so it's easier to say that everything in France is magnifique! Not sure why they are on this Forum - thought it was to help people who find things in France sometimes 'challenging' but perhaps I had misunderstood the meaning of 'survive France'
Carol, you're spot on. I agree with your sentiments entirely. France does discriminate against other EU nationals and will continue to do so whether it's Sarko or 'look at me I'm going to solve all of France's problems in one click' Hollande. Sorry to be such a cynic but I've lived through too many French politicians who are going to 'save' la belle France! It's a sad state if you can't criticize without some 'pleb' (ooh I love that word and it's going to cause some raised blood pressure no doubt) telling you to go back to where you came from if you don't like it. How juvenile.
I agree with you, Brian, about bringing the discussion back to the point - Brian's request for advice about possible rebates - and it not turning into a comparison between countries which really is a little irrelevant. Obviously if someone has received a 50% (for example) hike in their taxe fonciere then it's a justifiable complaint and perhaps some of the extremely useful links members have posted here will help them. No-one is having a go at anybody else. Please can we keep the discussion France-based as that is where the bills are issued and are causing concerns?
I was getting worried Brian that you hadnt appeared on this thread! I think we have done all that is possible...including two visits to the Maire....and appeals to the powers that be....letters sent by registered mail and ignored...no mention of our appeal...just a statement the tax will be increased this year...no explanation either why that is the case.
As you know...we have an apartment in the Languedoc....and have lots of facilities there including daily rubbish collection; amazing local roads; a stupendous library...huge stadium, enormous local pool.. wonderful parks that are tended....our taxes are much lower there. It irritates that we pay so much here in the Dordogne...with few facilities...lumpy roads....a library we have to pay extra for....no rubbish collection etc. This is a touristic town and has a small fortune pouring into it from tourists for much of the year....but no evidence of it exists locally.....I do wonder what its spent on.
so Barbara, why is this site called Survive France? so we can all state how happy we are? and not dare to suggest there are things that are not hunky dory? I love France....I have a problem with some aspects of the country much the same as I did in the UK....did I expect perfection when I moved here...of course not...Im an adult not expecting a fairy story ending...however, when things are not right...then its reasonable to discuss with others their experiences and how they feel about it. I dont go along with the idea that if you move to a country you have to smile through the bad bits. Whilst nursing Ive had plenty of Australian and Candadian nurses tell me how rubbish the NHS is.....Im adult enough to listen to their argument and not tell them to b****r off back to where they came from. We are Europeans....all part of Europe...some of it works...some doesnt. Here Ive been told by a hospital they wont employ me as they have plenty of French nurses out of work....in the UK any organisation that did that would be hung drawn and quartered...and I think that is right....its illegal to discriminate, France helps to make the EU rules and then is happy to break them. There is much here to be grateful for....but when something is not right...and especially when its not only not right...but the powers that be ignore your complaints and will not deal with them, then it is right and proper to be discussed in the open.
I wonder exactly how helpful some of this becomes. Comparative points about what one gets and does not get are so localised they become subjective. There are, since the point has been raised, areas in England and Wales where rubbish is also not collected because councils are pretty broke and collection is not viable. Also, comparison between France and England does not answer the questions about here at all. If I wanted to torpedo the topic I'd throw in the extortionate amounts my friends in Berlin pay, so that Germany enters the equation. Then I am sure we have some Dutch and Belgian contributors... This is not a knock, it is a plea for people to come back to Brian's points. He is asking about rebates.
There are a few good answers. We have had similar questions in the past and are missing sage advice from Andrew Hearne right now. However, I think Andrew would suggest going to the mairie and discussing any questions, preferably directly with the maire and if he/she cannot answer then asking who to go to next. It is difficult getting info/advice/answers in France at the best of times as many of us know. But then who can truly put hand on heart and say that they can do absolutely better anywhere else. I have served on an English council and will say that with that experience one will know how difficult it is to get answers with a finger in the door there, so forget the comparisons and all that is subjectively thought to be better. Work on it here.
Here in the Monts d'Arree our taxe fonciere has gone up very little over two years. From 689 to 703 euros which is for a small house of about 90 sq metres and a reasonably large one of 200 sq metres. That is way less than I paid in the UK- even in Wandsworth where I lived for a long time. Rubbish is of course not colleced but is separate anyway. The council for our commune of only 800 souls also manages to undertake quite ambitious projects like landscaping the centre of the bourg. Frankly I find the council much more approachable than any council I have ever endured in the UK. All over 60s also get invited to a massive free lunch which is next weekend, but there is a price in that usually a solo song is required. I try to do mine in French.
Thank you Celia...but I am an old warhorse and have been involved in politics in the past.....so am beyond taking comments personally.
Norman might be interested to know that when we lived in the UK, the local council suggested a fortnightly collection of rubbish...I lived in a cul de sac of 12 properties...my Asian neighbour opposite, who also happened to be a solicitor called a meeting of the residents to fight the action....should we perhaps have told her she should go back to India....?
And Norman, you obviously are not reading my comments...because your replies miss every point I make!
Thanks Brian for starting this thread, it certainly helps to know others are in the same boat and some very helpful info here too. My heart goes out to Carol, I see little to be gained by those better off having a go at her. This is called Survive France Network after all! And I for one am grateful to all who share their experiences here and help us understand and stay in this great country.
I love it here, I don't want to leave, but I can understand if the experiences of others cause them to reconsider their move.