Hi all,
My mum passed away in October and I need a valuation of her flat in France for UK Probate, as she was resident in the UK.
The Estate Agent wants to charge 150 EUR but I read they weren’t allowed to charge. I may need to just get it done,though.
Also I need a notaire to transfer the property to my name as sole beneficiary. I read that this is a fixed charge too.
Anyone know about these things?
Many Thanks
M
Where did you read that? I can’t imagine that it’s correct, because a valuation requires a substantial amount of professional work.
Furthermore, 150€ is very cheap for a valuation. Are you sure an immobilier’s valuation would be acceptable for probate purposes? When I did this earlier this year for a property in England, a valuation by a qualified valuer was required and it cost about £500.
This is from Le Figaro, so should be reliable. It basically says the notaire can do it and will cost €200-300. The second quote says that the State considers a notaire sufficiently expert to do this, and can do it either with an online search or site visit which can involve an immobilier .
As to the costs they are controlled. So a fixed fee, plus payments of costs and then taxes. Apart from fixed fees the rest will relate to the value of the estate. Text in French below
“Comment faire estimer une maison par un notaire dans le cadre d’une succession ?
L’estimation par un professionnel de la valeur vénale d’un bien immobilier est obligatoire dès lors qu’elle dépasse 5 000 euros. Pour faire estimer une maison par un notaire dans le cadre d’une succession, il suffit de le demander au notaire qui ouvre et gère la succession. Il a pu être désigné par le défunt avant son décès.
Peut-on faire estimer une maison par un notaire gratuitement pour une succession ?
Non, cet acte n’est pas gratuit. Le prix d’une estimation de logement par un notaire dans le cadre d’une succession dépend notamment du type du bien, du temps nécessaire à l’estimation, etc. Il varie entre 250 et 300 euros en règle générale. S’il l’implication du notaire va au-delà de la simple estimation et qu’il participe au processus de vente, le montant à lui régler sera plus important.”
“Pour réaliser l’estimation de la maison, le notaire est considéré par l’État comme un expert de l’immobilier et du droit. Il a donc la légitimité requise pour estimer une maison. Il y a deux méthodes qui s’appliquent. Soit le notaire se fie à des outils en ligne pour estimer le prix de la maison. Cela n’implique pas forcément une visite à l’adresse du bien et le notaire fournit alors aux héritiers ce qu’on appelle un “avis de valeur”. Un document souvent assorti de nombreuses réserves. Soit le notaire procède à une expertise immobilière détaillée sur place si cela est nécessaire.
Costs of notaire
*Pour un acte notoriété en ligne directe (destiné à prouver sa qualité d’héritier), le tarif est fixé à 56,60 € (hors TVA).
Pour un certificat de propriété (ou de mutation), le tarif est dégressif et proportionnel à la valeur du bien transmis. Il faudra alors compter de 15,09 € HT soit 18,11 € TTC si la valeur du bien est inférieure à 3 120 € et à 0,484 % HT de la valeur du bien si la valeur de ce dernier est supérieure à 3 120 €.
Pour une déclaration de succession, les frais de notaire seront également dégressifs et proportionnels. Pour une part d’actif successoral inférieure à 6 500 €, les frais seront alors de 1,548 % HT de l’actif brut. Entre 6 500 et 17 000 €, ils passeront à 0,851 % de la part de l’actif brut, puis ils tomberont à 0,580 % pour une valeur d’actif comprise entre 17 000 et 30 000 €. Enfin, ils seront de 0,426 % si la valeur d’actif dépasse 30 000 €. En revanche, s’il doit faire procéder à un inventaire, les émoluments perçus par le notaire seront fixes. Ils s’élèveront à 75,46 € HT, soit 90,55 € TTC.
If there is no UK will involved, a notaire has to assess the value of the property before sucession can start which is usually in a few weeks after the death A Notaire will then start inheritance issues which can take a few months until the beneficiary of the estate is involved. Obviously none of this is free of charge and taxes etc will have to be sorted by the Notaire. Estate agents have no dealings with official successions although they can give a written value on paper as a guide but they have no recognition and fees, well who can say!
Hi @Mus , and sorry for suggesting other considerations at this time.
You may already be aware that if you are a French resident then you need to declare your mother’s estate in France as you are a beneficiary.
If it helps, this is explained in another thread
I was taking @Mus’s post at face value, since there was nothing in it to suggest his late mum was resident in France. No doubt s/he can add any such additional information if necessary.
Thanks for the help guys, will read in depth when I get home. It’s a UK will and I am resident in London.
I’m an only child and the flat was in my mum’s sole name. In theory, shouldn’t be complicated, right… 
M
Thanks Porridge. I read it on Google lol.
For my mum’s uk property I got 3 estate agent’s probate letters for free…
True, just follow the process. You need to think this through a bit more though. It’s not just a case of UK probate and then transferring the ownership in France, There are French and UK tax considerations. A fee of €150 for a valuation isn’t really here or there, it’s getting the right valuation that’s important. Depending how much your Mums estate was worth the wrong valuation could cost you dearly.
Sorry you’ve lost your Mum 
Thanks Jane for the detailed response
Thanks John.
Yes, I’m reading now that I may need to pay IHT in both countries, and claim one back, hopefully from HMRC, where it’s 40%.
France is even more of a complication on top of the UK!
M
It is Mus, but, as I said the “right” but credible valuation is key for the process on both sides of the channel. . A notaire’s primary role is tax collection, so one might have a greater degree of flexibility when discussing valuations with an estate agent. Maybe several estimates would be worthwhile to ensure it isn’t overvalued.
Bear in mind that it’s 40% of a much higher threshold than that in France and less than 4% of UK estates pay anything at all.
Thanks John. The flat was valued at around 150, 000 EUR about 6 years ago. so I am expecting around that and they are the most respected Estate Agents in the area so I will go with that - the fee is because I don’t know whether I will instruct to sell.
Her estate in the UK is quite large so will have quite a bill to pay.
Thanks
M
Don’t forget the two lots of allowances (I’m mentioning this only because I didn’t know about them: you probably already know) which - in the right circumstances - allow you £1m before you pay any IHT. The French property falls outside them, I think.