We were planning to do the exterior of our house ‘soon’. Badly needs stone work repointing and where there is crepi this needs to be re-done. I think I need to work out whether this would have an effect of our TF before any action.
Logically it shouldn’t as this is an information gathering exercise and TF is on sq m and so on. And surely it is in the interests of the commune not to penalise people for stopping their homes falling into ruin?
Thank you, Amanda. And, welcome!
What I am hoping to find is if there is a list with more specifics, like hotel star ratings.
What does that actually involve? 
Air conditioning? Double glazing? Roof insulation? State of painting, inside and out?… Really! All a bit vague and I cannot understand how our poolhouse is listed as 4, despite being in good nick but not really nice enough to sleep in.
Perhaps there isn’t a more specific definition, and the Notaire just picks what they feel is suitable? Seems a bit of an arbitrary way if property condition is any part of what the taxe is then based on. 
All the same, I thank you again for posting this Amanda,
There is a facility to view it in English. Click on the flag in the top right corner of the first page.
So is it the lower the number the higher the tax? 
I agree withyou there wholeheartedly. Just been reading my old commune is fining people with non conforming septic tanks €670 for each year they continue not to update them as demanded by SPANC, starting from now. I know people who just could not afford to update a perfectly working system as its not a rich commune, mostly agricultural and employees as such of that but who live in handed down family properties of very elderly construction. They should be getting help not being fined
Its not a perfectly working system by the regulators, it may well be a working system though.
Correct.
Bizzare really, dilapidated old building leaks more heat, burns more fuel, spending money on repairs then reduces energy usage and having spent more you get taxed more so no incentive to do work to improve things.
If you will forgive me for saying so, that sounds like a very English attitude, to prefer to continue to live in a hovel and spend a fortune on electricity, rather than improve it so you live more comfortably and spend less on fuel but also pay slightly higher property taxes that will be used for the good of the commune. I suppose it is a fair comment, and probably this system would not work in the UK because that is how taxpayers would react.
I will duck now before the flak starts.
“Alternatively, call 0809 401 401 with a tax bill to hand.”
Has anyone used this service - if so what level of French comprehension is required. We have no changes to report and assume the questions should be relatively simple to answer. However, often being wrong about French bureaucracy, we shouldn’t assume 
Not all, I posted my opinion hoping to get a response such as yours to add a different thought process on this topic. I cant understand why a std charge for a std m2 would not be applied, easier to calculate. If the additional tax was/is shared amongst those who need to improve their homes bit cannot afford to that would be fair
@Corona
There are many financial aids for those on really low incomes… and some things can be done for zero€…
plus… I have found out that it’s not always easy to get someone to accept aid (of whatever sort…)
Hi,have you got any info or a link please to what help is available for people who have been told that they need a new fosse system but haven,t got access to the thousands of euros that it will cost.The letter from SPANC contained no information on the process or the cost or what help(if any) is available,thanks.
The 14 pages of the Foire aux questions on the impots site answers lots of queries including what the category determines.
I think ours predated the sale because the area given on the gov website is only 75% of the actual area as indicated by the estate agent when we bought the place. I puzzled over this for a while and think the officials only measured the actual area of the ground floor and multiplied that by three. This would be reasonably accurate were it not that the house is built into face of a steep, but receding cliff and the upper floors increase in area as one goes up!
However, I wouldn’t dream of questioning the French government’s figures and eleven years on from the purchase, it seems a bit late to accuse the estate agent of misleading us, so I’ll just let this anomaly remain…
For most of these sorts of things you need to be able to understand fairly fast, accented French. If you can understand radio programmes you should be fine.
My old commune have just introduced fines for non compliance over septic tanks of €670/year starting now and each consecutive year until sorted. I would suggest you speak to the local mairie who deal with SPANC all the time and let them know of your problem with finance etc. There are loans available, or used to be available via the mairie for residents but whatever you do, make some sort of movement towards conformity or you may end up being fined. Property owners in France, I am afraid, are penalised regarding keeping things upto the latest rules at their own costs but there is help if you qualify and its not a holiday home.
They must have held records of the property measurements ever since the house was first built, seeing as they have been sending out property tax bills based on that ever since then. I guess the details they hold simply roll over from one owner to the next, and each time they are notified of changes they update them. As far as I know there is no automatic process of updating the property details when a house changes hands. Although I imagine that quite often it is the sale of a property that brings to light changes that have not been declared, and then they do get notified and the records get updated.
For information, (and it’s the Captains information), clicking on the ‘edit’ button brings up the original data! The edits are retained… or at least the last one?
I read somewhere they disappeared after 24 hours, doesn’t seem to be the case.
My own edit - I think I have to tag Graham, this post didn’t come up as a reply to his. Now I get a message saying my edit has been overwritten by someone else? Got a button saying ‘overwrite edit’. Hmm I’ll press it.
Edited again to actually insert @graham tag
@captainendeavour - no probs, I’ll drop by one day 
Love to see the house with the blue(?) shutters
ah - but that was your old gaff… and you also posted that address!