Pay tax or dismantle it - what is all this about?

Spotted a topic on Face-ache (sorry, Farcebook) where someone was insisting that new ‘rules’ in France meant that above ground pools had to be dismantled for part of the year to avoid having to pay a similar tax to below ground pools.

New one on me is that!!!

Does the collective here have a more reliable view than ‘bloke down the pub’?

C

AFAIK, it is the temporary construction nature of above ground pools that exempts them. Constructing for example a concrete above ground pool would not exempt you as it would be a permanent structure.
Who is going to police this anyway? Burden of proof etc.

Over to someone who reads french rules…

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Righto… basically, a swimming pool (other than the unfold/blow-up etc) is seen as raising the value of the property… which means property taxes increase.

One way of avoiding this increase is to opt for a temporary pool which has a minimum of “fixing”… and I would suggest that anyone comtemplating a pool of this sort … goes to discuss with their Mairie… what is the best way forward.

Permission is needed, in any case… so an indepth discussion and doing the correct paperwork… before laying out any cash… would be my advice.

If permission is given for a temporary pool… it does need to be able to be dismantled… and no-one should assume that there will not be spot checks. With cash becoming ever scarcer for the Communes, it would make sense to ensure that the correct taxes are being paid… :thinking:

Permission is NOT needed if you have an above ground pool of less that 10m2.
And if everyone who has an above ground pool spent their time asking for advice at the Mairie, the poor Mairie would be so bloody busy they would have to employ extra staff members, thus increasing local taxes far above any gain that might be made by sending out the spotter planes for spot checks !!!
The same goes for taking them apart…Hope many pools are advertised on Le bon Coin that are ready disassembled ?!! The ads always say ‘a demonter’ - so yes, whilst ‘theoretically’ you can take your pool apart - no one is going to expect you to!

Apologies for not mentioning the magic 10m2… :thinking::relaxed:

Also apologies if I came across as “over the top”… it is simply that in the area where I live “pools” are very much under scrutiny… :roll_eyes:

No worries! I probably need more coffee :slight_smile:

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Or maybe less :smile:

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my friendly French neighbour has an above ground pool. I have been here for 6 years and he never dismantles it.

Are yes Phillip, we brits have been so nanny state’d we can’t wait to jump as high as requested although the natives just give the shrug :smirk:

Thank you all…

The pool I am thinking of - and it is a little way off being a reality yet - is a bolted together affair where the uprights are bolted to feet concreted into the concrete base. It could be dismantled - with a bit of effort - but the base would still be there. Not something I would want to do on an annual basis!!! And besides, I want it surrounded by a wooden deck at water level because that is conveniently the same level as the floor level of the house.

Methinks I will pay the Mairie a visit come the time…

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Just be a bit careful, if you put decking at water level (ish), it’s not an above ground pool anymore, certainly as far as safety issues (fence/gate/alarm/cover) are concerned.

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Even if you have an in-ground pool of less than 10m2 no permissions required or tax payable. I originally planned a 25m2 pool but living in a rural zone the paperwork was a nightmare so I opted for a small one. In spite of informing the Mairie to withdraw my application, three months later they send me a tax bill for several thousand euros (which I got them to cancel).! Now I am so pleased …cheap to heat and easy to maintain. P1040371b|690x465

Something doesn’t ring true, the paperwork wasn’t a nightmare and I am near a Chateau as are some of my customers. Those that weren’t didn’t have issues and the tax payable is hundreds not thousands.