Purchasing a holiday home as non resident

Moving to or from France
1

Good afternoon everyone,

I have a couple of questions regarding purchasing a property in France.

I am from the UK and have Spanish residency. I would like to look at purchasing a property in France (without mortgage) and I do not have the intention of gaining residency in France, the property would be a holiday home. Is this doable in this day and age?

If so, I would like to ship a car and belongings from the UAE to France. Is that possible without residency status, and would things like registering and insuring the car be possible given that I would not be resident?

Same goes for paying utility bills etc without a French bank account, or would I need to set up an account as a non resident (again if that is possible these days?).

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks

2

You can buy the holiday home, but you’ll be limited (within the EU) to 90 days in 180. Although not strictly necessary, life would be much easier if you had a french bank account (look at CA britline for example)
Im no expert, but I would imagine importing a car from the UAE would be tricky (EU confirmity), even more so if not a resident (but probably not impossible) @anon90504988

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As well as the conformity requirements there will be VAT and duty to pay unless one is changing residence to France, and the malus if it has a high CO2/km. It could turn out quite expensive.

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I thought it had been mentioned on here before that non-residents were not allowed to register cars in France. What I do know is that an English aquaintance with a holiday home in our village did indeed do that, but no idea how.

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Presumably asked a local or garagiste to do it using the French address.

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I know that this has been thrashed about, many many times.

I’m coming round to the view that I’d rather see someone with a UK car… get it French registered, passing the CT regularly, fully insured etc…

than simply leave the vehicle here in France on UK plates, no insurance, no MOT/CT/nuffink… for use as and when the owner comes to visit… aaaargh… an accident waiting to happen.

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Totally agree Stella, sounds like the only sensible thing to do all round. I remember all those UK plated cars parked at Limoges airport, and no doubt others too, many with long expired tax discs.

Same with the perennial nonsense about UK drivers not being allowed to drive French reg cars. Apart from hire cars of course, which only goes to prove that it can be done. Same with lorry drivers being allowed to pull French trailers with UK registered tractors, but UK cars can’t pull French reg caravans.

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We havent had tax discs for years

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Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

Although I am a British citizen, I haven’t been resident for over 10 years. The suggestion of CA Britline for a French account seems workable as I have the intention of purchasing a property. I do have a Spanish bank account, but seem to be remember reading having a French one makes paying utility bills etc easier.

I’m aware of the 90 in 180 rule (which would still apply to me as I believe it’s based on citizenship and not residency status in Spain) that would be sufficient for my needs. I’m now wondering if it would be easier shipping the car to Spain, registering it and insuring it there and then driving it to France.

My driving licence is Spanish as I surrendered my UK one when it was transferred (technically it was invalid anyway as I don’t have a permanent UK address).

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Driving to France from Spain… when you come on holiday… sounds a good plan.
Now, all you have to do is find your ideal French holiday home…

Best of luck.

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It’s years ago that I was talking about.

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Back in the day when Limoges airport building was little more than a garden shed and the car park a muddy field (but free)

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Yes, and it wasn’t only the car park, but along the sides of the roads outside it.

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Does anyone have photos of the old Limoges airport?! Would be great to see!

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I think that David was referring to the Brit cars with expired tax discs.

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I dont think I have unfortunately , they built the new modern terminal in about 2006, and during the transition the garden shed was replaced with a tent

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I remember the first time we ever used Limoges… it was a shock… a step back in Time…:wink:

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I remember Edinburgh airport looking like that. And Aberdeen.

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Come to Dole airport. It is still like that!

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Presumably passenger numbers outgrew the airport at Limoges… so an upgrade was fair enough…
but personally, we felt it was a shame when it lost its “Biggles” charm…
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