Reimbursement of Tax Fonciere - Crop Failure

Over the years we have bought 4 bordering parcels of agricultural land from our neighbouring farmers and incorporated them into our garden. We’ve done nothing with them other than let them go wild or plant trees.
Today we have received notification of 40 something euros of reimbursement of tax fonciere owing to this year’s poor harvest, with the 4 cadastral numbers marked on the paperwork.
Since we are not farmers we feel we are not entitled to this. OH is planning to go to the tax office to offer to pay it back.
Anyone else in a similar situation?

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We had the same a few years back, 30 odd euros if memory serves.
Its how the system works, bank it and spend it.

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I suspect the land parcels are still “registered” as Agricultural/Farming rather than “Private land/Garden”… :wink:
Friends received a questionaire some years ago… checking on their land parcels (which had been used by a local farmer from time to time in the past) … and they ticked the box which applied to their current situation… otherwise they too would be receiving a “windfall” :wink:

I have had the same! As he says, bank it and spend it! It is how it is. Some years back, I was not asked for income tax! I went to question it with laughter all around and comments that I was obviously not yet a Frenchman :rofl:

I had a similar situation a few years ago after we bought an additional parcel of land. I called the notaire who discovered that the land was still registered as agricultural and we changed it over to domestic use. As a result, no refund but as we’d done nothing to deserve one I really didn’t mind.

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Obviously ours is stillagricultural. As there is a shed on one of the parcels that we might want to do work on to turn into a summer kitchen and extra storage for the gite at some point I’m guessing having the land converted to domestic use might make that step easier?

If it troubles you, you could donate it to a local farmers’ charitable organisation - you might get details from your Mairie.

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Is that a Go Fund Me page for a new John Deere? :rofl:

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I admit to admiring all the machinery at our town’s foire :slight_smile: even though I have no idea what most of them are for!

but I’m also aware of the significant suicide rate among farmers (see Désinfox. Agriculteurs : y a-t-il vraiment un suicide tous les deux jours ?, for example, if you can get beyond the unhelpful polemic), a subject close to my heart.

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Tax Fonc … I saw this today ’ Taxe foncière : seniors âgés entre 65 à 75 ans, vous avez le droit à un abattement fiscal grâce à ces nouveaux plafonds’

From here

MSN

The article doesn’t mention where one might apply for this rebate. Anyone up on this?

Normally you don’t need to apply for these abattements. The fisc has all the information it needs to identify those who qualify - age, income etc - and they are applied automatically to those who meet the criteria.
According to your article this abattement will be applied starting in 2025 so there won’t be any rebates on last year’s (2024) tax .

How ageist! I’m 77 and not entitled???

This government site allows you to find out whether or not you have the right to an abatement.

Taxe foncière sur les propriétés bâties (TFPB) | Service-Public.fr.

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I think that previously it was only available to those over 75, but now it’s been extended to include those aged 65 to 75.

Ah! Thank you. :slight_smile:

I had the same reaction… but nae fash yersel’, lassie! Entitlement to 75+ exists but the details t.b.c.

En plus des retraités bénéficiant d’allocations spécifiques, les personnes de 75 ans et plus peuvent également être éligibles à une exonération de la taxe foncière, à condition que leur revenu fiscal de référence (RFR) ne dépasse pas les nouveaux seuils fixés. Ceux qui respectent ces seuils peuvent aussi bénéficier d’un abattement de 100 € s’ils ont entre 65 et 75 ans. Pour les personnes de plus de 75 ans, les détails ne sont pas encore précisés. Quant à la condition d’âge, elle peut être remplie par l’un des conjoints seulement.

That’s as I supposed but if any rebate scheme has been running in recent years - '21-24 in my case - there as been nothing forthcoming. I do qualify, as far as I can judge.

That’s why I asked about where to apply.

I know that one of our Adjointes does “Social Work” and this does include helping people claim whatever benefits they might be entitled to.

Perhaps you could make enquiries local to where you are living… to find out who to speak to.

(have you checked the back sheet of your Taxe Fonciere Bill, that is where the discount would be shown I reckon)

My tax fonc bill has no 'back’page. It’s single page pdf. There’s mention of how to contact in case of queries. I think I’ll copy a line or two of that article to them and see what happens.

It would be fab to have something off - make up for the swingeing mark-up of EDF’s ‘Jours Rouges.’

'Blanc’ tomorrow! Washing and drying day! Quick! Before the next J.R. !

Here it comes …

17375542192152959436565350495945

Thanks Stella. On that basis I was due a €100 bung for each of '21/‘22’/'23/'24. And whatever for being 75+ at Jan 1st '25.

I don’t s’pose they do back pay :anguished:

Like Gen de Gaulle they can only say ‘Non’.