Hi Carol, there's a link to building exemptions too here:
http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/F59.xhtml
I've no idea if your pigeon house is exempt but the exemptions seem to be pretty specific:
Principales exonérations permanentes
Bâtiments ruraux
Les bâtiments affectés de manière exclusive et permanente à un usage agricole (par exemple, les granges, les celliers) sont exonérés de taxe foncière.
Constructions proches de sites dangereux
Certaines constructions affectées à l'habitation peuvent être exonérées partiellement de la taxe foncière, sous certaines conditions et sur délibération de la collectivité locale concernée.
Les principales constructions concernées sont les suivantes :
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constructions achevées avant la mise en place d'un plan de prévention des risques technologiques (PPRT) et situées dans le périmètre d'exposition aux risques,
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constructions situées près d'installations dangereuses et achevées avant leur mise en place (installation classée "Seveso") et non situées dans le périmètre d'exposition aux risques,
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constructions situées dans les zones de danger délimitées par un plan de prévention des risques miniers (PPRM).
Pour bénéficier de cette exonération, vous devez adresser une déclaration sur papier libre avec les justificatifs nécessaires auprès du centre des finances publiques du lieu de situation des biens. La déclaration doit être effectuée avant le 1er janvier de la 1ère année où l'exonération est applicable.
Hi Sarah...just looked at this as we have a pigeon house on our land where the pipes have burst and its an empty and very damp wreck. We have had the electricity and water cut to the property (its a one up, one down) and although we know once it was lived in...we assume that was years ago. The link above seems to insist that the property that is empty is for rent and you have to claim from December the first year it has become vacant...so to me that suggests they are talking about a house that is rentable, not one that is falling down and in disrepair....when we have asked for this to be taken into consideration they have ignored us...any ideas?
The Connexion does a good on line guide, written by a professional, and I did my tax return using their guidelines and on line. We now need to get up to speed with the new budget announced yesterday.
My OH is amazed that at least 4 couples we know have their pension taxed at source in the UK despite being domiciled here, several have lived here for quite some years...the French maybe dont dig as hard as the UK?
Think you hit the nail on the head Ben.....a lot of us treat this site just like an evening in a pub...plenty of discussion and banter...and hopefully a new way of looking at things!
Careful mate, get snatched and you are in it up to the hilt from both, especially here. You'll never see another sou of rebate, discount or anything else after the bill, fine, taxes on the bill and fine, etc have avalanched all over you!
Brian...strictly speaking, if you are domiciled in France, you should be paying your tax on your pension in France. My husband has been through this, and to date...is hoping the double taxing which has been going on for 18 months will now halt, and we get the money back from the UK... we have an accountant in France and one in the UK as we have properties in both places, but as Nick officially lives here he has been told this is where his taxes belong. Its a case of the UK stopping taxing now...but for us, its not been simple.
My pension is taxed in the UK and I don't want to complicate matters by declaring too much to the French authorities! What does a 'low income' consist of and what proof would you need to demonstrate to 'les Impots' to qualify for a rebate?
thank you Brian. that's how I read it, but found it hard to believe! If I sell a liftpass at 200€ I pocket about 10€ - so taxed on turnover is a non-starter!!!
Norman, some of us have worked and have our life here for a long time. Now, getting older and with our income slashed by the bankers, it's only fair to try to find out what we can apply for. You can't do all jobs in all places - perhaps you are retired with a nice pension?
'Fraid it's turnover they want to know, i.e. income, not how much of it is profit. My OH and I are both AEs in research where just about no expenses are possible but exist and are anything but little amounts, so we end up losing out. The solution, I have been advised, is to pay yourself a salary out of your business and separate things. There is an agreement between the UK and France but to be honest, and it does not affect us anyway, I have never seen consistent info on how it works.
But is the 'earning' turnover or profit if self employed? this is very helpful, but as I pay tax in the UK I'm still trying to discover whether I would be eligible. Last year my turnover was 29,000 ish but my actual profit (after all deductions which do include travelling to and from the UK twice) was only just over 3k! Therefore I'm reluctant to move tax to France, where the .gouv site appears to say that you pay tax on 100% turnover with no personal allowance!
I'll second, third and fourth that Charlotte.
Exactly Valerie. Whether or not it's better in the UK or France is immaterial to the question, and I am also interested inthe subject. For those who think we should not find out about what the french already know ..... ribble!
I am a ski teacher and now 60 years old. I've been teaching in france for 20 years. I can't go back - even in the wilds of the highlands I couldn't afford a derelict croft! However at 60, and finding 6-8 hours per day onthe mountain considerably more than my bod is happy with, any reduction in the massive taxes would be welcome. I have found that you need all the information before you go to the Impots office, and that the centre in Grenoble is overriden by the local office!
More information on the question please and less off topic sniping would be very nice!
Jean, do you know if you have to be either retired or a french registered business to receive a discount? This is what I'm trying to find out at the moment.
Hi again Brian
Don't get put off by the discussions about French politics, about how English people want to be treated under French law, the merits of either Hollande or the late Sarkozy, the assumed difference between any local UK-coucil and a French commune.... Consider a bit like a UK pub which is just about to announce it's last round, ending all the discussions with a nice pint of lager, stout or whatever you like..
Just let us know what you've achieved in this subject.
I am on a pension and low income. Thanks to this site I am going to apply for various "excemptions". I hope my local Impots office are not too horrible but I really do appreciate your support and that of the people on this site. Best wishes, June.
that has been our experience Marie-Claire. Our pigeon house pipes have all burst....the place is damp, mouldering, has no electricity or water connected...but still we are taxed on it as a useable building...no one will come and inspect...or they really dont care. After all....I guess we are just assumed to be rich folk to exploit!
Thank you Victoria, I will certainly do this. I really appreciate people such as you who take the trouble to reply to queries. Kind regards, June.