New build running costs
Off-plan properties offer the advantage of very
little maintenance, leaving time to relax and enjoy
France.
The running costs of a new build house or apartment
are minimal. We list below the main expenses
connected with your new property.
Once you have moved into your new home we
recommend that you contact the different services and
companies to ensure that your UK address is fully
registered in their database, with your correct
postal code!
Rates and Taxes
§
Residential Tax (Taxe
d’Habitation).
Based on the internal area (surface habitable) of the
property and invoiced annually, generally in the
autumn.
§
Property Tax (Impot
Foncier). Based on the internal
area (surface habitable) of the property and invoiced
annually, generally in the autumn.
Service charges. Called “charges de
co-propriete” and
specific to new build properties on residential
developments, they cover the maintenance of the
on-site amenities and communal gardens. They are
invoiced quarterly by the appointed management
company (Syndic de co-propriete) and calculated on
the internal area (surface habitable) of the
property.
Utility Bills. Water and electricity are
usually metered in France. The property owner is
responsible for the bills which are payable according
to consumption.
French property insurance. It is the
responsibility of the owner to have their new
property insured from the date of delivery (key
handover), to include building, contents and public
liability (responsabilite
civile). In the case of
an apartment, the building insurance is often
subscribed to by the appointed management company and
included in the service charges for the
apartment.
Television licence: A television licence
is a legal requirement in France. Licence fees are
collected by the local tax office with your
residential tax (Taxe
d’Habitation). If
you do not have a television and do not intend to
install one, it is your responsibility to advise the
tax authorities shortly after taking delivery of your
new property. You will be sent a form to fill in and
return to your local Tax Office.
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off plan guide
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