- The Languedoc Forum -

stephanie · * Joined: 17 Mar 2009 Posts: 1

i am so sorry if this has been brought up before but i need advice.
i have heard that habitation tax depends on your income, is this true?
we do not declare our income as we are pensioners and pay our tax in britain;
our habitation tax has gone up by 100 euros this year. is this the norm?

snoopycat · ***** Joined: 28 Aug 2007 Posts: 135 Location: Béziers

Hi Stephanie,

The tax d'hab. can be reduced if you are on low income.

I recently checked with the tax office and was told that the cut off point for tax d'hab. is around 15,800 euros for a married couple, but I am under the impression that you must declare your income and then get a 'zero tax rating form' .

Even if you receive a pension abroad and pay tax abroad, you must still declare it to the French tax authorities.

Certainly the tax d'hab. was increased substantially this year, I believe around 10/12 %.

It's a complex business, the English language newspaper 'Connexion' has a series of tax guides which might be of help.

Their website is www.connexionfrance.com

hope this is of some help,

snoopy

peter · Posted: Wed Nov 18, 2009 7:11 pm Post subject:

I haven't checked it in detail yet, but it has increased for me, too.

Peter
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Le Petomane · ***** Joined: 06 Dec 2006 Posts: 65 Location: Adissan

Stephanie, if you're living for most of the year in France you are liable to the French tax regime. You should go to the local Hotel des Impots and ask for a declaration de revenus. By the time you've converted your UK income into euros, you may well find that their conclusion is that you are not "imposable". But (depending on your income) you might get a reduction on your taxe d'habitation. We did.

anneb · Posted: Thu Nov 19, 2009 6:50 pm Post subject:

Our taxe d'habitation bill came today and I'm really astonished at how much it has gone up since last year Sad

Anne

graham34 · Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 6:39 pm Post subject:

anneb · Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:27 pm Post subject:

dcat · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 5:18 pm Post subject:

I know the habitation tax is figured individually and by locale, but I have been trying just to get an idea of what I might have to pay before moving to my preferred destination and have gotten absolutely nowhere. Perhaps someone here could help?

I live in Spain and want to move to Avignon. I would either rent an apartment for about 500 euros/month, or buy one for about 125,000. I would be living alone (with my cat, but hopefully the French don't charge tax for cats). I don't work; my husband will support me, although he will stay in Spain. My income from him will be about 20,000/yr.

Is there anyone here who lives in Avignon who is in a similar situation and can give me an idea of how much tax (more or less) I could expect to pay? (both the habitation and property if I buy, or just the habitation if I rent).

And if not Avignon (which I know is not in the Languedoc, but it's close!), then somewhere else? Beziers? Whatever. The figure I've seen are averages, and that would probably mean a larger household a larger house, and most likely a larger income.

Thanks,
Dvora

opas · Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 8:43 pm Post subject:

I am afraid that is an `how long is a piece of string` question,

It all depends on the district, the rentable value of the property and a lot of other factors for the foncier, and has been mention in another thread about the property tax , you can get the Tax Foncier answer by asking the estate agent or the vendoror owner of the property you wish to buy or rent from.
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dcat · Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 12:46 pm Post subject:

Yes, it is difficult, isn't it. I have asked several realtors for an approximate tax on specific properties they were either rental or sales agents for, but none has even bothered to respond. Someone on this or another list suggested that I needed to have asked in French. But their ads were in English, and I suggested that they could respond in French because whereas I can't write French, I can read it.

I figured if I could find one or two people who live in Avignon or the area and pay about 400-500 a month for an apartment and live alone, that would at least give me an idea. But no luck.

graham34 · Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:23 pm Post subject:

This immobilier seems to give fonciere rates for the Avignon properties it lists. And this one habitation.
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Graham

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dcat · Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:45 pm Post subject:

Thank you so much. You're a genius! And very kind to go to the trouble. I think this information makes my potential move more feasible than I was fearing. The numbers I've seen as averages really are for more expensive properties and a larger family with larger income. I am really quite determined to do this move if it is at all possible and before I get too old! It isn't easy to do the research from a distance and with only limited familiarity with French (and a smallish dictionary). Now I will turn my attention to health care.

Thanks again.
Dvora