Do I need an English solicitor to buy a
house in France?
No, you don't need an English solicitor or a French
solicitor in France, although some clients like to use
one. The notaire is neutral and works for both the
buyer and the seller (they are public offi cials authorised to
handle purchases, sales, exchanges, mortgages
etc.). The Compromis de Vente (exchange of contracts)
is the fi rst legally binding document that starts
the French property purchasing process and may be
drawn up by Leggett's contracts department, or a notaire.
Only a notaire can draw up the fi nal document,
the Acte de Vente - and its signing takes place at their
offi ce, with the buyer and seller also present.
Joanna Leggett
Marketing Director - Leggett Immobilier
How much extra will I pay in tax, living in
France?
Let me answer this with a statement of fact: "Most
couples pay less income tax as residents of France
than they would living in the UK." Why? The parts
system - couples are taxed together, resulting in the
automatic sharing of allowances and tax bands - general
allowances and abatements mean that many
people fi nd themselves signifi cantly better off after moving,
and this excludes taking certain basic
actions that can save even more. The only problem
with French tax, is that it is complicated, so requires
guidance. If you do things right, you can enjoy both
life and more money in the bank!
Robert Kent - Managing Director
Kentingtons - Tax & Investment Consultants
Find & buy your dream home in France
Live interactive webinars hosted by Leggett Immobilier International and
Lumon Pay, the French property currency specialists.
Join France's biggest English speaking real estate agency and discover the process of buying a property with the
professionals, all within an hour. Our experts will answer your questions about what is involved when buying and moving to
France, as well as specifi cs on French admin, visas, insurance, taxes, wealth management, currency exchange, relocating to
France, and property rental and management.
Scan our QR code to fi nd out dates and times of our up and coming webinar.
Do I need health insurance if I live in France?
If you're not registered within the French system, you
are legally obliged to have a comprehensive private
policy. Within the French system a Mutuelle Top Up
policy can support this and is designed to cover the
out of pocket costs after state payments, and can
range from hospital only cover, to high level policies
covering all aspects of healthcare. You aren't legally
obliged to have a Mutuelle, but the costs can sometimes be
very high, and it's strongly recommended
that you consider this and talk this through with an
experienced insurance specialist to fi nd the best option
for you.
Find out more: The French social security system
(cleiss.fr)
Helen Harrop - Health Insurance Specialist
Agence AXA International
Why transfer money through a
currency broker?
When you are looking to fi nance an overseas property,
the exchange rate is absolutely critical to determining what you
will actually receive or pay. If you need
to transfer money overseas, it can be a lot cheaper
to use a currency exchange broker than a bank. We
like to look after customers through a combination
of specialist knowledge, expert guidance, and delivering highly competitive
exchange rates. This means
customers are better off fi nancially and are reassured
throughout the process.
Jonathan Watson
Associate Director - Lumon