Tax hike puts Brits off French property
Britons with second homes in France are facing a “galling” increase in taxes on properties they can visit for only half the year.
The residence tax was formerly paid by all homeowners in France, but under a reform introduced by president Emmanuel Macron it is now imposed only on those with second homes. Last year the tax was an average of €772 for a house and €941 for a flat and this year it is to rise.
The increase will be a minimum of 7.1% but could be much more as 3,399 councils have been allowed to apply a surcharge that could increase the bill by up to 60%.
Britons with second homes in France are facing a “galling” increase in taxes on properties they can visit for only half the year.
The residence tax was formerly paid by all homeowners in France, but under a reform introduced by president Emmanuel Macron it is now imposed only on those with second homes. Last year the tax was an average of €772 for a house and €941 for a flat and this year it is to rise.
The increase will be a minimum of 7.1% but could be much more as 3,399 councils have been allowed to apply a surcharge that could increase the bill by up to 60%.
France’s second local tax, called the property tax, which applies to main and second homes, is also going up. Paris council, for instance, has decided on a 51.9% property tax increase, while Grenoble in eastern France is imposing a 25% rise. Many other councils are applying double-digit increases.
Following Brexit, Britons can only stay in the EU for 90 days out of 180, unless they apply for a long-stay visa.
A survey by expat website the Connexion this month found that almost two-thirds of Britons were considering selling up.
The Times (£)
