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Created: 16 June 2026

Interest Rates Ahoy

Huge week for interest rate decisions...

The European Central Bank held their rate at 2.25% last week.

Overnight Japan raised its rate to 1%. This follows over 20 years of deflation and a negative -0.1% base rate following a crash in most asset classes such as shares and property.

Tomorrow sees the FED (America) release its decision which looks to be a nailed on hold at 3.75%.

The UK inflation number at breakfast tomorrow could sway the Bank of Englands decision on Thursday, but it's unlikely there will be a change from their 3.75%.

All eyes are now on the peace talks with Iran. Current rhetoric indicate its a done deal....time will tell over the next 72 hours.

Certainly the markets believe it's over with the price of oil normalising and stability returning to most asset markets.

This is important because inflation was expected to climb sharply if the Iran conflict continued and therefore interest rates were supposed to tick up.

Now the decline in interest rates seen pre conflict may come back to the table, and the global economy might continue to return to more stable conditions.

Watch this space.

Here at Regency FX we've helped our clients through the past couple of months with fixed rate forward contracts and market watching for those with no immediate requirement.

Your dedicated account manager is always on hand to provide assistance.

- Economic calendar:
UK: Wednesday 07:00 Inflation Report
US: Wednesday 18:00 FED Interest Rate Decision
UK: Thursday 12:00 BoE Interest Rate Decision
UK: Thursday 12:00 MPC Vote Count

So what next, what should you do?

As ever we look forward to keeping you in the loop and so please look out for our next update.

Our friendly currency experts are here to assist you and guide you through the markets, we offer a first-class service and even an online platform so you can monitor your transaction in real time.

Our business ethos is based on bank beating rates and fantastic customer service, click the link below for a no obligation quotation and see the savings for yourself.

Don’t wait. Contact us now.

Or to find out our latest rates, click below.

Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.

Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.

Kind regards, 
David Evans 
Co-Founder of Cle France.

1. Great exchange rates
2. Quick and easy transfers
3. No transfer fees
4. Expert help and guidance
5. Authorised by the FCA

Current rates: 

Tuesday 16th June 2026 at 10:00

£1.00 GBP = 1.1565 EUR

£1.00 GBP = 1.3420 USD

£1.00 GBP = 1.8990 AUD

£1.00 GBP = 2.3035 NZD

£1.00 GBP = 1.8795 CAD

£1.00 GBP = 1.0665 CHF

• Want to Learn More?

• We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.

• • At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
  • We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
  • As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.

How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers

• Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
• Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
• All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
• Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

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Created: 12 May 2026

The Pound In Freefall Over PM

Sir Kier Starmer under intense pressure...

The recent local elections in the UK sent shockwaves through the Labour Party.

Calls for the Prime Ministers resignation are ringing around Whitehall.

On the back of this the Pound is taking a bit of a hammering.

If the PM does depart, all trading eyes will be on his potential successor before bets are placed on Sterling.

Whilst the political story is the big news right now, there's still plenty of scheduled activity to sway rates.

US inflation is expected to start showing the impact of rising oil prices later today with annualised growth of 3.7% anticipated.

Then it's Eurozone and UK GDP numbers on Wednesday and Thursday respectively.

US retail sales rounds the week off later Thursday, so plenty of opportunity for volatility this week.

- Economic calendar:
US: 13:30 Inflation Report
EUR: Wednesday 10:00 Preliminary GDP Report
UK: Thursday 07:00 Preliminary GDP Report
US: Thursday 13:30 Retail Sales Numbers

So what next, what should you do?

As ever we look forward to keeping you in the loop and so please look out for our next update.

Our friendly currency experts are here to assist you and guide you through the markets, we offer a first-class service and even an online platform so you can monitor your transaction in real time.

Our business ethos is based on bank beating rates and fantastic customer service, click the link below for a no obligation quotation and see the savings for yourself.

Don’t wait. Contact us now.

Or to find out our latest rates, click below.

Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.

Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.

Kind regards, 
David Evans 
Co-Founder of Cle France.

1. Great exchange rates
2. Quick and easy transfers
3. No transfer fees
4. Expert help and guidance
5. Authorised by the FCA

Current rates: 

Tuesday 12th May 2026 at 12:30

£1.00 GBP = 1.1530 EUR

£1.00 GBP = 1.3540 USD

£1.00 GBP = 1.8735 AUD

£1.00 GBP = 2.2755 NZD

£1.00 GBP = 1.8560 CAD

£1.00 GBP = 1.0570 CHF

• Want to Learn More?

• We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.

• • At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
  • We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
  • As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.

How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers

• Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
• Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
• All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
• Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Details

Created: 07 May 2026

Is Peace On The Table... Or Not?

Yesterday saw huge volatility....

Oil was down 12% at one point and the Dollar weakened almost 1% versus the Pound in almost no time.

To put that into context that's a £1,000 difference in every £100,000 exchanged into Dollars in the space of around 24 hours.

This clearly demonstrates market risk in these uncertain times.

Here at Regency FX our team of dedicated account managers help guide our clients through the straits of currency conversion planning.

Whether peace is a thing or not, time will tell as the rhetoric remains a mixed bag.
Outside of that, normal service continues.

The big piece of scheduled news is the Non Farm Payrolls in the US tomorrow.

Often seen as the bellwether of the global economy as it indicates the status of full time work in the worlds biggest economy.

Analysts are expecting monthly growth of 60,000 jobs.

Economic calendar:
US: Friday 13:30 Non Farm Payrolls

So what next, what should you do?

As ever we look forward to keeping you in the loop and so please look out for our next update.

Our friendly currency experts are here to assist you and guide you through the markets, we offer a first-class service and even an online platform so you can monitor your transaction in real time.

Our business ethos is based on bank beating rates and fantastic customer service, click the link below for a no obligation quotation and see the savings for yourself.

Don’t wait. Contact us now.

Or to find out our latest rates, click below.

Get ahead of the game and read our Guide to Foreign Currency Exchange.

Download the Guide Here - with no obligation of course.

Kind regards, 
David Evans 
Co-Founder of Cle France.

1. Great exchange rates
2. Quick and easy transfers
3. No transfer fees
4. Expert help and guidance
5. Authorised by the FCA

Current rates: 

Thursday 7th May 2026 at 10:30

£1.00 GBP = 1.1570 EUR

£1.00 GBP = 1.3625 USD

£1.00 GBP = 1.8770 AUD

£1.00 GBP = 2.2800 NZD

£1.00 GBP = 1.8560 CAD

£1.00 GBP = 1.0590 CHF

• Want to Learn More?

• We have created a selection of Free PDF Guides for you to download covering many aspects of buying property abroad, visit our PDF Guides Page today or download our "Buying A Property in France" Guide PDF document.

• • At Clé France / Regency FX, many of our customers have a need for currency exchange.
  • We are pleased to offer our customers favourable exchange rates on international currency transfers.
  • As a Clé France website visitor, you qualify for preferential exchange rates when you transact through Regency FX.

How to Save Money on your foreign currency transfers

• Regency FX can save you money by offering more competitive rates of exchange than your bank.
• Clients can typically save you 3-4% of the total transaction value, which can result in significant cost savings.
• All client funds are held in segregated accounts with top-tier banks keeping your money safe and secure.
• Cle France has partnered with Regency FX, a trusted and fully safeguarded currency exchange provider, to bring you even better service and exclusive benefits when transferring money internationally.

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk

Details

Created: 21 April 2026

The True Cost of Buying Property in France: What Currency Exchange Could Mean for Your Budget

Purchasing a property in France is one of life's great milestones. For many buyers, it represents years of planning, whether the dream is a stone farmhouse in the Périgord, a sundrenched villa in Languedoc or a pied-à-terre in the heart of Lyon. Yet most buyers can be caught off guard by one of the most significant and least discussed costs in the entire transaction: currency exchange.

Every euro you spend on a French property has to come from somewhere. For buyers paying in pounds, that means converting sterling and the rate at which that conversion happens can quietly add or subtract thousands from your budget. Understanding this dynamic before you make an offer, rather than discovering it at completion, is one of the most valuable steps you can take.

Regency FX, a specialist currency exchange provider has helped countless buyers navigate exactly this challenge. In this guide, written in partnership with them, we walk through the key stages of a French property purchase and explain where currency exposure arises, what it costs in practice and how to protect yourself.

Why the Exchange Rate Deserves Your Attention

A rate movement of a few percent between the day you agree a price and the day you complete is entirely plausible over a period of months. On a large property purchase, that movement can add thousands of pounds to the final cost for the same bricks and mortar. This is not a hypothetical risk. It is one of the most common financial surprises buyers encounter when purchasing abroad and it is largely preventable.

Stage One: Setting Your Budget Before the Search

The currency question begins before you find the property. Knowing what your pounds will buy in euros today and building in a margin for potential rate movement gives you a more honest budget to search within.

Regency FX recommend getting in touch with a currency specialist at the very start of your search, not when you have found the property but before. At this stage, a specialist can walk you through the current rate, model the impact of potential movements on your target budget and explain the tools available to protect it.

One of those tools is a forward contract: an agreement that allows you to lock in today's exchange rate for a future payment. With a modest deposit, you can fix the pound cost of your euros before you have even had an offer accepted, giving you a firm foundation to budget from.

Stage Two: The Compromis de Vente and Initial Deposit

Once you agree a price and move to the compromis de vente, the preliminary contract that formalises the purchase in France, an initial deposit falls due, typically within a couple of weeks of signing.

This is often the moment buyers first think about currency exchange and by then the clock is already ticking. High street banks are a common default but they come with a significant drawback: their exchange rate margins sit well above the real mid-market rate. On a deposit of this size, that margin can cost considerably more than necessary before any transfer fees are applied.

Critically, this cost is invisible. It is embedded in the rate rather than shown as a separate charge, which means many buyers never notice it at all.

Using a specialist currency provider for this payment instead can deliver a rate substantially closer to the true market rate. Regency FX charges no transfer fees and provides each client with a dedicated account manager from the outset, someone who oversees the timing and execution of every payment throughout the transaction.

Stage Three: Notary Fees and Ancillary Costs

French property purchases involve notary fees (frais de notaire) that can be considerable. For older properties these are a meaningful percentage of the purchase price, meaning the total currency requirement is significantly higher than the headline figure alone. New build properties attract lower fees but they remain a substantial sum.

These costs are paid in euros, usually at or before completion. Many buyers convert this amount separately from the main purchase price, often in a rush as the completion date approaches. Each of those conversions carries the same exchange rate risk and a last-minute bank transfer rarely secures a favourable rate.

The better approach is to plan all your euro requirements together. Regency FX's account managers are experienced in mapping out the full currency exposure across every payment, deposit, fees and final balance, and structuring conversions to minimise overall cost and avoid timing errors.

Stage Four: The Acte de Vente and Final Completion Payment

The acte de vente is the final legal step in a French property purchase, signed at the notary's office with all parties present. Before or on the day of signing, the full outstanding balance of the purchase price must be available in euros and cleared in the notary's account.

This is the largest single currency conversion in the process and two risks apply simultaneously: rate movement and transfer timing.

Rate movement is the concern we have already addressed. The difference between your agreed purchase price and what it costs in sterling can shift materially between offer and completion, particularly on a transaction that spans several months.

Transfer timing is equally important and often underestimated. French notaries will not proceed with completion if funds have not cleared. Delays arising from SWIFT routing, compliance checks or banking processing times can postpone a signing with legal and financial consequences.

Regency FX manage this risk directly. Their account managers coordinate the timing of completion transfers around notary deadlines and can confirm receipt of cleared funds ahead of the signing date, a level of personal oversight that banks and online transfer platforms simply do not offer on high-value transactions.

What the Numbers Look Like in Practice

For a buyer purchasing a French property, here is a realistic comparison of the currency costs involved:

The saving on a transaction of this size, when working with a specialist rather than a bank, is routinely measured in thousands of pounds. The difference in exchange rate margin alone can be significant and it compounds across every payment made during the transaction.

The Role of a Dedicated Account Manager

What distinguishes a specialist currency provider from a bank or online transfer service is not simply the rate. It is the human expertise and coordination that comes with it.

At Regency FX, every client is assigned a dedicated account manager at no additional cost.

That person:

* Provides a clear, honest assessment of current rates and available options

* Advises on whether to lock in a rate or monitor the market for a better entry point

* Tracks GBP/EUR movements and provides timely updates

* Coordinates transfers around notary deadlines to ensure funds clear on time

When a French property transaction involves strict legal timelines and significant sums of money, this kind of dedicated support makes a material difference. Estate agents, notaries and lawyers are each focused on their own part of the process. Having a currency specialist focused exclusively on yours means nothing falls through the gaps.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are all the costs involved in buying a property in France? Beyond the purchase price, budget for notary fees which vary depending on whether the property is old or new, plus any survey, legal or agent fees. Everything is payable in euros so your total currency requirement is considerably higher than the headline price alone.

When is the right time to think about currency exchange? As early as possible, ideally before you begin your search in earnest. Having a clear picture of how your funds translate into euros helps you set a realistic budget and gives you time to explore rate protection tools before the pressure of a deadline arrives.

What is a forward contract and how does it protect me? It lets you lock in today's exchange rate for a payment you will make in the future. You secure it with a deposit on the amount you want to convert. For a French property purchase, that means the sterling cost you agree today stays the same even if the rate shifts before you complete.

Can buyers purchase property in France without any restrictions? Yes, there are no restrictions. Whether you are buying a permanent home, a holiday property or an investment, the process is the same. A notary oversees the transaction and the two key stages are the compromis de vente and the final acte de vente.

How does Cle France work with Regency FX? Cle France has partnered with Regency FX to give buyers access to specialist currency support as part of their search. If you would like an introduction, just mention it when you enquire and we will connect you directly.

A Final Word

The currency element of a French property purchase is not a minor administrative detail. Buyers who address it early and work with a specialist who understands the French property process consistently achieve better outcomes than those who leave it to their bank or deal with it at the last minute.

Regency FX offer a free, no-obligation quote at any stage of your property search. Whether you are beginning to explore the market or approaching a completion date, it costs nothing to find out how much more of your money you could retain.

To get your free quote, contact Regency FX directly here.

This article has been produced in partnership with Regency FX, specialists in currency exchange for international property transactions. Cle France is the French Property Network, connecting buyers with properties, professionals and resources across France

For everything you need to know about French property visit www.clefrance.co.uk