Clé France

Question: Hi Alex, I have a small gardening business in the UK and have always wondered if I can set this type of business up in France, we were thinking about buying a holiday home at first but after our first viewing trip with Cle France we saw that is we spend a little bit more we can get a lot more in France and move over full time. But... we would have to work and therefore was thinking about running the same sort of business in France.

A friend told me to start small and mentioned becoming 'auto entrepreneur' but I thought he was talking about being a car mechanic! LOL so can you tell me What is an auto entrepreneur?

Thanks, Dominic.

Answer: Hi Dominic, being an 'auto entrepreneur' is actually the most popular business set-up in France and is actually a 'tax status' or 'regime' rather than a legal stand point. You are actually an 'Enterprise Individuelle' or self employed / sole trader who chooses to be taxed as an 'auto entrepreneur'. Tax is based and worked out on your turnover, which cannot exceed 32,900 euros (in 2016 but this goes up a little each year) HOWEVER you cannot claim expenses against tax or charge VAT or recover it on purchases paid. 

So your gross turnover is taxed.

However it is a very simple system to operate when first arriving in France as you don’t have to produce accounts, Yippe! just proof of income and you have to pay as you go on a monthly basis. not many Ex-Pats setting up business set up Ltd companies as they are much more complicated when paying tax and social charges for both those within the business. But either way it’s essential to get some advice before setting up your business, particularly if your French is not that good yet.

Cle France have lots of local contacts so just ask for more details when you are ready.

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

Question: Hi I would like to buy property in France but in the future. What impact do you believe Brexit will have to a British citizen buying property in France. Would it be easier whilst the UK is still in EU? Thanks, Hazel.

Answer: Hi Hazel, there are quite a few articles on our blog pages on the Cle France website from various sources, especially from our legal contacts, my own view is that the process of 'BREXIT' will potentially take a number of years to negotiate, and in the meantime nothing changes, British people are still moving to France to live. In fact we've just had our busiest month in 8 years. 

So the consensus of opinion is that for now not much will change. The process of withdrawing from the EU will not be a speedy one, and the residency of those ex-pats living in France and elsewhere in the EU will no doubt form a part of that negotiation process.  

When I moved to France a residency permit known as the ‘Carte De Sejour’ was required; it was a relatively straightforward application process (or at least as straightforward as a French bureaucratic process can be!). Perhaps this could be re-introduced for British residents in the future.

Clearly there remain many questions to be answered, and fine details to be ironed out. But what is becoming apparent is that this will be a long process, possibly years in the making, and we will of course bring further news as and when it becomes available during the coming months.

But in the meantime life continues much as it always has done: the British have always lived, worked and retired to sunnier climes, and that will doubtless continue, even if some administrative aspects of live abroad may change.

Here is a link to 4 articles which we have published on the subject that you may find useful.

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

Hi Sharon,

Now that it is completed, first of all a big thank you for all your work, assistance and advice. We obviously could not have done it without you.

We will hopefully arrive in France ready to move in on the morning of Monday 24th October, with a large van full of furniture and belongings.

David Jameson.

YOU too can benefit from our vast network of professionals by buying, like David did, through Cle France.

With thousands of houses for sale across France, it pays to be with Cle France - The French Property Network.

We will guide YOU through the French Property Buying Process!

And as several of our clients say "Follow your heart and make the move"!

BACK ON THE MARKET and REDUCED in price to sell quickly.

Situated in the countryside in the area of Martigny we have this impressive and large French House with outbuildings.

We have had 2 clients start the buying process with this property but both sadly could not organise the borrowing in time. It is such a good property with outbuildings and over an acre of land in a glorious Normandy countryside setting, a real bargain and you could make an offer...

GROUND FLOOR: Living room with open fireplace 32.35m2, kitchen 9.15m2, bathroom 2.90m2, WC 1.30m2, 1 bedroom on the ground floor of 9.65m2, Utility room 13.75m2.

FIRST FLOOR: 3 bedrooms (8.54m2, 15.30m2 and 18.70m2), 1 office 8.15m2, bathroom 2.10m2.

Basement.

OUTSIDE: Outbuildings and land of over an Acre.

Taxe Fonciere is 450 euros a year.

All our prices are quoted as FAI (agency fees included) unless otherwise stated and 'notaire' fees are around 7% (on average) but feel free to ask us for an exact amount on any particular French property for sale you are interested in.

Indeed please feel free to use the 'MAKE AN ENQUIRY' tab above to ask us any questions you have about buying a property in France. Our UK based enquiry office and staff will guide you through the entire buying process step by step from your first contact right up to taking ownership and beyond, all free of charge.

So when you buy through Clé France you can be confident that you are paying no more than the standard commission rates you would pay anyway, but you have the added benefit of a bi-lingual support team.

CONTACT US: to discuss your search for property in France, or indeed for any further information you may require on French property sales.

Blog submitted by: Alex at The French Property Network - Cle France.

Hi Sharon,

Firstly thank you genuinely and warmly for all of your and David's help in finding our new home in Manche, Normandy.  

As you know, we have been looking seriously for our dream home on a reduced budget for some three years. Through Cle France we were able to see as many properties as possible, with appointments between agents very efficiently coordinated by yourselves, ensuring that we were able to make the best use of the limited time we had in France. It has been an incredible adventure! 

Secondly I would like to express my enormous thanks to your agents on the ground in Lower Normandy whose commitment and dedication in ensuring that the process was as easy for us as possible, combined with their warmth and enthusiasm, will not be forgotten.  

Indeed if there were a Cle France "Agent of the Year" we would nominate your agent.  

On another level I have totally loved testing my French throughout the process and being able to use it at a more advanced level than is the case when one is simply on holiday with family. In purchasing a property in France I will be able to achieve my objective of using French daily, as I did when I lived in France before. Who knows, maybe instead of trying to find work teaching French in England I may instead actually get to use my EFL training and teach English in France again.

We would like to stay on your mailing list for hints and tips for living in France and in the meantime thank you again very much indeed for all of your help and that of your many Normandy agents we have consulted over the past three years

With kind regards and all the best for the future.

Lynn Whitmore.

Our agents on the ground continue to do a great job at keeping Cle France clients happy and giving them the right houses that suit their criteria, YOU can benefit from our vast network of professionals by buying, like David and Katrina did, through Cle France.

With thousands of houses for sale in Lower Normandy alone, never mind the rest of France, it pays to be with Cle France.

We will guide YOU through the French Property Buying Process!

And as several of our clients say "Follow your heart and make the move"!