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French Property Purchase; Swimming-pool maintenance; Charente Holiday Let;

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French Property Holiday Home but non-Resident Charente Gîte Owner?

Being a non-Resident French holiday home and gîte owner in the Charente may be profitable not only in high season, but throughout the year.  However, to yield the rentable income from your French holiday home, it is necessary to exercise regular property maintenance and to carry out repairs. Naturally, undertaking property maintenance and repair to your French home holiday may become challenging if you are non-Resident in France.  Moreover, in recent years, due to the changing climate, the Charente region has experienced strong winds and regular storms during the winter months which require regular property checks to ensure that property damage has not occurred which may be detrimental to your gîte rental income.  If you have a property manager, then it would be prudent to request weekly property check visits with video footage and a property check report sent to you for peace of mind.  In addition, winter wet weather tends to create a smell of dampness, if holiday home properties have been sealed by shutters and are not regularly aired. Therefore, a weekly visit from your property manager would also ensure that your French home holiday is opened up once a week.  

As a holiday let owner, you are probably already aware of the importance of planning ahead for the holiday season.  If you do not have the latest photographs of your French holiday home for marketing, then ask your property manager to attend the property on a bright sunny day for a photo-shoot in order that the photographs may be uploaded in good time to the gîte booking websites. 

Another important annual maintenance task to carry out in early March will be your French holiday home garden.  Any camellias and magnolia grandiflora in the garden will require a Sequestrene plant feed to prevent the yellowing of leaves which may not be attractive to potential guests seeking a gîte rental.

Although the winter weather may seem to give the impression that the high season is months away, the month of March is a busy month for the French holiday home let market.  

Do not get left behind – contact your property manager today with a list of to do tasks!

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Buying French Property? Learning French or Learning France?

Buying a property in France?  

So, following your dream French property purchase, what is the most important investment you should next contemplate?  Learning French and, more importantly, learning the French system. 

French Taxation – Working from Home

Language and cross-cultural communication may be important factors to consider. However, the ownership of French property entails responsibilities and liabilities which may bring you into a complex French administrative and legislative system demanding slightly more than general French linguistic ability.  If the purchase of your gîte is for holiday let or to operate as a chambre d’hôte, therefore, a return on your investment, then the payment of French tax will be an important consideration. Additionally, if you aim is to live in France and to work from home, then you may be liable for annual Cotisation Foncière des Entreprises (CFE) as the use of your property will also be regarded as a form of business premises.  French taxation is one of the complex systems to which you and your property purchase may become exposed depending on your aims.

Fosse Sceptic

Should your French property purchase be that of a quiet, quaint, countryside gîte with the installation of a fosse sceptic, then it will be important that your property complies with the frequently changing current standards. If you are in the process of your French property purchase and the fosse sceptic has not be updated to current standards, then you may wish to negotiate a discount on the sale price with the vendor. A fosse sceptic may cost 20,000 Euros or more, therefore, it may be worthwhile to renegotiate the sale price in light of a new fosse sceptic installation.

Property Maintenance and Renovation – Tax Credits

On the other hand, if your French property purchase is to be your home, then you may benefit from tax reductions on energy-saving improvements.  The installation of new energy-saving windows, doors and shutters may attract tax credits in the renovation and maintenance of an older French property. Therefore, it may be worthwhile understanding the French taxation system and establishing the type of tax credits available for your property and when to carry out energy-saving works. 

Before proceeding with your French property purchase, if it has a swimming-pool or extension, then ensure that the installations have approved planning and that they comply with planning requirements.  And, it goes without saying, . . .

Always seek professional legal advice before signing any papers, no matter how strong the ‘Coup de Coeur’ may be!