cyrian

Welcome to the forum.
Don't sign the Compromis until you have sold your UK home.
Properties in France don't usually sell very fast and it should still be there when you are ready.
France isn't like the UK where there is always someone else wanting to purchase.

EuroTrash

The notaire will put the suspensive clause in about selling your UK home if you ask him, it's a standard clause to have included - and essential, otherwise if your UK sale falls through you could find yourself between a rock and a hard place.

The buyer has to have a number of reports done - electrics, asbestos, lead, energy report, termites, septic tank if there is one, I forget what else - so any basic issues will be flagged up already. Plus, by law any major work carried out on the house is automatically guaranteed for 10 years from the date of completion. So one way and another the buyer has a fair amount of protection and I think only the English ever get "surveys" done, the French are baffled by the notion, but of course you can if you want.
Hope it all goes well :-)

dmu

True, the compulsory "diagnostics" as mentioned, plus the 10-year guarantee for work done, are usually sufficient for the French, as far as the house is concerned.
I'd check on "servitudes" (ancient rights of way, etc...) before you sign, if the property is rural. You might find that what you think is a private drive is used by all and sundry, or that hunters cross over your land every Wednesday and at weekends during the season, with no means of stopping them....
Or that a neighbour has encroached on your "parcelle" as marked on the Cadastre. In which case a report by a "géomètre" (surveyor) would be useful.

devonport

WE ARE LOOKING FOR ADVISE ON MOVING TO FRANCE
WHAT IS NEEDED TO START A BUSINESS??
ANY ADVICE WOULD BE APPRECIATED

EuroTrash

A GOOD BUSINESS IDEA
PERHAPS QUALIFICATIONS DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU WANT TO DO
SOME BUSINESS NOUSE
ENOUGH FRENCH TO MAKE SENSE OF THE RULES
THE ABILITY TO DEAL WITH RED TAPE AND BUREAUCRACY WITHOUT SCREAMING

TALKING OF WHICH, WHY ARE WE SHOUTING

Jerseygirl

Please don't...I have a headache.

Novocastrian

ME TOO!

not2old

would that be 'loudspeaker microphones' or a 'hearing aid' business?

How much money do you have to invest, what business expertise do you have or the type of business that you'd be interested in?

LMGTFY

https://www.french-property.com/guid...ng-a-business/

http://www.colestreet.com/starting-y...me-great-tips/

.

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the forum!
If you haven't gathered by now, the fact of typing in capitals means that you're SHOUTING and this isn't forum etiquette!!
It might be better to start a new thread, telling us what your business is (there are many types of business structures, depending on the activity/turnover. What area of France? Have you got children or other dependents in tow? Is your French adequate to cope with French bureaucracy?
Meanwhile take a look at the threads in the Read-Me: Moving to France FAQs above, esp. Starting a Business, Healthcare coverage, Renting/Property buying, Inheritance, and all other pertinent ones (schooling, growing old in France, etc....). There are so many aspects of living in France which differ from the UK and many future expats are unaware just how different things are here.

EuroTrash

Now if the question had been "How can I come to France and end up with a small fortune?" the answer would have been easy.
"Come to France with a very big fortune and work your a55 off for a few years."

The old jokes are always the best especially when there's a grain of truth in them/

devonport

im so sorry didnt mean to have the capitals on!!!

devonport

we are a british couple who own a small hotel B&B and would like to try a gites business or even a large house to do B&B so was wondering about licences etc that would be needed to start

dmu

Hi, I really think you should post a New Thread, as Gîtes and B&B businesses are only loosely connected to "Buying Property in France", and those who might be able to advise might not read the thread...
And, as already asked, how is your French, as there's a certain amount of bureaucracy to wade through.

EuroTrash

No "licences" as such unless you wanted to serve alcohol, which you wouldn't, but there are various bodies that you have to register with.

Location, location, location. Most of France is pretty well saturated with gites and chambres d'hôtes with plenty spare capacity. Unless you're in a winter sports area the peak season is quite short. Unless you have a big gîte complex, tourist accommodation isn't really enough to live on, you would need another source of income besides.

Why not have a browse round the dedicated forum for tourist accommodation providers in France - it will give you some good insights from the people who are doing it, and may be quite an eye opener Lay My Hat :: View Forum - France

dmu

This is in connection with buying "en viager", which is another quirky aspect of France.
https://www.service-public.fr/partic...osdroits/F2762
gives info on this type of investment. Basically you buy a property over a period of time (down-payment followed by rent). It is a potentially long-term investment and, unless the vendor agrees to "liberate" the property immediately (in which case why not sell it in the normal way), it isn't available to reside there until the vendor dies, even if he/she moves to a Nursing Home.
Usually only elderly persons without direct heirs sell "en viager", and buyers can but hope that they pass away ASAP.
A very funny French film, "Le Viager", with Michel Serrault, is a good warning to future owners. And there was a real-life situation in our hamlet, where an 80-year-old spinster sold her house en viager to a family. They had to pay rent for 24 years, since she lived to 104, at the same time as paying rent for their lodging! In fact, the children had flown from the nest by the time the parents moved in...
It's advantageous for the vendor, since they receive a lump sum and rent for their life-time, but a hazardous venture for the buyer and not recommended for expats, since they must live somewhere while awaiting the vendor's ultimate Fate.