Tigerozpom

HelloMy parents have a house in France so have a fair idea of being there, they are now hoping to make the big step of retiring to a different area to Aveyron as my Step Dad's family the Alcoufs where born and grew up there.

Being in a very different political world and environment can someone be kind enough to tell me the steps they need to take to make their dreams come true.
All cost of living ? What needs to be considered now.post Brexit ?
They have a property they will sell which they will when in France.
Where do they start ? Or things they need to consider being permanent residence.

Thanks in advance

Carrianne
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Listen Very Carefully

Well the first thing they will need is a long term visa
https://france-visas.gouv.fr/en_US/w...soin-d-un-visa

Once they have their visas and moved to France they will need to apply for a Carte de Sejour at the prefecture
At each stage they will need to prove their financial resources
Healthcare is most important They will not be entitled to an S1 anymore so they will need private health insurance to cover the period (3 months) until they can join CPAM As they have a pension they will not have to make contributions to CPAM however they are advised to get a top up insurance to cover the shortfall that CPAM does not cover
AS far as cost of living is concerned it is equal if not higher than in the UK (depending on life style of course) House renovation costs are much higher And tax and inheritance needs to be researched as well
Hope this helps

Tigerozpom

Thank you so much, any recommendations for private healthcare Mum is a very fit 72 and my step Dad 58. Please

dmu

+1 to everything highlighted. Some one who has been there, done that will be able to recommend a private healthcare insurance company, but the OP's parents could start with their house insurance company and compare its propositions with the other high street companies'. The inheritance question should be discussed with a Notaire, esp. if the OP has siblings and step-siblings.
If the OP's step-father has dual nationality (UK/French), the Visa for his wife would be different and, as a French citizen, I wouldn't think he would have to justify ressources if he moves back to France.
I would add the issue of language - presumably the sf speaks French, but the OP's mother should be able to communicate, too.
I was intrigued by the mention of the Alcouf family, but a search only found that the surname Alcouffe originated in the Rouergue (Aveyron). Which, in turn, is beautiful, but if they are moving there from a different area, they should check that the "France profonde" life-style year-long will suit them, socially and culture-wise. A lot of towns must be very quiet out of the tourist season.
P.S. It might be worthwhile for the OP's parents to join BE and ask questions directly?
HTH

Listen Very Carefully

Yes if the step father has all the paperwork to prove French nationality it will be easier In respect of health insurance you will need to have this in place at the start of the process and will need to be the equivalent of French CPAM coverage Some newbies have used https://www.fabfrenchinsurance.com/
but there are others

Tigerozpom

Hello,

Yes Alcouffe is correct. Sadly it's his Grandmother that is French so not direct. They don't like registering in forums as I was already a member, I suggested I asked.
THank you, they will sell their other property in France and move. It was just to ensure they have considered everything now post Brexit.
They can speak French.
Amy other top tips greatly appreciated.

Listen Very Carefully

When they move permanently one of the first things to sort out is inheritance A notaire can advise especially if there are children from different relationships It is possible to write a declaration that they want their property dealt with in accordance with English inheritance law but not that inheritance tax is always based on French law This site is useful
https://www.notaires.fr/en

Tigerozpom

Thank you so much

EuroTrash

Just so that you are aware - under French law, children are responsible for paying the costs of their parent's residential care if the parent is unable to fund it themselves. It's not like the UK where if the parent runs out of funds, the state pays. This could potentially have an impact on you at some point in the future, should your mum ever need to move into care in France. Sometimes Brits don't realise this and it comes as a surprise to an expat's son or daughter when they receive a summons from a French court to fix the amount they will contribute.

Tigerozpom

Thank you for that, good to know.

dmu

..... wherever the children live.
My former neighbour's children whisked her back to the UK when they realised how much it would cost them for a French residential home.

Tigerozpom

Does anyone know the cost of the two taxes when buying as a % ?

Tweedpipe

DMU raises a very good point, often unknown by those who have parents (elderly or otherwise) resident in France.
Information available on line tends to be a little vague on the costs of retirement homes for the elderly, especially where special care is required. These centres are generally known as EHPAD's (établissements d’hébergement pour personnes âgées dépendantes), which are nursing homes offering room reception aimed at people over the age of 60 who need help and care on a daily basis.

The EHPAD's mission is to support fragile and vulnerable people and preserve their autonomy through comprehensive care, including accommodation, catering, animation etc. Detailed information sheets for these care centres are seen via a portal directory and indicate the accommodation prices corresponding to their minimum services. Often there are price indications of other services offered under a heading 'autres prix et prestations' which are added to the list of minimum services, for example the maintenance of the resident's personal laundry etc.

As a very rough guide I can indicate the tariff whilst my m.i.l. was cared for in an EHPAD. After doing a very comprehensive survey and obtaining information from several centres in the region, the one which was favoured in 2013 was 1700euros/month, which over a period of 5-6 years increased to a little over 2000euros/month. I should add that we never planned for this, as initially the mil came to live with us, but over a short period due to mood swings and other severe behavioral issues associated with Alzheimer's, a care home became essential.
I trust this gives a little more insight into a subject which is often overlooked, especially by family members of residents in France.

EuroTrash

Which two taxes do you mean?
If you're asking about the notaire fee + disbursements, there are websites where you can enter the details of the purchase and get the approx cost of the transaction. But I'm not sure if that's what you're asking.

Tigerozpom

Habitation and when purchasing I believed it was paid on the square meterage of the property