Hi I am 63 years old living in France, through no fault f my own I need to go back to the uk, I certainly do not want to but have been put in this situation by my husband..... I don't know where to start, I only have a very small state pension to live on and no money, I would like to go back to north Yorkshire were I am from, but how do I start, I have no where to live and no money to pay rent, I have gone from living in my own house to this becase f my husband. What can I do,? Were do I start? I hope someone can help please. I have no one on the uk that I can stay with.

Squibs how terrible for you. I am so sorry.
I am not sure how helpful this will be, I am sure you have thought of lots.
Contact the council in Yorkshire where you come from. They may have housing available. A good friend of ours found herself in a not dissimilar situation, and did find there is help in the UK. Try local housing associations for advice too. If you are 63, try the DWP too. (I think there is a person from DWP on the Spanish site so worth having a look there)
There is a site called Women Alone In France. I have no idea how helpful they are, but that sounds a good place to start.
Just a few quick thoughts. i will try to find out from our friend what she actually did. Good luck and best wishes.
I am sure you will find others along soon with some more concrete advice

Hello,
Sorry to hear about your distressing problems. The trouble is, you're very vague. If I may, there is quite a bit of information you could give that might help.
Your husband seems to be the reason you have to leave.
So is he French or British?
Is he dead? If so, you would no doubt get to keep the house, if you are the owners and there are no children, unless your husband has gambled everything away or drunk it all.
Are you operating under French law? One would presume so.
Has he vanished off the face of the earth? In which case the police are the people to contact first.
Are you in debt? In which case the French authorities can help with surendettementhttp://vosdroits.service-public.fr/N99.xhtml
Is he asking for a divorce? If so, he'll be owing you alimony, so you won't be completely without financial help.
Is he seriously ill? In which case only the authorities in the UK can answer your pleas for help.
Whereabouts in France are you living?

Sorry if this sounds a little abrupt, but this kind of hardship cannot possibly be dealt with properly on so little information, and even then ...

Good luck, and all the best,
PB

Peabrain. Thank you for taking the time to write back. I thought if I kept it brief it would be better. It's a long story my husband has got us into debt, I found lots and I mean lots of letters hidden away, they were demands for money from various places ie. Insurance tax foncier electric, the bank. I have never been in debt and to say I feel scared is not strong enough, I have thought of going in the mountains with a bottle of brandy and hope no one finds me. It has got to the point of them threatening with court. As everything is in joint names then I am held responsible as well, I used the money from the sale of MY home in the uk to put down on a property here, so I stand to loose everything, him nothing he had nothing when I married him he is 8 years younger and is still working. I have opened a bank account in my name only and my bit of pension gets paid into my uk account, I have used it to pay the electric but don't have enough to pay what he has run up. I have not paid into the system here so can not claim anything here. The apt is on the market. But my French is very limited.

Bigglesworth. --- that would be so helpful if you could find out please

Sorry forgot to say apparently he has done this on tbe uk and was declared bankrupt, he is English

Hello again,

I'm not sure where you should start. If you live in a decent-sized town, then try the town hall, where there may well be un service d'aide juridique, often on Saturday mornings, and which is free. You need legal advice to direct you to the people that can help with debt. As I pointed out, French law has provision for people who run up huge debts and who cannot possibly pay. Language may be a problem, but we're in France ……… Lawyers being educated people, they should be able to communicate with you.
I have no experience of this, but it is an increasingly common problem and the legislator has put in place ways to deal with it. Someone else may well come along with more information.
You say your husband is working. If you are being threatened with court action, that could be a blessing in disguise, since it is bound to precipitate a crisis, and your husband will have to react. The main public services employ people whose job it is to deal with le surendettement. If your French isn't so hot, try and get someone on board who can assist you. Is your husband French?
I'm not sure the idea of going back to the UK is the best one. Sorting out your problems over here first would seem to be a wiser move.
Again, all the best, and keep us posted.

Squibs,
On the site service public.fr that I sent you, there is all the information you need about applying to the "Commission de surendettement" and where to find it. There's a box you put your post code in, and that'll help you get started.
It's tempting to tell you to be careful with your husband, if he's in a job. Once you've got this sorted, as you will, then the next step might well have to be to give him his marching orders, but not yet.
PB

Squibs, if you post your department, you may find someone closer by who can help.

Hi again.
If it's not possible to consult at a British Consulate (you don't say where you live), go along to your Mairie and ask to see the Assistante Sociale who can at least point you in the right direction for help, if not recommend an Avocat who'll accept to work pro bono.

Hi I am in department 74 near Evian. I did look at the site but couldn't really u derstand it, I think I am just so stressed that nothing is going in... Can I go to a solicitor for free do you know please. My husband is English. He is working under the auto entrpenuer but doesn't earn a lot so he says.....

I have tackled him about it all and he just flares up and it ends in an argument. I don't think he cares and has not even tried to sort things out, it's left for me to do, which is difficult when ypu can't speak French, like I said he has nothing to loose.

I really appreciate you taking the time to write. Just talking about makes me feel a bit better. The bailiffs will be the next knocking on the door...

You can contact a lawyer (avocat) and ask if the initial consultation would be free. Before doing that though, go to the town hall and put it to them. It's their job to advise people who are in debt up to their ears. Even in small places there are usually lawyers available that give free advice and who will point you in the right direction. You are the very sort of people that they are there to help.
From what you say, your husband seems to just be burying his head in the sand. The trouble is, the bailiffs will be round knocking on the door some day, which is why it is so essential to get things moving, now. But at least once things do get moving, you'll be forced to act.
PB

Thanks, is it the Marie I need to speak to?

This must be a terrible situation to be in. All I would say is, don't be too hard on your husband. It sounds as if the two of you don't discuss the money side of things much. Obviously burying his head in the sand is not the right thing to have done, but you should be aware that auto entrepreneurs have to pay a lot of tax on what they earn, many of them struggle to make ends meet and he wouldn't be the first that hasn't managed it. You know your man and I don't and it may be as you say that he's got you into debt and he doesn't care, but equally it could be that he's been living in a nightmare for a long time watching bills come in that he can't pay, is simply at his wits end as to what he can do and has been scared to tell you.

All I can suggest is go to the Mairie and ask if you can meet the Assistante Sociale, who will be able to tell you what your options are. And I wish you all the luck in the world.

If you're near Evian, then this may be of use. I found it on the Evian town hall web site. It's the equivalent of social services, and even if they can't help directly, they'll still be able to tell you what to do and what your options are.
Do your best to find someone you know who can speak French, or who is French and just be open. Ask them if they'd be willing to help you out. You'll be surprised at how helpful people can be.

Centre communal d'action sociale
Immeuble Sainte-Catherine
1, ruelle du Nant d'Enfer (au dessus de la gare de départ du Funiculaire)
74500 Evian

Tél. 04 50 74 32 60
Fax : 04 50 74 32 61
[email protected]

Hi, what a terrible situation for you. As Peabrain says as the debts are in joint names the best thing to do is go and see a social worker and ask them to help you to complete the dossier for surrendettement. This is an extremely detailed dossier of income, outgoings and details of all debts. It's submitted to the commission then if they accept to deal with your case, they arrange for the people owed money to be paid in (very small) instalments based on your income.

As you jointly own the property, I'd do this as a matter of priority because it will keep the bailiffs from the door. If you don't do this your possessions and your property are likely to be reposessed. If you flee to England I can't imagine the French courts finding you but it will always be hanging over your head that you'll be on record in France (and the National Banque of France) that you have unpaid debts here.

Good luck, what a nightmare for you x