Listen Very Carefully

If you can come over in Jan and Feb This is often the periods when a lot of expats struggle in France Everything seems to shut down the locals are \ll wrapped up in coats and scarves and scurrying home to throw another log on the woodburner and even getting a litre of milk can seem like a trek especially if you are up a mountain

Moses2013

In fairness it's not just a UK thing and doesn't France have roughly the same home ownership rate? If you look at other countries the rate is a lot higher, so I wouldn't really say the UK is brainwashed.
When it comes to the size of properties, Brits seem to be influenced by TV shows such as A Place in the Sun, Escape to the Country and Escape to the Chateau. It's always about more property for your money and it's never mentioned that more property means more costs when it comes to maintenance & repairs. I can understand why people don't want to rent though and especially if you have owned a property most of your life, many wouldn't want to go back to renting. Asking the landlord for permission to hang up a picture and change something is not for everyone and you lose some of the freedom you are used to, so for some it's like being in a nursing home a bit earlier than planned:-). You see other problems with renting too and what happens if you are settled and the landlords needs the property for personal use. I've seen this in Germany and people who have rented all their lives are suddenly forced to leave the area because no other suitable property is available, or too expensive. We have enough space in Ireland and now know how much work it is to maintain a large garden. For this reason we are glad to have something smaller in Spain (should we ever spend more time there), but it had to have a small garden and is detached. Yes I agree, for a short period it can be a good idea to rent first, although I can understand why some people prefer to buy too.

EuroTrash

In the UK maybe. In France if you have an unfurnished tenancy you can do pretty much what you like with it as long as at the end of your tenancy you hand it back in its original condition as per the état des lieux d'entrée, otherwise you will have to pay for it to be put back to how it was. Your landlord would wonder what planet you came from if you asked his permission to hang a picture or redecorate the place or change the locks. It will specify in the lease what you can't do, which is usually things like knocking down walls or adding a storey, and if it doesn't say you can't do it, then you can. It's your home. Also, once a tenant reaches 65 years of age a landlord cannot ask them to leave for any reasons unless he arranges equivalent accommodation to move into, that is acceptable to them. Tenants are well protected in France.
As you say there probably a lot of difference in home ownership rates between the UK and France but I suspect the reasons are different. In France it's often because people prefer to rent at this stage in their lives even though they could easily afford to buy, whereas in the UK - from what you read in the media at least - it's because people are desperate to "get on the property ladder" but can't afford it. Or maybe that's hogwash invented to sell papers.

Moses2013

Of course if unfurnished and in a very remote location the landlord will just be glad that they found a tenant and will probably tolerate everything. I've heard different with friends who rented in Lyon and the landlord wrote all kind of things into the contract. If you can't speak French it's another downside even if tenants are protected. I thought the thing with 65 years of age is also reverse, which is mentioned here?

https://blog.parisattitude.com/en/re...ilities-tenant

EuroTrash

Well I guess everyone has different experiences.
There's a couple of French families I know who rent, and in both cases I was very surprised when I realised this because I'd always assumed owned the houses they lived in, they've lived there the entire time I've known them and made their homes really nice, house and garden, and they seem totally settled. One couple in particular have an excellent relationship with their landlord, they do apéros and stuff now and again. They've rented the house from him for literally decades and have no plans to move, it suits the landlord and it suits them. I suppose one big factor is that they have no children so if they did own a house, who would they leave it to.
But certainly you have a point about understanding the rental contract. Although I guess that applies to any contract you sign.
And it is hard for newcomers to France to get prime rentals without the normal papertrail that French landlords expect. Buying is actually a whole lot easier.

Moses2013

Totally agree and there is nothing wrong with renting if both sides are nice to each other. Even in Germany it's very common that tenants bring their own kitchen and pick the flooring . I suppose the language barrier is the bigger problem and everything else is personal preference. It can be a problem if the landlord terminates a tenancy to provide housing for family (kids etc.).

Helen1964

We currently own our flat in France and are wondering what to do later on, after I retire.
I’d always assumed we’d return to the UK and that is still Plan A. When I retire and have more time, we’ll take long holidays in the UK and check out different areas.
But what if we don’t like any of it? We could stay in France obviously but the problem there is that if something happened to me, my husband could never cope with French bureaucracy. Even after all this time he’s not proficient in the language. He would drown. Especially once we’re older and perhaps less at ease with technology. No kids to help us either.
I’m thinking one option might be to sell the flat at some point and simply rent so that, in the event of my untimely demise, he could leg it to the UK fast.

EuroTrash

Hope you find a good solution Helen1964. Getting old is a beggar isn't it. It's always been at the back of my mind that I have no clue what to do with my house when I no longer require it, and each passing year brings it a notch further to the front of my mind.

Moses2013

It is worrying but then again (God forbid) what if something happens now. Even if you are in France renting, he would still have to deal with bureaucracy. On the positive side, I suppose if you can use a smartphone today there won't be too much change in terms of technology and the level that the previous generation experienced. It's only going to get easier with better translation apps and more people speak English now or will still speak English in our lifetime. Sure we have no kids and don't know if I would move to Spain permanently either. Then again I hardly understand the Irish accents today and at least along the coast in Spain it's a bit easier than France.

Helen1964

We should team up and create a commune for old codgers.

Annetje

My solution was to sell my big expensive house, secure most money in life insurances for my 2 stepsons in London and with the rest I'm just buying and selling small properties, doing them up a bit and selling on.
Once I can't do that any more I just retire in a small apartment close to pubs, restaurants and the beach leaving that to my brothers and sisters (still have 6 of them) who all have a tax-free allowance (+/- 15.000 per person) and the rest will be taxed but that won't be my problem anymore !

Helen1964

[QUOTE=Annetje;13040227
Once I can't do that any more I just retire in a small apartment close to pubs, restaurants and the beach ![/QUOTE]

In France, Annetje?

Annetje

Oh yes, I will stay in France. It's been my home for nearly 25 years now and I feel good here.
Belgium is too dark and sombre, the taxes are horrific and there is too much family !
When something happens to me, it will be a bit messy with stepsons in the UK and my family in Belgium but I made an instruction file for all of them and, oh well, they are adults and should be able to sort it out.

dmu

Good for you! I've told my daughters where to find the cash to pay for my funeral, and will start writing addresses to match the "Organisations to inform" list which the Funeral people give you. As mentioned in the "Death in France" thread in the FAQs, it's important to comply with the deadlines (pardon the pun...).

Annetje

Indeed ...It also includes the name of a friendly estate agent (needed for a "friendly" valuation of the property) and the address of my notaire who has been following me (or trying to anyway) for the whole time.
Don't forget to mention passwords to computers and/or several sites like the banks and the impôts in France and UK.