Tucked up again

[hughnique]

Notaires yesterday afternoon to sort out a rewrite of our will following the death of one of the main beneficiaries, I thought it could be dealt with by way of a codicil but she, the notaire, says it has to be done again, it's just the change of two amounts to granddaughters and our remaining son being the main beneficiary, nothing overcomplicated. I now find out on a facebook legal forum that the cost should have been around 200€ a will and not the 400€ we have been quoted. Why on earth they have to still think that the English are loaded and are fair game for a stitch up?

[Hotrodder]

Over the years we have seen this attitude displayed many times by both qualified French artisans and Brit expat cowboys trying to make a quick buck on the black. Notaires have been pretty apalling but not with fees but with total incompetence and reluctance to respond to any correspondence, ignoring RDVs and refusing to forward documents. Thankfully these traits are not universal among the ordinary French people we meet.

[niemeyjt]

Just a thought - as I recall, you have family in the UK. Have you asked your will to be interpreted under English Law?

And yes, Notaires are awful - another trick is to hold onto client funds for months.

[hughnique]

I asked, probably insisted that the will should be applied under English law, foolishly having received the documents back in 2020, they were squirrelled away in the drawer, having now re read them, the idiotic notaire has stated that French law applies, something else that needs correcting. I have also sent the new notaire an e-mail stating that I wish to cancel her involvement, as I now find that she is charging double the cost recommended by an association of notaires, dated July 2024. I will now sit back and wait for the repercussions of that, whether I will get stung with a consultation fee who knows. When I first went to this new notaire I asked, in French, if they had someone that spoke very good English, and upon her response that yes they have such a person, I booked a RDV. I did notice on that day, a rather scruffy woman, looked like a good sheep dip would have done her good, anyway you have guessed that was my English speaking notaire, a week later same clothes on and I was definitely not impressed with her English skills, hardly more that a couple of sentences during the hour I was in there.

[elsie]

Just a thought - as I recall, you have family in the UK. Have you asked your will to be interpreted under English Law?

Although the estate can be transmitted to whoever you state according to English law, the taxation is still according to the French succession tax rules https://www.impots.gouv.fr/internationa ... ath-duties

[hughnique]

There are two scenarios here Elsie, if I die first OH sells up and returns to the UK to find somewhere with our son, thereby taking her pot of gold with her, if she dies first then who knows, this place is far too big for me to manage single handed, we are struggling with it now, albeit I do not wish to return to the UK, it might be the inevitable conclusion, to live the rest of my life in some poxy retirement flat. Not really what I want, but it might be forced for financial reasons, however I do know of a neighbour who was in the same boat, he has bought a place in the UK, and is entirely miserable, even though now in close proximity to his family.

[Hotrodder]

"Family" is the most common reason given for older people returning to UK, along with "health reasons". I draw a complete blank when I try to get my head around either reason given the state of the state of the NHS today and the reluctance of family members to visit their elders in France unless those parents send them the air fare.

[niemeyjt]

Just a thought - as I recall, you have family in the UK. Have you asked your will to be interpreted under English Law?

Although the estate can be transmitted to whoever you state according to English law, the taxation is still according to the French succession tax rules https://www.impots.gouv.fr/internationa ... ath-duties

Absolutely. It is more so the estate follows English rather than French succession rules - which may also be affected by how a property is owned I think.

[hughnique]

"Family" is the most common reason given for older people returning to UK, along with "health reasons". I draw a complete blank when I try to get my head around either reason given the state of the state of the NHS today and the reluctance of family members to visit their elders in France unless those parents send them the air fare.

Blimey we must be living parallel lives, those are my thoughts exactly, many a time I have ended up paying the ferry if not a few quid on top of the shopping bill, to cover a couple of tanks of petrol and the peage each way. But hey ho at least I get a supply of Stones Ginger Wine, to mix in for my favourite tipple.

[Lori]

Although the estate can be transmitted to whoever you state according to English law, the taxation is still according to the French succession tax rules https://www.impots.gouv.fr/internationa ... ath-duties

Yes, this is how the Notaire explained it to us. And, by the way, his fee for drawing up a French Will is 400€ It included an English translation.