Selling property in France as a UK resident

Selling your French home from the UK

Many British owners sell their French home from the UK. The sale still goes through a French notaire, and a few rules apply to non-residents.

We buy properties across France. We work out our offer remotely and send it within 48 hours. Someone you trust can let us in for the single verification visit.

The notaire’s role

In France, the deed of sale must be drawn up by a notaire. The seller and the buyer can each have their own notaire. The total fees stay the same: the two notaires share them.

The notaire checks both parties’ identity and your title to the property. They handle the payment of the price and register the deed at the land registry. The buyer pays the notarial fees, unless agreed otherwise.

Signing without travelling to France

You don’t have to fly over for the deed. You can give someone a power of attorney to sign for you.

• By video call. A French notaire can draw up a notarised power of attorney remotely. You need a webcam, valid ID, an email address and a mobile phone. The French authorities recommend this option first.
• Through a UK notary. Have the power of attorney certified by a UK notary or solicitor, then apostilled by the FCDO Legalisation Office. First check that the French notaire will accept it.

Capital gains tax for UK residents

A non-resident pays French tax on any gain on a French property. The rate is 19% income tax plus social charges.

The standard rate of social charges is 17.2%. You pay only 7.5% if you meet all three conditions:

• you’re covered by UK social security;
• you’re a national or legal resident of the UK, France or another EU state;
• you’re not covered by a compulsory French social security scheme.

If you meet all three, the combined rate is 26.5% of the taxable gain, before any surcharge. Otherwise, it’s 36.2%.

• Large gains. A surcharge of 2% to 6% applies when the taxable gain exceeds €50,000.
• Taper relief. The gain is free of income tax after 22 years of ownership, and free of social charges after 30 years.

If the house was your main home when you left France, it may be exempt. This applies only if you sell by 31 December of the year after your move. The house also mustn’t have been let or lent in the meantime. Ask the notaire whether you qualify.

The notaire calculates the tax and pays it at the time of the sale.

Do you need a tax representative?

Since Brexit, a seller living in the UK must usually appoint an accredited tax representative. There are three exceptions:

• the price is €150,000 or less;
• the gain is fully exempt because you have owned the property for more than 30 years;
• the sale is exempt as your former main home.

Owning the property for 22 years isn’t enough: the exemption must cover social charges as well.

The diagnostics you must provide

Every seller must provide technical reports, called diagnostics. They’re attached to the sale agreement or, failing that, the deed. Which ones you need depends on the property.

Depending on the location, you may also need an airport noise or dry rot statement.

If a required report is missing at signing, the clause excluding hidden defects won’t cover that issue. We read the diagnostics and factor their findings into our offer.

Selling as is

A private seller acting in good faith can exclude the hidden defects guarantee in the deed. That exclusion fails if the seller knew about the defect. So tell us about any defect you know of before signing.

Our price, in plain terms

Our price is below market value. In return, there are no viewings to organise from the UK, no repairs and no buyer’s mortgage to wait for.

If you have time and want the highest price, an estate agent will serve you better. If you’d rather sell quickly from the UK, talk to us.

Questions from UK owners

Do I need to come to France for the visit?

No. Someone you trust can let us in for the single verification visit.

Will the offer change after the visit?

If the house matches your description, the offer stands as it is.

Is the offer free?

Yes. The offer is free. Once countersigned, it binds both parties.