New French property tax bills reveal 'biggest increase in 30 years'
Tax bills have begun to arrive for property owners in France and they reveal the largest increase in more than 30 years, according to a leading property-owners' group.
The annual taxe foncière bills - the property tax paid by everyone who owns property in France - have begun to arrive, and many property-owners are seeing a steep increase in their bills.
The Union nationale des propriétaires immobiliers (national association of property owners) told French newspaper Le Parisien that this year's bills show the highest average increase in 36 years.
The sharp rise is due to a combination of factors including inflation and tax hikes imposed by cash-strapped local authorities.
Bills for property taxes are traditionally sent out in autumn - this year they will be sent to people who pay online from August 30th, or from September 22nd for people who have already signed up to monthly payments. Those who have chosen the paper billing option should receive them between August 23rd and September 26th.
2023 CALENDAR: Which French taxes are due when?
Previously France had two types of property tax - taxe foncière which is paid by the property owner and taxe d'habitation which was paid by the property occupier. However, the taxe d'habitation is gradually being phased out for everyone apart from second-home owners.
The loss of revenue from taxe d'habitation has led many local authorities to increase taxe foncière rates.
This year all property owners will face a minimum 7.1 percent increase to their bill - an automatic increase which reflects how inflation has increased the rental value of properties.
Beyond that, increases will vary as property taxes are decided on a local level.
The taxe foncière is worked out according to a complicated formula that takes the rentable value of the property (therefore adding an extension or swimming pool will increase your tax bill) and multiplying it by the rate set by the commune.
For most people who live in their property full time, the taxe foncière is the only property tax they will need to pay this year. Second-home owners, however, will also receive a bill for taxe d'habitation. In areas that have a housing shortage, local authorities have the power to add a surcharge to property tax for second homes, and the number of communes who have opted to do this has increased this year.
Property tax surcharge - Where in France are second-home owners liable for extra taxes?
All property-owners - including second-home owners - are reminded that this year they must complete the one-off property tax declaration - full details here.
In a small bit of good news, the autumn bills no longer include the roughly €130 charge for the TV licence, since this was phased out in 2022.
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The annual taxe foncière bills - the property tax paid by everyone who owns property in France - have begun to arrive, and many property-owners are seeing a steep increase in their bills.
The Union nationale des propriétaires immobiliers (national association of property owners) told French newspaper Le Parisien that this year's bills show the highest average increase in 36 years.
The sharp rise is due to a combination of factors including inflation and tax hikes imposed by cash-strapped local authorities.
Bills for property taxes are traditionally sent out in autumn - this year they will be sent to people who pay online from August 30th, or from September 22nd for people who have already signed up to monthly payments. Those who have chosen the paper billing option should receive them between August 23rd and September 26th.
2023 CALENDAR: Which French taxes are due when?
Previously France had two types of property tax - taxe foncière which is paid by the property owner and taxe d'habitation which was paid by the property occupier. However, the taxe d'habitation is gradually being phased out for everyone apart from second-home owners.
The loss of revenue from taxe d'habitation has led many local authorities to increase taxe foncière rates.
This year all property owners will face a minimum 7.1 percent increase to their bill - an automatic increase which reflects how inflation has increased the rental value of properties.
Beyond that, increases will vary as property taxes are decided on a local level.
The taxe foncière is worked out according to a complicated formula that takes the rentable value of the property (therefore adding an extension or swimming pool will increase your tax bill) and multiplying it by the rate set by the commune.
For most people who live in their property full time, the taxe foncière is the only property tax they will need to pay this year. Second-home owners, however, will also receive a bill for taxe d'habitation. In areas that have a housing shortage, local authorities have the power to add a surcharge to property tax for second homes, and the number of communes who have opted to do this has increased this year.
Property tax surcharge - Where in France are second-home owners liable for extra taxes?
All property-owners - including second-home owners - are reminded that this year they must complete the one-off property tax declaration - full details here.
In a small bit of good news, the autumn bills no longer include the roughly €130 charge for the TV licence, since this was phased out in 2022.
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