Monday 30 September 2019

November 1st ?



Nothing is yet carved in stone, but in a post-Brexit world, Brits living in France will probably be limited to a 3 month stay each year. During the other 9 months, they will simply have to go and live elsewhere.

It is estimated that about 150,000 Brit families live in France; probably couples much like ourselves, living out in the countryside.

Not counting house expenses (water, electricity, rates, etc) each household probably spends about £1,500 per month on general living expenses; about £18,000 per annum (much as elsewhere). If one multiplies that by 150,000, it contributes a lot of 'new money' to small local communities. Take away 9 months worth of that spending, and you can imagine what effect it would have on small local economies.

Many tradesmen, service providers, and local shopkeepers, have become dependent on foreign money. They have expanded their businesses, and profited enormously from keeping newcomer Brits and Cloggies happy. The Cloggies will remain, but the big-spending Brits will either sell-up, or reduce their visits to just a few weeks each year. We know when we're not welcome, and there are plenty of other countries where we are! (Croatia?)

Both Brits and Cloggies are perfect immigrants. Both nationalities are mostly law abiding (other than a very few exceptions), we tend to restore old buildings (that might otherwise have been lost) to a high standard, and we contribute hugely to the cultural life of our communities. Mostly, however, we live on imported 'new money', which is a gift for any economy. We ask for nothing 'financial' of our hosts in return.

I have heard of villages where almost 80% of the residents are Brits (nightmare); these villages will die. They will return to how they were before their Brit restorations.

Frankly we no longer care. Our own tiny hamlet has been totally buggered by the frantic chase for tourist €uros, and we mourn the loss of its bucolic tranquility and gentility more than we do being kicked out by Macron. One has to wonder if all those €'s spent trying to attract tourists, will now fall flat.

I just hope that, in future, we'll only have to pay 25% of our local rates bills; it wouldn't be fair to charge us the full 100% if we're banned from living in our own homes for 9 months of the year, would it!


52 comments:

  1. It sounds like you may be thinking of overwintering in somewhere like Aussie or Thailand.

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    1. All options are open. Anywhere as long as it's not too cold.

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    2. That is why I thought it would be Aussie or Thailand rather than U.K.

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    3. and, of course you have family in both.

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    4. Personally I'd prefer to stay either in Europe, or go to one of the French Caribbean islands.

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    6. Let's face it the choice is virtually unlimited. I just thought you may want to go and visit some of your grandsons.

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    7. They've all been over here this year, I think they've seen enough of me for a while.

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  2. For you I hope a miracle will happen and all the Brexit thing will be eliminated, I believe in miracles.

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    1. I still have a €5 bet on our staying. I haven't given up hope yet.

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  3. Nothing will happen by 1st November if that is what your post heading means. Is Macron threatening to throw you out? If that is all I think you can rest assured that no one in the EU is going to take any notice of him.

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    1. Actually, I don't intend to take any notice of any expulsion, or restriction. I shall wait to be clapped in irons and ejected forcibly.

      I was more interested, above, in the economic fall-out behind any such residency restrictions; local traders must be dreading the sudden disappearance of so many £/€'s.

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    2. Macron is an idiot if this is where it comes from. Nobody is going to take any notice of him and he will be out of a job.

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  4. I think you will be able to stay if you are a permanent resident. The three month limit would apply if you over winter elsewhere like we used to do. But who knows? The uncertainty is awful.

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    2. People like us are in a difficult position. As maison secondaire owners we are currently entitled to spend up to six months a year in France but after Brexit that will become three months followed by a gap of three months before being able to return for another three months. However you work it out, it means spending winters in our summer home, which is not what we wanted.
      I believe there is an option to apply for a visa every year (at a cost) to stay for more than three months at a time but frankly I can't face looking into the detail until the cliff edge has been jumped off.
      The locals all think the Brits are completely nuts and none of them has ever mentioned Frexit.

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    3. Anyone who has a carte de séjour and is tax resident in France will be able to stay. Whether or not they can afford it is another matter. If they are paid in £ but spend in € they are already 25% worse off than before June 2016 and that's unlikely to improve.

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    4. I'm not really worried about staying, I'm more worried about our local economy, and if I'll have to pay full house rates, etc.

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  5. Come on Cro get a grip! There are plenty of permanent Non EU residents in France and all you have to do is the paperwork. A few trips up to Perigeaux and you will be sorted.

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    1. But you do live there all the time so I would expect to pay the two local taxes in full for you, Lady M and The Dog 'n cat. C'est juste!

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    2. Yes, but not if we denied use of our home for 9 months of the year.

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  6. My illustrious MP, who I have been emailing regularly to tell him how stupid it is, says it's up to the French to make us welcome and relax the rules so that they can benefit from the income of expats and second home owners. He says it is a "challenge" for us.
    In my book, a challenge is something one has a modicum of control over, like losing weight or passing an exam, not something catastrophic imposed on us by s bunch of upper class tossers supported by Daily Express readers.
    The locals think the Brits are completely bonkers and are very aware of the impact of the loss of income. They also don't want to see a lot of their friends forced to return to the UK. It's not just the income they will lose.

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    1. sorry about all the deletions.....typos....

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    2. My neighbours not only think we're nuts, but they think their fellow Frenchmen are nuts too.

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  8. Anybody would be nuts to want a no deal Brexit. Think it's going to take at least ten years to see any clarity or even reach an agreement.

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    1. I still have money on our 'remaining'; I haven't given up hope yet.

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  9. What a mess. The uncertainty is so worrying to so many people. Serious worries. In some walks of life you could sue them for the pain and stress. From your "about" page, you must have lived in France longer than you lived in England, roughly since the time the U.K. joined the "Common Market". It's ridiculous.

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    1. I've lived here for two thirds of my life, which is why I shan't take any notice of what they say (when the time comes).

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  10. I can't see it happening unless Boris gets into an almighty row with the E.U. and forces a reciprocal deal hostile to all the French in the U.K. No, it won't happen - or if it does it will be got around with paperwork as a formality. The paperwork stuff is already happening here, adding to an already hellish mess.

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    1. It'll make a wonderful horror film one day.

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    2. They've already made one horror film of it. 'The Curse of Cummings'.

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    3. He genuinely seems like a nasty piece of work. I can't understand why he has his position.

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  11. I assume Cloggies are Netherland people. Really good and informative post Cro. I can see even more reasons why common sense will prevail, which may be Brexit, but who is going to cut off their own nose, despite their face.

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    1. As long as they realise that themselves, all will be OK; but they do like to insult the English before seeing sense.

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  12. I'm like you. Don't cost the French a penny. Own my own home outright, private health insurance and Swiss franc pension. Oh and I've been here over 30 years. They won't kick us out. But I know entire villages in France and Spain that are mainly made up of Brits and it must be very worrying for EVERYONE there! Not to even mention the businesses in Normandy/Brittany. What happens when the Brits can no longer come over on day trips and fill up their cars because they can't get it all back duty free? It really is insanity.

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  13. It certainly does not sound like a good economical deal for anyone. Everybody looses.

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  14. Oh Cro - just one more depressing fact about Brexit - speaking for myself I can't imagine why we didn't just leave things as they were - but then at my age it is not going to make a lot of difference to me is it?

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    1. My fingers are still crossed, although I must say I do have my reservations about the EU.

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  15. The French will offer residential visas. The pressure not will be too great. Its odd. We never had any trouble residing in France or Spain prior to the EU. A few forms and done.

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    1. I had a Carte de Sejour when I arrived here 47 years ago (I had to), but have never bothered since then. As a member of the EU I was allowed to live wherever I liked.

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  16. I love that picture! As far as what's going on over there - it all sounds a bit ridiculous. I agree with you and just wouldn't leave. But what do I know?... crazy ridiculous things are going on around here too!

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    1. It's still reasonably warm here, so that's where we sit in the early evenings for our pre-supper drinks. I intend to continue to do so!

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  17. If there's that much money involved, and it's for sure you would know, I cannot see the French giving you the boot.

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    1. The Brits tend to buy very beautiful old buildings to restore. As you can imagine this costs a lot of money, so my figures above are just a fraction of what is injected into small communities. Many building Co's only exist because of us.

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  18. You might be interested in reading the blog Equus Asinus (he is a Brit living in Spain). He is in the process of applying for Spanish citizenship as he is so disgusted with the Brexit mess. I have been banned from commenting there - he is a bit touchy about religious matters!

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