Ceret Property

Information for Tenants

What is a long-term let?
We are using the phrase ‘long-term let' here to mean any let extending to one month or more. This distinguishes this type of let from standard holiday rentals normally lasting one, two or three weeks.

What to look for in a long let.
Once you have decided that you would like to rent long-term in The Pyrenees Orientales, the next decision is for how long and when. Most people renting for periods of one month or more will be doing so off-season as prices can otherwise be prohibitive. Should this be the case you must ensure the property is suitably equipped for use in the colder months of the year. Are there adequate heating systems in place?  Does it have an open fire or wood burning stove? What, if any, linen is provided and is it sufficient? Is there decent lighting for those longer winter evenings?

If your desired dates conflict with the summer season, then be prepared to have to pay a higher rate for the summer months

Give careful consideration to the location of the property. An ideal gîte for a two-week summer holiday, complete with swimming pool in an isolated spot, may not be the best choice for a 3 month mid winter let. The objectives in renting for longer periods are generally different to those of a standard two-week holiday. What are your objectives? To learn French, find a property to purchase, explore an area, try out the French lifestyle? If you require storage facilities for furniture etc it is worth asking the owner as some can offer this or know of someone who can.

Many French towns and villages are quite different once the tourists have left at the end of summer. This though, can be an excellent time to take on a longer let as rental prices are cheaper and fewer people are house hunting. If you like it in winter chances are you'll love it in summer.

What sort of support are the owners able to offer during your stay? Do they stay on site, do they speak English or French. will they respect your privacy? Are they able to assist, offer advice on property search, renovation, the local area, French bureaucracy etc.

What price to pay?
There is generally a little room for negotiation particularly for longer lets. A few owners will consider an additional discount in return for certain work being carried out on their property, perhaps some decorating or garden maintenance.

What is included in the rental cost?
Ensure you are fully advised as to what exactly is included in your monthly rental and what is payable as an extra. It is better to have this in writing e.g. by e-mail. This will help you budget for your stay and should also help avoid any misunderstandings when it comes to paying the bill. What deposit is required and when? Is a cheque required for damages? How and when are utilities charged, the end of each month or the end of your stay? What extras do you need to pay for: utilities, internet, logs, linen, gas cylinders? Are local taxes included?

References.
The owner may ask you for references. This is probably more common for longer lets of 6 months plus. An employer and your bank should hopefully be able to provide these.

Leases / Booking Forms.
French law has changed for some furnished leases. Previously, there was no legal requirement to use a lease for a furnished rental and it was possible to agree any duration. As from January 20th 2005, except for holiday lets, a contract of at least one year is legally required if renting furnished property to a tenant who owns no other property or has no other tenancy agreement as his main residence. If the tenant has other accommodation as his main residence then there is still no legal requirement for a lease and a lease, if used, can be of any duration. The parties are free to agree their own terms and contracts can vary. The problem lies where the tenant is effectively of no fixed abode, perhaps when the tenant has sold his home in the UK or elsewhere, and the French rental property will be his main residence for a time.

This new law raises the following issues:
1) If a one-year lease is legally required, how do you amend its duration so both tenant and owner are happy signing it?
Many furnished rentals are for periods of considerably less than one year and rentals of several months are common. In these cases both owner and tenant are unlikely to feel happy signing a one-year lease. It is true the tenant can end the rental by giving one month's notice, but many will still feel uncomfortable signing a one-year lease for perhaps a four-month rental. To help resolve this, you can give written notice at the same time as you sign the lease. By signing a notice to quit at the outset for a given date, say four months from date of entry, the one-year lease is effectively transformed into a four-month lease. Both tenant and owner know where they stand, and the owner is then free to take on further lets after the notice period ends.

How to leave your home.
If you are planning on being away for several months it may be worth considering renting out your own home depending on where you stay and the time of year. This could possibly cover your monthly rent in France; you may even make a profit. Bear in mind however, that you will need your mortgage lender's approval, appropriate insurance and an allowance for wear and tear. There will also be a loss of flexibility in that if you decide to return early, you may have no vacant home. The option of trying to rent out your home for shorter periods could actually end up costing you money, as most agencies have a charge for site visits and advertising etc and if your property does not let, you are left with the bill.

Contact Royal Mail and have your post either held until your return, forwarded to France or to someone else in the UK. The cost is nominal.

If you are leaving your home in winter, make sure that you turn off the water mains and keep your heating on a low setting to help prevent any problems. Check with your heating engineer for advice if unsure what is best for your system.

Remember to advise the police and neighbours of your intentions. A few internal lights operated by timers are certainly worthwhile as a deterrent to burglars. Try to get a friend or neighbour to keep his or her eye on the property and leave a key with someone. Ensure the key holder has your contact details in the event of an emergency.

Advise your home insurers that you will be away and the property will be unoccupied. Many Insurers will cover your home only for a maximum of 30 consecutive days if it is unoccupied. Direct Line Insurance have now increased their cover to 60 days. The way around this is to ask someone trustworthy to stay in the house overnight before the insurance window closes and this will reset the clock. Ask them to make a phone call from the property on both days so that their presence is registered and you can prove to the insurers that the property was occupied at that time. Double check with your insurers that this is acceptable to them before you leave.

You will still be liable for council tax even when your home is unoccupied. A discount would apply but only to unfurnished property.

Finances.
Try to ensure as many as possible of your bills are set up for direct debit and you have enough funds in your current account to cover these when you are away or funds in a deposit account which can be easily transferred as required. One of the easiest ways to access funds in France is through one of the many ATM's or ‘hole in the walls'. Use your bank card not your credit card as these attract interest from day one for cash withdrawals.

Electricity.
The electrical plug connection is different in France and you will need an adaptor to convert any UK appliances you bring with you. These can be obtained from most electrical stores. They are also available online from Multitel.

Telephone.
Landline telephone points have a different plug in France, so if you are taking your own phone or intend connecting to the Internet an adaptor is required. These can be obtained from Multitel .

Using a UK mobile phone can be very expensive in France. When dialing a French number from a UK mobile phone it is necessary to use the international code for France even when in France. Check the tariffs from your supplier before you leave home to avoid any nasty surprises. 

0044.co.uk - Save money on roaming charges! 

Internet.
Internet access can be easily obtained in France. If you have brought your own laptop or even your own PC with you, all you will need are electrical adaptors, a telephone adaptor, surge protector (to protect your PC from electrical surges e.g. storms) and a CD Rom from one of the French ISP's (Internet Service Provider) Orange or Alice etc.

You can of course, still connect to the Internet using your old ISP's set up on your computer but you will be charged at international call rates.

If you have not brought your own computer with you, then you can access the Internet from one of the Internet cafes available in some larger towns and cities. You can then use Webmail now provided by most ISP's to access and send e-mails. If you intend using Webmail ensure you have your password set up before leaving home.

Smoke Alarms.
Fewer than 5% of French homes have smoke alarms installed. Check with the owners before you leave and if necessary, take one or two smoke alarms with you.

Taking your car with you.

Car Insurance.
If you are taking your car to France you should obtain a ‘Green Card' (International Motor Insurance Card - Carte Internationale D‘Assurance Automobile) from your motor insurance company. These cards are generally issued free by insurers and are proof that the driver complies with the minimum insurance requirements of the country he is driving in. This can be the equivalent or less than the UK's Third Party Only insurance. It is possible to pay an additional charge to increase your cover to Third Party Fire & Theft or Fully Comprehensive. Many insurance companies will offer only up to a maximum of 90 days foreign use per policy year. Direct Line Insurance offer Green Cards valid up to a maximum of 90 days. If your stay is longer you may have to cancel your insurance policy at the expiry of the Green Card, get a refund for the unused period and take out a new insurance policy to obtain another Green Card. One company that specialises in covering UK registered cars in Europe for longer stays is Stuart Collins & Co .  They offer an annual green card.

If you have a car insurance policy in the UK then under EC legislation you should be automatically covered for the legal minimum insurance required when driving in France. Green Cards are, therefore, no longer technically a legal requirement. They are, however, still being used, and it is advisable to have one as they are widely recognised and can smooth the process in the event of an accident.

Always advise your car insurance company that you intend taking your car abroad.

Breakdown cover.
For peace of mind if nothing else, breakdown cover is money well spent. Many organisations will, however, only offer up to a maximum of 90 days continuous European cover.

Ensure your car is serviced before leaving the UK to help avoid any problems in France.

Mot / Road tax.
Ensure your Mot and road tax are up to date before you leave and, preferably, will be valid to the end of your stay in France. If the Mot is due to expire when you are away, it is advisable to obtain a new MOT certificate for another 12 months before you leave the UK. Road tax can be applied for not more than 14 days before the new licence is due to start, so this may have to be organised from France, either by post, or have someone in the UK purchase it and forward the new disc to you. You do not want to re-enter the UK without a valid tax disc.

The following should be taken with you:
Deflector Lights. Your headlights will need to be adjusted to prevent glare if driving a right hand drive car in France. This is generally a cheap and simple procedure - stickers can be purchased, suitable for most makes of cars, from car accessory shops and can be easily fitted over part of the headlight. If in doubt consult your manufacturer's handbook or dealer. Remember to remove the deflectors before returning to the UK. Compulsory.
Spare Bulbs. Most car accessory shops sell complete bulb kits. Recommended only.
Warning Triangle. Compulsory.
Reflective gilet. Compulsory.
Fire extinguisher. Recommended only.
First Aid Kit. Recommended only.
GB Car Sticker (or appropriate).
Spare Car Keys.

Ensure you have full car documentation with you:
Car Registration Document.
Mot Certificate.
Car Insurance Certificate.
Green Card.
Breakdown Cover Policy.
Driving Licence.

Route planners.
Via Michelin is an especially good route planner on the Internet. It provides details of toll roads and their charges, total distance, time required and links to hotels en route. Having a good up to date spiral bound French road atlas is also very useful such as the AA Road Atlas

Travel Insurance.
The cost of travel insurance can vary tremendously and it is well worth shopping around. Atlasdirect are one company who offer competitive travel insurance in Europe for longer periods.

Bear in mind that your house insurance may cover you for personal belongings abroad. This can reduce the cost of your travel insurance - there's little point paying twice for the same thing, so check with your home insurance.

Medical matters.
There is a reciprocal health care agreement between the UK and France and UK visitors to France are covered for some medical expenses. The E111 form has been replaced by a system called the European Health Insurance Card. Application forms for the new card are available from post offices.

Travel insurance should also be purchased in addition.

If you are on prescription medication, try and bring with you enough for your stay but bear in mind that some medicines have limited shelf life. Alternatively, these should generally be available through local doctors in France.

Pets.
Taking your pet from the UK to France and back again.

There is now no need to have your pet put into quarantine when returning to the UK from France as long as you comply with the rules of the ‘Pet Travel Scheme' (pets). The procedure for cats, dogs and ferrets is summarised below:

1) Your pet needs to be microchipped to meet ISO standards. This is to identify your pet. The microchip number should be entered in your pet's vaccination record.

2) Your pet should then be vaccinated against rabies. It must be at least 3 months old before it can be vaccinated. Again the details should be recorded in your pet's vaccination record. (Regular booster vaccinations will be required by the date specified in the pet passport as ‘Valid until‘.)

3) When your pet has been microchipped and vaccinated you can then apply for an EU pet passport, available from your vet. To view a copy of a pet passport click here: EU Pet Passport . Ensure the microchip number, vaccination details and blood test results (if applicable) are entered correctly into the passport. You can then take your pet to France but note point 4 below.

4) A blood test needs to be carried out that produces a satisfactory result. This can be done in the UK or in France, but before the pet is allowed to re-enter the UK it will be necessary to wait 6 calendar months from the date the blood test was carried out. Ensure the results are recorded in the passport and you get a certified copy of the results.

5) Your pet must be treated for ticks and tapeworm between 24 and 48 hours before you check in with the transport company that brings your pet back to the UK. Only certain approved transport companies can be used. The treatment must be entered into the pets passport.

Pets Certificates.

The EU Pet Passport replaces the pets 1 certificate. You can still re-enter the UK if you have a valid pets certificate issued before 1 October 2004. You will need to obtain a separate official certificate of treatment for ticks and tapeworm between 24 and 48 hours before you check in with the transport company that brings your pet back to the UK. A sample of an official French certificate can be seen here: Certificate of treatment for ticks and tapeworm . To search for vets in France by town or city click here: Pages Jaunes . From 1 October 2004 a valid pets certificate can be used to enter France. These pets certificates are not now being renewed - the certificate can be used until the 'Valid until' date, you then (or before if you wish) need to apply for an EU pet passport.

The above is only a brief overview of the key points, and should be regarded as a rough guide only. Please consult your local vet and/or check out www.defra.gov.uk for a comprehensive guide to ‘The Pet Travel Scheme' and pets certificates. Allow yourself plenty of time bearing in mind the ‘six month rule' mentioned in point 4.