QUESTIONS about housing and property are sure to be zipping around your mind when you are thinking of moving to France.
A useful website that can provide help is run by the L’Agence Nationale pour l’Information sur le Logement (ANIL).
It is a non-profit organisation jointly managed by the Housing Ministry, local governments, representatives of housing and loan institutions and consumer associations.
The association is made up of agencies within the departments of France called Agence Départementale d’Information sur le Logement (ADIL).
Contact details for the different agencies are available so you can get in touch with your local office if required.
They provide a range of information on housing available to the public, free of charge on many aspects, financial, legal or other:
· tailor-made mortgage plan
· legal, financial and tax advice
· property and other taxes
· housing benefits
· contract law
· improvement grants
· building liabilities
· building insurance
· procedure for obtaining council houses
· planning permission and regulations
· owners’ and tenants’ rights
· co-ownership
· relations with associated professions
There is a section in English on the site plus other European languages as well as downloadable documents (in French) on how to deal with professionals, renting etc.
ADIL also provides information on newly built properties and plots for sale and rent and its network of 480 legal advisers helped over 900,000 people in 2003.
Visit the ANIL website.