France’s succession (inheritance) laws are different to those in the UK and your property will not automatically be inherited by the beneficiaries of your will in the way it might be in the UK.

To ensure your property will be inherited in the way you wish, your sale contract needs to reflect your wishes – discuss this with your Notaire.

 

Glossary of Key French Property Terms

Here is a glossary of some of the key property-related terms you will come across in your French property search:

Act de Vente – Deed of Sale – the final contract when purchasing a property.

Agents Immobilier – Estate Agent

Bon de Visite – An agreement you sign before visiting a property, stating that you will not buy that property from anyone else

Compromis de Vente – Preliminary Contract of Sale, binding except under certain circumstances

Honoraires – the Notaire’s fees. These are fixed by law and calculated as a fraction of the purchase price

Notaire – French legal functionary whose role it is to ensure the sale is correctly carried out. Their fees are fixed by law and they are impartial, often acting for both sides of the sale.

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