Exclusive Content
Going Around the French Estate Agent: When Foreign Buyers Owe the Commission Anyway (Civ. 3e, 7 May 2026)
A 7 May 2026 Cour de cassation ruling holds the buyer personally liable for €150,000 of damages — the full agent commission — when knowledge of the agent's right to fee, plus a behaviour pattern of evasion, evidences manœuvres frauduleuses under articles 1200 and 1240 of the Code civil.
Compromis vs Promesse de Vente: Which Pre-Sale Contract Foreign Buyers Actually Want in 2026
What's the difference between a compromis de vente and a promesse de vente? Here's the structural map for foreign buyers — the 10-day rétractation, the loi Scrivener financing condition, séquestre vs indemnité d'immobilisation, and remote signing via apostille.
Représentant Fiscal Accrédité: When Non-EU Sellers of French Property Need One (2026)
Most UK, US, Canadian and Australian sellers of French property need to appoint a représentant fiscal accrédité before the notarial closing. Here is the structural map — when the requirement applies, the three automatic dispenses, the post-Brexit shift, and what it costs.
Taxe Foncière for Foreign Owners: How French Annual Property Tax Actually Works in 2026
Every foreign owner of French property pays taxe foncière annually. Here is the structural map for 2026 — how the bill is calculated, the October deadlines, the new-build exemption, and the secondary-residence surtax that catches owners off guard.
Stamp Duty vs Frais de Notaire: What You Actually Pay When Buying Property in the UK and France (2026)
A cross-border comparison of UK Stamp Duty Land Tax and French frais de notaire in 2026 — the bands, the surcharges, the carve-outs, and concrete worked examples at £500K and €500K for primary residence, second home, non-resident and new-build purchases.
French Expropriation Ruling: Foreign Owners Can Add the Lost-Rent Indemnity on Appeal
A Cour de cassation ruling of 9 April 2026 confirms that a property owner expropriated in France can claim the indemnity for lost rental income for the first time on appeal — a useful procedural opening for any foreign owner of a let French property.