Here are 3 ways to reduce this tax (and 4 ways to be completely exempt from it)

Keep an eye on your mailbox: in a few days, owners should receive their property tax notice. But you should know that it is possible to reduce this tax, or even be completely exempt from it. Here’s how.

For 4 years, Property tax continues to rise in Francebecoming a real cause for concern for many French owners. And the year 2024 is no exception: a record increase is expected.Association of Mayors of France (AMF) and National Union of Real Estate Property (UNPI) actually announced in December 2023 an increase of 3.9% additional, at least. Some municipalities are showing even higher rates of increase. This is the case for the cities of Nice (+19.2%), Saint-Étienne (+15%), Nancy (+14.5%), Annecy (+14.1%), Villeurbanne (+10%) and Montreuil (+5%), as indicated by the FSL firm in its 2024 report.

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Unfortunately, such property tax increases is not without direct impact on the wallets of the French. This financial burden risks weighing even more heavily on household budgets in this back to school 2024 : as summer draws to a close, the much-dreaded date, like every year, approaches. Thetax notice will be available online from August 28 via the taxpayers’ personal space. By post, it will be sent between August 28 and September 20. For those who have opted for monthly payment, it will arrive on September 20 in digital form and between September 23 and October 9 in your mailbox.

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How to reduce the amount of your property tax?

There are, however, ways to reduce this bill. Some people can partially or even completely escape property tax. Under certain conditions, substantial reductionswhich can go up to several hundred euros, are indeed possible. For others, thetotal exemption is even possible. You could be one of the owners affected by these measures without even knowing it! To avoid a large part, or even all, of this local tax, it is therefore important to find out about the existing systems. Here are 3 ways to reduce this tax and 4 ways to be completely exempt from it.

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Here are the cases in which you can reduce the amount of your property tax:

  • Property tax too high : If your property tax amount exceeds 50% of your income, you can request a reduction. This provision aims to protect households whose income is not enough to cover excessively high taxes.
  • Vacant housing : if a rental property has been vacant for at least three months involuntarily, you can benefit from a proportional reduction in property tax. This measure provides relief to owners faced with a rental vacancy.
  • People aged 65 to 75 : People in this age group, whose reference tax income is less than 11,885 euros, can benefit from a reduction in their property tax. This reduction is generally 100 euros, but it can vary depending on the individual situation.

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In which cases are you exempt from property tax?

Here are the cases in which you can be completely exempt from property tax:

  • New constructions : If you have your home built, you benefit from an exemption from property tax for two years. This measure also applies if you carry out extensions such as adding a room, building an outbuilding, a garage, or even a swimming pool. These extensions are also exempt from property tax for a period of two years.
  • Renovation of rural buildings : If you renovate a rural building, such as a barn or warehouse, to make it a home, you can benefit from a property tax exemption for two years. This measure aims to encourage the conversion of old buildings into housing.

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  • People over 75 years old : If you are over 75 and your reference tax income is less than 11,885 euros, you can be completely exempt from property tax on your main residence. This system applies automatically if you meet the age and income criteria.
  • Holders of certain allowances : People receiving the Solidarity Allowance for the Elderly (ASPA), the Supplementary Disability Allowance (ASI), or receiving assistance from the National Housing Agency (ANAH) may be exempt from property tax, provided they respect the income ceilings.
Josephine de Rubercy

Section Head

Women’s and children’s rights, violence, feminism, gender, discrimination, parenting, education, psychology, health, couples, sexuality, social networks… Joséphine loves to decipher all the social issues that animate our world…

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