French resident selling UK home - taxable gain in France?

[dlowry_uk]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum, moving to Lille in September. My understanding of the tax situation is that if I move with the intention of staying permanently, I'm classed as resident for tax purposes from the day after I arrive.

My concern is the sale of my main home in the UK. Hopefully this will complete before I move, but if not, am I liable for French CGT on the sale? It's crucial to get this right considering the potential tax bill, but it's not clear from any documentation I've found on French taxation.

Any French residents here who've sold overseas property (ie not in France)?

Thanks
Drew

[camel with three humps]

It may seam obvious but why don't you sell first and than go to France the next day.

As it seams that it is the intention that counts, in which case you can go to France stay there & formalise your intention when it is convenient as far as Tax goes.

[dlowry_uk]

It may seam obvious but why don't you sell first and than go to France the next day.

This is more or less what we did in the end, although it involved temporary accommodation in both the UK and France. A real pain with 2 young kids (youngest only 2 months at the time!).

It may seem an obvious solution, but trying to synchronize all the timings was a nightmare - completion on the sale with buyers agreement, finding a rental property in France etc - hence the 2 holiday cottages in UK and France to take up the slack.

However, 9 months on, we've bought a house, eldest is settled in school and all is going well, so it was worth the hassle

D.

[camel with three humps]

Glad to hear that all went well. Sorry I did not see the date of you posting in 2007.