Chickens coming home to roost

On one of the Facebook groups.

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One shouldn’t really feel so good about other people’s misfortune, but I do!

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Why do you feel that way, harking back to the days of being a civil servant?

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Can you edit your comment please as it contravenes our T&C. Thanks.

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This sounds like they have been breaking the law on at least one side of the channel?

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So, reading between the lines, these are people who have "fraudulently " obtained WA CdS to make their travel arrangements easier. If that’s the case, then it’s good to see a crackdown.
Until I moved to Normandy a couple of years ago, didn’t believe these people existed. Having now met a few, their arrogance is astonishing. One couple tried to tell me that it was ok as they were a special case!

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What lines? You have assumed they are living in the UK with Cds? They were travelling, thats not against any rules is it? Yes they should know by now they need to register their vehicle. Of course you may be right, they may be living in the UK. We dont know that part.

We know that they have been showing their CdS to cross the frontier into France. So they have been presenting themselves as French residents for 4 years. But have failed to re-register their motorhome which they should have done within a month.

Having your cake and eating it is wrong.

Hope they have remembered to declare their tax!

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And not to mention, I suppose, the can of worms that any insurance claim against them would open.

Thats not in doubt, however getting pleasure from hearing it is just weird.

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Schadenfreude ,- perfect in Germsn snd English.
Not sure whst the French for Schadenfreude is.

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If it raises dopamine maybe its sadomasochism?

Not sure that is so though, aren’t such people letting down those of us who abided strictly by the law and took advantage of the fairly generous treatment of longtime residents. I am always conscious of things like this that could upset the applecart and am particularly careful not to offend.

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Quite so @David_Spardo. I have a pal who has rentals in Limoges, rentals in Edinburgh, a CdS, a UK reg camper in which he has cruised round FR for years, looking for somewhere to buy - or maybe Totnes, Devon? He can’t decide…

I have pointed out his position but he brushes it aside …

Douanes may decide for him … impounding the camper would reasonable.

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Yes understood, not everyone and especially the facebook community maybe aware of the rules. Originally when I brought over a UK van 20 odd years ago the local french insurance chap was happy to insure it but made no mention of the need to start registration within X months and re insured it the following year. It was much later after I scrapped it that I learnt of the rules. Never intended to break any rules either.

Well it shows the french side are on the ball concerning such matters and should be a lesson not to ignore french laws especially when you are a guest here. I remember a certain regional forum beginning with A that was full of bitching about UK reg vehicles, tradesmen on the black and then scarpering but havn’t seen much of that since.

Ah, the good old days on the roadside just outside Limoges airport, lucky to find a space at certain times of the year. :rofl:

Good to hear, either they live in the UK and have lied regarding residency or they have chosen to not register the vehicle in France (sounds like that as they mention registering and paying the TVA/duty. ) Our neighbours (a real holiday home), have been asked twice in the last visits whether they actually live here in France as they are using their schengen 90/180 day allowance to it’s maximum. :popcorn:

we have friends who do likewise, very careful planning… but they complain about being restricted. :wink:
eg Can’t dash over here for a special event, 'cos they have to wait so many days… blah blah blah.

Am I correct in thinking that if they apply for a Visitors Visa they can come and go within the year much more freely… ??
They’re not strapped for cash so a fee won’t be a problem.

Yes. I have British friends who could not make the dcision to move to France before the deadline when they would have qualified for a Withdrawal Agreement CdS, due to circumstances.

They have now moved to France, within not much more than a year after the deadline to apply under the Withdrawal Agreement, and are applying to renew their visa each year. It’s costly as the fee is not nothing, it has to be paid again each year when they each apply for the next year visa. It also takes them time each year. Such as having to attend medicals, and having to visit the tabac near the Prefecture to pay the stamp just before their appointments at the Prefecture that are required - the Prefecture is at some distance.

Their hands were tied as they knew they would make their second home in France their permanent home. They were simply not prepared to apply to stay in France on other than an honest basis.

Now it’s costing them as above, and they’ll keep spending the time and money each year to reapply each year and that will be for at least 5 years till they are able to apply for a type of visa that does not have to be reapplied for each year.