On which grounds can French property owners litigate against French banks to claim compensation for professional negligence?

The Practice is regularly questioned by English speaking owners who have purchased properties in France financed through a mortgage with a French bank. Owners are no longer in capacity to pay monthly instalments of the mortgage because of financial issues. Many owners believe that the bank is at least partially responsible for the situation. Owners wish […]

Can a French bank obtain repayment of unpaid mortgage from a debtor residing in another EU country?

I am frequently questioned by property owners in France facing difficulties to repay a mortgage signed with a French bank. Under French law you cannot just “give the keys back to the Bank”. Any transfer of property implies a deed of sale through a French solicitor (“Notaire”). If an owner stops repayment, it is very […]

How can you obtain a two year suspension of payment of mortgage installments?

Many individual investors having acquired properties in France under leaseback programs are now facing difficulties to pay the monthly installments of their French mortgage. These investors had purchased a property in France, usually in a “Residence de Tourisme” To beneficiate from this tax advantages (notably reimbursement of VAT), all the investor in a residence had […]