Local Taxes
You will be responsible for paying the equivalent of annual council tax on the property. These are split into those collected by the local council and those collected by the government: Taxe d’habitation and Impot Foncier. They are collected annually in arrears and are usually lower than for comparable properties in the UK. Insurance of the property is your responsibility from the day of completion.

Utility Bills 
Even if you are not taking a mortgage on your French property it will still be necessary to have a French Bank account to pay your utility bills etc. Your bills can be sent to your permanent address and the money can be taken by direct debit from your French bank account. It is best to open an account once you have found a property. Again, if you need advice or assistant in setting this in place, we can recommend a local company who provide this service and much more including translation.