How long do i need to keep old french documents?

READER QUESTION: I DID NOT KNOW I WAS SUPPOSED TO KEEP ENERGY BILLS FOR FIVE YEARS UNTIL READING A _CONNEXION _ARTICLE THAT MENTIONED IT. ARE THE RULES THE SAME FOR ALL TYPES OF DOCUMENTS IN

FRENCH? The article this reader is referring to relates to Engie NO LONGER PROVIDING OLD BILLS FOR CLIENTS TO DOWNLOAD from October 1. Energy bills should be kept for five years in case of

disputes over payment, either by you or your energy provider. As the bill payer, you have five years to contest a payment requested by your supplier, although the supplier has only two years

to challenge a bill payer over an unpaid sum. It is important to keep many administrative documents in France, whether they are sent by the government or by companies, as they can be used

to prove or contest payments that may be challenged at a later date, or to provide information from an official source. The rules are different for most documents, as the legal timeframe to

challenge a payment request can differ depending on the service involved. See below for the minimum recommended time to keep documents although you can of course keep them for a longer

period if you wish. They can be useful even after these dates as evidence in court, over certain tax-related matters for example. BILLS, RECEIPTS, CARS WATER BILLS should be kept for five

years. Depending on whether your supplier is a state or private body, the supplier could have up to four years to challenge a payment you have made. MOBILE PHONE and INTERNET BILLS should be

kept for one year as this is the latest that you can contest a charge. Proof your BOILER HAS BEEN EXAMINED should be kept for two years. For other INSPECTIONS, for example on septic tanks,

you should keep the documents proving such until the next inspection takes place. Most RECEIPTS and GUARANTEES should be kept until the warranty for the product ends. In the case of a

vehicle, the bill for its purchase and for work done on it should be kept until the vehicle is no longer yours. VEHICLE INSURANCE HISTORY DOCUMENTS (_relevé d'informations automobile_)

should be kept permanently. BANKING AND TAXES Most documents relating to INCOME TAX – _déclaration de revenus_, _avis d'imposition sur le revenu_, and various proofs of expenses or

deductions related to your taxes (such as _justificatifs des frais réels_) – should be kept for three years. Your documents for LOCAL TAXES (_taxe d’habitation _and _taxe foncière_) should

be kept for one year, or three years if you received an exemption from paying the tax. BANK STATEMENTS, PROOF OF OPENING AN ACCOUNT (both current and savings) and CHEQUE STUBS should be kept

for a minimum of five years. You may wish to retain documents relating directly to opening an account until its closure. Note that in the case of having a home built or for major

improvement works, you could be asked to show related bank statements when you come to sell the home. This is especially the case for non-residents so these should be kept indefinitely or at

least until the property is sold. Note that you can only contest fraudulent transactions up to 13 months after they are charged to your account. READ MORE: SEVEN WAYS TO SAVE ON FRENCH BANK

CHARGES PROPERTY DOCUMENTS If you own your property, the HOUSINGDEEDS (_acte de vente_) should be kept permanently. Even if you move you should keep a copy of your old deeds. You should

keep documents relating to properties in co-ownerships (proof of paying your charges, correspondence with your syndic etc) for five years. If renting, your TENANCY AGREEMENT and _QUITTANCES

DE LOYER_ (rent receipts) should be kept while you are renting the property and for the following three years. You may also wish to keep the _état des lieux_ (inventory and state of the

property when moving out) for three years after you move as it can be useful to show you were a good tenant. You should keep the INVENTORY of the property’s contents and equipment until your

deposit has been refunded. HEALTH AND EMPLOYMENT PAYSLIPS (either in physical or digital format) should be kept at least five years after receipt. Many people are thought to keep them for

life in case of any issues over pension entitlements. Keep your signed WORK CONTRACT for five years after leaving the company. If you are the employer, most documents relating to your

employees (TIMESHEETS, TAX CERTIFICATES, etc) should be kept for three years. Hospital bills should be kept for four years if from a PUBLIC HOSPITAL, and two if from a PRIVATE HOSPITAL.

REIMBURSEMENT PAPERS from _Assurance Maladie_ should be kept for two years. However fraudulent claims on your account (in the case of scams etc) can be challenged for up to five years, so

you may wish to keep them longer. PRESCRIPTIONS should be kept for one year (although this can raise to three years for glasses) if over the age of 43 or five years for those under this age.

PERMANENT DOCUMENTS Some documents should never be thrown away, regardless of if they come from your home country or you acquired them in France. These include BIRTH, MARRIAGE, DIVORCE and

PACS CERTIFICATES, DIPLOMAS and EDUCATION CERTIFICATES, and your _LIVRET DE FAMILLE_. Keep certain health documents such as MEDICAL CERTIFICATES, BLOOD GROUP CERTIFICATES and VACCINATION

CARDS also. You should keep all documents relating to your pet (including health and vaccination cards) for as long as you have the animal. RELATED ARTICLES: WHAT DO I DO WITH MY FRENCH

LIVRET DE FAMILLE? HOW TO PROTECT COPIES OF DOCUMENTS FROM IDENTITY THEFT IN FRANCE