sweeper

Further Update - Today I received the official letter agreeing that I am due a rebate to cover the overcharge. Very fast and efficient service on behalf of my local Tax Office. I hope that this will be of help and encouragement to any others who may have been charged incorrectly. It was really very simple and extremely painless. Many thanks to all for their advice. (Apart from the eronious part attributed to the Connexion) By there lies another tale. 

With regard to 'will I be able to hold off this payment?' the lady in the Tax office gave me a signed form detailing the claimed error and told me when I go to the Treasury to pay, then I show this form and pay the difference. Hope this helps.

I would willingly speak to the neighbout were that person available but they are absent. There is history with this person and I am searching for the legal answers so that I can point it out. I would expect they will return sometime this evening but in the meanwhile the poor thing is cold, wet and hungry. I am so cross!! If all else fails I will speak tomorrow but that won't stop the neglect this evening. If I were sure of my ground I would probably take the animal in and give it the food and shelter it needs but without any clear guidelines I am reluctant to do so.

Can anyone advise me regarding the legal duty and care due to a dog. I ask as a near neighboour has just aquired a young dog. It can be no more than three months and it is tied up in the garden in this torrential rain without a kennel or any bedding or shelter. Surely this cannot be allowed. Dusk is coming on and the temperature is dropping. Is there anything that I can do?

Nell. It certainly sounds like you are in the same situation as my husband and should not pay CRDS on your pension. I would take it up with them and 'bonne chance'.

A result to report! I was unable to get the letter off to the Tax people very promptly as I had to go to UK. Just got back and taking my courage in both hands and brushing up my best joined-up French, visited the Hotel des Impots in Melle. Showed the lady the E121 with moh detailed as dependant and she promptly printed out a correction form to take to the Treasury when I make the payment. Many thanks to all, for all the help and I hope that others will be able to benefit by my experience.

I have checked my tax return and I did enter the amounts in the correct boxes. The only thing I didn't do was write the declaration concerning the holding of E121 but, I did enclose acopy of it. The penny has now dropped and having rummaged through my files find that the two E forms are slightly differnt and I may have copied the wrong one. Parsnips has now, very kindly, supplied me with a sample letter and I shall be sending it off to them.

At the moment it is being taxed at source but we declared it gross as we have completed the double taxation form and will be reclaiming the UK tax. I would have thought that it would be treated the same as the old age pension and ignored for social charges. I did enclose a copy of the E121 with the return.

I have just received our 2008 Social charges advice. It is our first and I am confused. I understood that these charges would only be based on unearned income and that pensions would be exempt. I hold an E121 and moh is treated as dependant. They have charged 0.5% on moh's occupational pension, is this correct or did I make an error on the form?

Many thanks for all the positive responses. It has given me food for thought. Whilest tempted I promise I won't go the Ex-lax path, as so rightly said, it isn't the fault of the dogs. The situation though, is very distressing and is the culmination of other anti-social behaviour by this neighbour. I have already examined various electronic devices but, as a narrow road divides the two properties, it would appear to be unworkable. The dogs are frightening though, as they have a run along the chainlink fence line and there is a dense laurel hedge behind the hedge. They lurk behind the hedge and then suddenly lunge through snarling and snapping. No other nearby neighbours are affected unless they walk past the property and that is very rare, as everyone drives. Originally I did suggest that the animals were socialised so that we could be recognised but that was rebuffed and the neighbour has become more isolated behind these hedges, letting them grow as high as possible. The threat concerning the Gendarmes was passed via another neighbour who is allowed to talk and I am beginning to think that it is a possible scheme. I have taken heart from some of the legal comments as this is not the only anti-social behaviour displayed and before the dog problem some very nasty lies had been spread about us so if push comes to shove it would appear that it is the neighbour who could be on the wrong foot.

Thank you for that Nectarine. Quite made my day and I will give it serious thought. Like your sign-off very profound and oh so true.

I have to say that barking is an understatement as these dogs snarl and snap quite viciously if they are out, in their garden, when I emerge from my back door. It is no joke and has been very frightening on occasions. The owner refuses to speak to me so I shout at the dogs to be quiet. I have now been told that a complaint, about me, has been laid at the Mairie and that the next time it will be the Gendarmes. I don't see that as being a solution. I am sure I am not breaking any laws and I don't see that I should put up with this intrusion in my life. Can anyone advise please?

Going back to the onion juice, my mother used to make it for us when we had colds and sore throats. She just sliced an onion into a saucer, sprinkled with sugar and the onion would weep it's juice. It only produced a couple of teaspoons per day but that was our 'dose'. I remember it tasted delicious.

Many thanks for the replies so far. Looks like I might be stuck with the problem unless I can sweet talk the Maire. The problem there might be that the neighbour could take umbrage at that as well. Sadly he is a serious bully and loves to call me stupid English. I know I can't let him continue in this way but tackling the problem may even induce more nastiness. So far he appears to hold all the aces. I am not looking for a win, win situation but I would like to get on with my planned projects without hindrance. What does puzzle me though is, from time to time our Commune puts up notices to the effect that they will be cutting back all overhanging branches and if you wish them not to do it you are required to do it yourself. This is not just overhanging into the road but all protusions are cut back right to the boundary and then the severed branches are pushed back onto your property. I don't have a problem with this as I try to keep my borders cut back but are the Commune not doing what I would like to do?

Does anyone know the legal position with regard to neighbours' overhanging trees. Not branches which protrude into my airspace but trees which have bowed so low they are now touching the ground on my side of the wall, right where I had planned to start a rose garden. The problem is complicated by the fact that relationships with the neighbour have completely broken down due to other matters and I am now in fear of approaching him, so any solution offered needs to be stricktly proper and legal in order to avoid further antagonism from him.