f1steveuk

Exactly my point, if you read the law, as written you need EITHER a fence, an alarm OR a cover, none of whichare relly any good if I am not there!!

I know this s a long time after the law came in, but it puzzles me, especially as not even my marie knows the answers. I am about to change my alarm, after my was taken (!!!). The new one is up to the standard, and has the certificates. Ours is a private house, in the middle of no where. We don't rent out, and rarely have guests. We're also not there (work) for longish periods. Now, there is a fence, between the house and the pool, but ultimately if the alarm is set off, and we're working, no one is going to hear the alarm. The fence is part of the garden fencing, and to fence the pool to "standard" would costs as much as the house did. My questions are, as I have met the criteria  (the alarm), do I need the fence, (I know it's belt and braces, but it is a garden fence). IF, and it's a very big if, considering our location, someone got to the pool while we are working/away, they would be trespassing, and if they got into the pool, it's doubtful anyone could hear the alarm anyway. I want to remove the fence, but it's not critical!!

I'm just curious. I am aware that with newer properties, shrubs etc, are supposed to be one metre back from any fence, to allow the owner to keep his own plants under comtrol without affecting their neighbours. Living in a more rural area, it doesn't really affect me, but we recently noticed that the farmer who uses the field next to our home for producing hay, has removed three large branches from an oak tree of ours, that hung over the fence. He's gained all of 10msq at the most (on a 5 hectre field!!), but I'd rather he'd asked, and as I have a wood burner, I'd have liked the wood back!!! Has he done something wrong? Would just like to know for future reference!!

I suspected there had to be some rules, just having a swimming pool and common sense told me that. It is France after all. Common sense, and having built in the UK also suggested that there had to be rules. Lots to look at. The odd thing is, the railings we removed even if brand new and in good nick would have stopped very little (I'd post a picture but the railing are at home, and I'm not) but for a span of about 8 feet (see the colour picture above), the rails were fitted to the brick pillars by three inch wood screws vertically, and the horizontal span was two four feet lengths going to a "floating" upright in the middle. So a good shove in the middle would have you through. And these were fitted from new, and I suspect, not up to much. Most of the secret will be having strong enough mountings me thinks!!

Thanks, I have many ideas on how I can maintain the light aspect, it's the safety aspect, and I'd prefer to know if tere is a standard I am supposed to meet. before somene leans on it, and goes straight through. Must be having worked with UK health and safety!!

We have just re "creped" the front of our house, and found that the railings for the terrace (which is above the entrance to the garage), weren't in very good condition. So, we are looking into what to replace them with, but have decided that without them, there's a lot more light getting in, which we like. We realise that wood is the easy option, and metal would cover the light aspect, and a cable type would also work. What I need to know before I put pencil to paper, and design our new railings, and baring in mind without railings there is a 8 foot drop, are there regualtions I need to meet (other than obvious common sense and logic). The "other side", there's a dwarf wall  (about 2 feet high ) and pillars, so it's a case of preventing the "clumsey" from walking into the wall, and falling over the little wall and down!!  As you see from the span, done in wood, I fail to see how the original railingings would not have just given way, the top rail being in two pieces. If I go for wood, a robust single top rail wood work better, but need a good fixing system. Even a metal tube top rail, would only be as good as the fixings.  So, are there reg's and what are they? [URL=http://s161.photobucket.com/user/f1steveuk/media/IMG_0218_zpsuer5spjb.jpg.html][IMG]http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t215/f1steveuk/IMG_0218_zpsuer5spjb.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Sounds like the sort of thing, though I don't know if my better half will go for grey! Is it gloss or matt, and is it "slippery when wet"?

I will, at some stage, be tiling out front terrace, which sits above the entrance to our garage. It gets direct sun all morning, but has a tendency to hold water when it REALLY rains!! In the meantime (probably three or four years) I want to spruce it up, and seal it as I am building a garden workshop underneath. Anyone used a outdoor floor paint sealer? Any good French ones, or ship from the UK? Prefer a matt finish, non slip etc etc Or  am I the first!!

First off, hello Gluestick, nice to "see" you, hope all is well? We wondered about these cubicles, the promise of a quick and easy install, but I was concerned about "wobble" and the likely cracking it might cause. I wondered about the use of expanding foam to make the tray and walls more rigid, then thought, might as well get a tray and glass blocks and build a proper shower. If we went for a plastic cubicle for the rarely used "guest flaat", would the expanding foam option be any good, baring in mind it will be on a concrete floor?

Thanks for the replies, and to be honest, the answers as much as expected! As I said, as with te breathalyser and speed camera on the sat nav laws, so full of grey areas, the cynic in me says it's because the powers that be can do what they want when you have interpreted the laws the way we think they are supposed to be!! Much as the laws I have alluded to, out Marie scratched his head and didn't know, our French neighbours aren't certain, and our English friends are confused. Pretty much par for the course!!

We have just returned to our home in 24, and during a visit from (English) friends, the subject came up of garden bonfires. Now, I have have always been aware of the do's and don'ts of  this in my area, and rarely have garden bonfires, but we were told that as of January 1st 2014, garden bonfires are banned completely, as are open indoor fires. My reaction was that this, as usual, was a bad interpretation of a French Law. So has the law changed, are ALL garden bonfires banned, 365 days of the year? Does this also include indoor open fires? What about Bar-b-ques?? After the "jokes" that were the breathalyser and speed camera on your sat navs "laws", I'm keen to see if this bonfire law is correct, or just a mish mash of grey areas!!!

We have just returned to our home in 24, and during a visit from (English) friends, the subject came up of garden bonfires. Now, I have have always been aware of the do's and don'ts of  this in my area, and rarely have garden bonfires, but we were told that as of January 1st 2014, garden bonfires are banned completely, as are open indoor fires. My reaction was that this, as usual, was a bad interpretation of a French Law. So has the law changed, are ALL garden bonfires banned, 365 days of the year? Does this also include indoor open fires? What about Bar-b-ques?? After the "jokes" that were the breathalyser and speed camera on your sat navs "laws", I'm keen to see if this bonfire law is correct, or just a mish mash of grey areas!!!

Well. answered my question re removing heat from ceiling height during the summer, so I'll up the ante with a second poser. We have one of these houses, a bungalow, but built on the side of a slope, so the cellar area is as big as the living space, but partially submerged, so single storey at the back, two storey at the front. Usual French practice, no damp course, no tanking etc So, is the draw on the VMC enough when we aren't here, to extract from down stairs, from the cellar via the upstairs vents, or would it be worth opening one of the blanked off VMC points, and taking a hose down to a vent in the cellar, or even have a downstairs/cellar VMC?

Just a question for the hell of it really! The VMC, although primarily for the extraction of damp air, and to ensure air circulation, logic would suggest that as warm air rises, and the VMC vents are in the ceilings, it would make sense to run the VMC all through the summer as well, in conjunction with having windows and doors open?

[quote user="BJSLIV"]I suppose the obvious question is, is it now, and was it ever your maison principale?[/quote] Ah, there in lies the usual insurance company "get out clause". It is our only property, we do not own anything in the UK, but that is a technicality. So far CA (and to be precise Britline, so no French shrugs, all English head in the sand!!), have said, it's not a principal residence because, we don't pay income tax in France, then it was because our account is to a UK address (regardless it's not ours), then because we are not in our home for over a certain amount of days a year, then not over a certain amount of consecutive days etc etc I found the AA in the UK do a "holiday home" insurance that is half the price than CA's "maision secondaire" insurance, to which CA's response was "shall we cancel ours then", blowing over the fact that they technically left me uninsured. Sounds like an uphill struggle, but for them to defend against a small claim for 50% of the premiums, would cost them more than paying it back (to me it's a principle, although I know sometimes principles can cost money, sometimes too much money), but that's assuming they use common sense and logic!!

I've been in dialogue with them since April. They have apologised, but on the whole they have tried their upmost to stick their heads in the sand and tried to ignore it. They contradict themselves regularly (all in email, so I have a record) and in general acted appallingly, again, which they have partially admitted. I have even said to them, had they put their hands up and said at the very start "oops, we got that wrong sorry" , I would not have continued to chase it, but they have been beyond useless!!

What? No one?

Brief background. Ten years ago, when we still owned an property in the UK, we brought a house in France, using CA as our bank. When we signed for the property, I called CA and told them we needed to insure it. We went through the details, and I was asked for my UK address. I told them we were about to sell it, but as it was the address we had set the account up from, we were told we should use that one, and inform them of the change once we sold the UK house. We told them of our traveling arrangements etc, and that when visiting the UK for work, we would be staying with relatives. Insurance put in place, I received the contract, which I signed, and weeks later, changed the UK address. No problems. Perfect.  Until now. My mother in law moved to a smaller house, so when in the UK we stay with my brother. I informed CA of the change, and they now tell me I have the wrong insurance. Now nothing has changed but the addresses, and the insurance was ok last time we changed our address, but now they have decided I MUST change the policy to maision secondaire, as I am not there 24/7. Now I asked them, does that mean I was sold the wrong insurance, as I have it in an email, that it would be unlikely they would have paid any claim. But they have been avoiding answering that question. Either it was old to me incorrectly ten years ago, or they trying to get me to change it to the wrong one now, and they themselves have said, nothing has changed, even on their part. To add insult to injury, the message I got simply said, "we can reduce your insurance payments by 50%, just change to this policy", but without explaining the implications on my cover. The new cover protects 3000Euros of frozen food (in a maision secondaire!!!!!???) but does not cover any valuables, but obviously I cannot carry everything I own with me. My first thought is to sue them for the over payments for ten years, because it seems like they got it wrong. Opinions, experience or suggestions gratefully received !!!

I can't really help, though I am curious as to the answer! I'm also curious about "F1 cars also"???

Funnily enough I can insure the house as a holiday home, with better cover, for a lot less ( £299 a year as opposed to 79 Euros a month, or half that for secondaire), through the AA, so Pacifica are going to have to significantly raise their game!!

[quote user="EuroTrash"]"The French are more than happy to take the taxes for the property as my principal residence." I think you'll find that the French are taxing the property as a maison secondaire, which in some cases is higher than if it were your principal residence. The income tax people and the taxe d'habitation people are joined up, and there are concessions on taxe d'hab for French tax payers. If a tax return is received from that address, it is automatically considered your residence principale and your taxe d'habitation is calculated on your declared income. You wouldn't pay more than the basic rate that you pay on the property as a masion secondaire, but in some circumstances, for instance if you're on a low income, you may get a reduction or an exoneration. So in practical terms, the test for maison principale/secondaire is the annual income declaration to the tax office - because all residents of France are obliged by law to submit one, and they are all obliged to submit it from their maison principale. Therefore, no tax return=not your maison principale. This is also the main test used to establish whether CGT is due when you sell. If you claim it was your residence principale and therefore not liable to CGT, they'll expect to see evidence that you've been declaring your taxes from that address, ie your avis d'imposition/non-imposition. Doesn't help with the insurance but was just to clarify the way the property is being taxed for taxe d'hab. As I recall it's possible to work this out from your avis. In my département the deadlines are different too, the bills for holiday home are sent out first and the rest are a month later (I think, but it could be vice versa). Have you tried UK insurers? Some people use them for homes in France.[/quote] Again, just to confuse the issue, the Tresor's office say we are paying for a maision principal, and I do get a form each year, and they understand I earn and pay my income tax in the UK, or as they see it in the EU.  Maybe I'm just ackward!! Yep, looking at UK insurers at the moment.

[quote user="andyh4"]Unfortunately "only property" does not denote maison principale - this is one of the rare occasions where how long you stay there is generally the deciding factor.  Maison principale denotes main residence and not main property - a subtle difference.   We sold our house in the Uk and bought in France - but because we were living (most of the time and in rented accommodation) and I was working in Germany, our French house was deemed secondaire until the OH moved full time. [/quote] Yep, that is the crux of the problem, but I fail to understand why an insurance company cannot come up with something, I know I'm not the only person doing it!!

[quote user="EuroTrash"]Getting confusing. If you really do consider this 'home', why are you giving your bank a 'home address' in the UK? If you are classed as resident in France and filling in your French tax forms as a resident (albeit paying income tax in the UK) then it is your residence principale, so you'd still need to look into how long you're permitted to leave the house empty for at a stretch - but it would be a different problem from them insisting that it's a residence secondaire, and it might have a different solution. I do understand your frustration but it's the same everywhere, no insurer including UK insurers is keen on covering possessions in houses that are left unoccupied for long stretches of time. Since they consider that the chances of you claiming are so high, the premium would be so high that there would be no point people taking the insurance because it would be as cheap to replace the stuff themselves. If you think it's safe, you'd be better off doing without insurance and carrying the risk yourself.[/quote] Strangely, when we brought the house, I told CA that I worked in the UK, and that we stayed with relatives, because we don't own any other properties. Because it was Britline, the insisted on sending everything to the UK address, their choice. It was also them that worked out, and arranged the insurance, that they now say is wrong. I consider it home, because it is, it's the only property I own, and it's where I keep everything I own, I merely chuck stuff in a bag to work in the UK. The French are more than happy to take the taxes for the property as my principal residence. When I was in the UK, and working in F1, my insurance company built a policy for me, and it wasn't that pricey.

[quote user="EuroTrash"]Putting your valuables in secure storage when you're not there sounds like a very sensible idea. It doesn't seem terribly wise to leave guitars and jewellery in an unoccupied property for long stretches. Crime-free France is a myth, holiday home break-ins are apparently increasing, and insurance companies are unlikely to insure a risk if it's odds on there will be a claim sooner or later. The whole point of insurance is for the insurance companies to make a profit, which means avoiding high risks.[/quote] I thought their comment "put your items in secure storage" quite rude actually, why the hell should I? I go home (note home!!) a minimum of every six weeks, it would cost a fortune to store, plus I want my stuff there when I get home, I just want to open my front door, and settle straight in, not organise going to get my stuff back every time. I thought the suggestion was typically lazy, easier than offering a solution or heaven forbid, organising some cover for me. If it was a "maision secondaire" yep, I'd agree, but it's not, it IS my home, I should be able to have whatever I want in my home. It's fully shuttered, window barred and double alarmed, you'd think an insurance company could "build" a policy? It's what they do!! Frustrated? Me? Oh yes!

[quote user="EuroTrash"]The issue with maison secondaires is that they're unoccupied for long stretches. It seems a valid point to me. Mine is technically my maison principale, I work and pay my taxes in France and I'm there more than I am anywhere else, but having discussed it with my insurers I have it insured as a maison secondaire because I travel a lot with my work, and the maison principale policy would limit the time it can be left unoccupied without invalidating the policy. So rather than risk putting in a claim and having it turned down because I'd been away for 32 days and I'm only allowed to be away for 30 days, it seemed more sensible to accept reduced cover but know that the insurance will be valid if needed. That's with MMA.[/quote] Yes, I understand the point that they (and you) are making regarding being there to protect the property, but my concern is that they wont let me cover my contents and valuables, as either an extra payment, or a custom built policy, which is, surely, the whole point of insurance!!?? Though they did offer me the option of putting all my "valuables" in secure storage each time I'm not there!! Never had a lot of luck with AXA, but if they'll cover my home and contents, they'll get the business, I want peace of mind!!