nounours

[quote user="Russethouse"] Sorry but I think that's rubbish - anyone with a grain of common sense and moral fibre would know that falsifying invoices or claiming for a duck house or manure or claiming a mortgage when it had ended or renting a house from yourself, were not within the spirit of the rules, it's up to the individual to take personal  responsibility and if we can't expect our MPs to do that what chance is there is persuading those with a criminal or irresponsible bent in the rest of society ?[/quote] Which bit is rubbish?  Of course they knew that doing all those things, well maybe not falsifying invoices, was not normal practice outside of Westminster, but it had been the norm since Thatcher gave it the green light in her bid to cover up an MPs pay rise.  Remember all these claims had been rubber stamped and approved by the Claims office, so who wrote their rule book? I just find it amusing that journalists are getting hot underr the collar about this, a case of righteous indignation or green with envy!!

[quote user="kizpip"]  ......................I suggest that you write (preferably by recorded delevery) direct to the insurers of the other driver giving details of all your uninsured losses (and providing receipts where possible) stating that you hold their insured responsible and requesting reimbursement from them. We had an accident in France several years ago. After recovering our insured losses from our UK insurance company (costs of repairs, etc), I wrote directly to the other driver's insurance agent (shown on the Accident Statement or available from your insurance co.) informing him of our uninsured losses (insurance excess, cost of medication, etc) and was refunded all items claimed within a month. NickP: I suggest you do the same . . . [/quote] As French and UK insurance companies only usually deal with other insurance companies, otherwise anarchy would reign, you were very lucky to have got any reply let alone a cheque and within a month[:-))].  I think several years ago may be the clue as to why you got any answer at all. Surely the route for the OP is as already pointed out through his insurer and the ombudsman.

Its only four because they allegedly have done something criminal which can be proved.  One claimed money for a mortgage that did not exist, one claimed overnight stays when driven home and the others made claims for false expenses supported by dodgy invoices. The rubbish being traded out by the media about 7 year jail terms is just fantasy, a community order or suspended sentence would be the maximum anyone would get for a first offence Apparently claiming that you live all the time in one house when you don't really just to maximise your expenses is not a criminal offence and so many have not been prosecuted. The whole thing is a farce, Legg, whilst receiving £160k on top of his gold plated pension, has proved to have led a team of incompetents who re-wrote the rules as they went along and a  lot of the facts and figures in his report are just wrong.  Its not been widely reported that 44 of the 75 MPs that were ordered by Legg to repay expenses and appealed against the order to a retired judge have the orders overturned or reduced.

Could not put it better myself,.   O Wise One[;-)]

tasng4 wrote "IF you were resident in France before 2007-11-23 it's possible to join the CMU." Surprised that Coops and SD have not picked this up, because its just not true.[:-))]  The significance of that date was if you are inactive you had to be in the CMU on 23/11/2007 to remain it. You can only join the CMU now, if inactive, once you have been resident in France for 5 years and demonstrate that by tax returns.

How are you "joining the CMU"?  With an E 106, E 121?. As far as I know and no doubt Coops will confirm, you cannot now join the CMU unless you are from outside the EU.

I was going to add this to the Ryanair thread but decided it needed its own thread. If you think Ryanair have dubious practices try using BMI Baby.  Two days ago we looked for flights next month to Manchester and found a reasonable price for the journey and a note saying "only 4 seats available at this price".  Could not find wallet and got timed out, had other things to do, so offer seemed lost. Tried again today and those 4 seats have gone to be replaced by seats at 38€ each cheaper [:-))]than before although the fare has not changed.  The taxes have been halved!  It gets worse, paid by French CB (a CA Mastercard debit card) and got charged 18€ instead of 10€ because BMI decided its a credit card which it clearly is not.[:@] OK M O'L takes the proverbial with credit card fees, but at least you get charged the right fee for the right card.  Thought of complaining but not to an 09 number from France.

Normally you have to walk to get on a Ryanair flight [:D][:D] As you seem so bitter and twisted about Ryanair, for the sake of those who do you use Ryanair, when did you last fly with them and where from?  Your experience (s) against those of us who appreciate Ryanair to get us and our famlies to and from France at a reasonable price, will perhaps make for a proper and balanced debate.[:-))]

Quillan wrote Even the Dutch have had success. http://www.france24.com/en/20090418-dutch-commandos-rescue-hostages-capture-pirates-somalia-gulf-aden Did you actually read this report before posting it?  It was about the prevention of an attack and was by a number of forces including the Royal Navy sent ouy there to do exactly that job,  This was not a hostage rescue in any shape or form.

Is it just the British?  Many boats have been held off this coast, from Singapore, Bahamas, China, France and Germany.  Apat from the yacht couple there is apparently a British boat with a crew of over 20 and a German one currently being held.  Maybe that is why navies and special forces of  these nations are not lying off the coast waiting to go in.  Also, the only casualties so far have been during rescue attempts. As for using the SAS,  a big difference is that London is in the UK and Somalia isn't, so no unfriendly natives to worry about in Knightsbridge. REmember, the US went in on land once and lost a number of men, so sense says keep out and negotiate.

[quote user="Judith"][quote user="nounours"] The criteria for getting a letter is you are in receipt of a UK old age pension.  Previous possession of an EHIC, French or UK does not have any bearing on this issue.  [/quote] So, OH is in receipt of UK state pension, and, so far, hasn't had one.  Unless they are sending out by A-Z of surname (I'm at the beginning, he's at the end), there is something wrong in your assumption. [/quote] The letter Bogbear posted must be wrong then, it should have read "as you have applied for an EHIC in France" [Www]

Perhaps the navy was mindful of the prior attempt by the French to rescue hostages from a yacht? Storming the boat mght be good idea for those who read the Wizard and Boys Own, perhaps not the best option in the real world for the hostages who are after all still alive.

Yes Tony, but the criteria for receiving the letter is that you get a "pension" not that you have an E121.  There are people who get one and have chosen not to apply for the other for their own reasons.

The criteria for getting a letter is you are in receipt of a UK old age pension.  Previous possession of an EHIC, French or UK does not have any bearing on this issue.   It would help if this thread was merged with the other one where Benjaamin has now ascertained that the plan is for follow up letters to be sent to all the dependents who at the moment piggyback on an OAP.  (That last bit brings a strange image to my mind[:$]. and we will also get our EHICs from the UK.

Thanks for that Benjamin, very good of you.[:D]

[quote user="Belle"]I too like everyone else have recieved THE letter, as I wasn't sure what it was all about, I rang the number and was told that as soon as I recieve my card, I won't need to use my carte vitale anymore, can this be right, or did I speak to one of the cleaners, instead of someone with any know how. [/quote] One of the cleaners.[:-))]  As you probably already know the CV and EHIC serve entirely different purposes, although thinking "outside of the box", why not use the CV as an EHIC whilst in the UK?

Apologies, the font on here seems smaller than other Forums, I missed it, I can only blame NHS glasses, old age, and thinking too much about the future of John Terry.[:D]

[quote user="cooperlola"][quote user="nounours"]  So sorry Coops don't agree that the wording is not a problem, it is.  [/quote]I did not explain myself too well then, I guess.  Of course the wording isn't great.  All I meant was that I suggest nobody gets his/her knickers in a twist over the wording at this stage as clearly it doesn't explain the situation very well.  However, I say again, the principal of the legislation is simple - he who pays for your healthcare now- well from 1/5/10 anyway - provides your EHIC/CEAM. As for any civil servant putting in any overtime to solve this, ANO - in our dreams!  I can foresee many having to travel without the card and re-claim in retrospect as never before has a lack of preparation on the part of a civil servant, lead them to put in any extra time to make good their errors. [/quote] Where did that quote come from Coops?  The post containing it seems to have vanished, does that often happen if you are a new poster?.[:$] You are of course right, it will sort itself it, even if us piggybackers have to have a French EHIC card the charges will eventually go back to the UK via the French CPAM, the EHIC is afer all only an ID card to show that your medical costs will be covered by somebody! AS I said in the post you quote from before it vanished, sense says that we will receive an EHIC from the UK, but will sense prevail?  Edit post is still there, must go to specsavers en France of course.[:$] 

As SD says read here http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1984238/ShowPost.aspx Maybe one of the nice moderators can combine the posts, I didn't  mind my I thought helpful  post being deleted without any notification, on the other thread  but  is that normal on here?  Seems rather rude to me[:$]

Can you name this life insurance company in the UK that will  cover French residents?  Wanting a simple life insurance and not one with capital payments or one that just paid for the funeral  I tried the main players in the UK and none will issue a policy, medical check or not.  When I did have an expensive policy here,  a victim of the fall of the £, I had to go to a nominated specialist not just a GP.   You insuring your husband for a lot of money?[8-|]

[quote user="Bugbear"]I wonder if this also means the end of the need for top-up insurance.[:-))] Somehow I think I may know the answer. [:(] [/quote] Sorry what has top ups to do with this? This is about who issues your EHIC, which is for use when you go to another EU country. not your day to day health care in France[8-)].  As Benjamin has quite rightly pointed out, this EHIC issue has naff all to do with E121 forms, they are not mentioned in any form in the letter.  So sorry Coops don't agree that the wording is not a problem, it is.  The letter actually acknowledges that your pension payer may not be the country of which you are now resident, so as it stands, if you are in receipt of a UK old age pension you will get your EHIC from the UK and that will be the card you take to the UK and other EU countries on your travels. The question of how people not in receipt of a UK old age pension are to be dealt with, is not all clear and it is not at all a foregone conclusion that piggybackers on E 121s will also have their EHIC issued from the UK.  Common sense says they should be, but when did that figure in the thought processes of administrators? Lets wait until Benjamin makes his call to find out the answer shall we?

[quote user="BJSLIV"]  In our nearest large town you have to give way from the right when turning left from a P A d road, the P a D is one directional. You have priority over a car coming from the left whichever way you want to turn. However if a car is coming from your right then that one has priority over you. [/quote]  Yes that is what I said or at least meant[:D]  Turning right is no problem, you can just pull out, but turning left you have to give way to the traffic from the right.  The most well know P a D system is the The Arc de Triomphe roundabout in Paris which as is common on roundabouts in many large cities uses a P a D system, rather than the give way to the left, found in the sticks, which is why most roundabouts without P a D have a notice to that effect.

[quote user="derf"][quote user="pouyade"] Question. Does the priority remain for a LEFT turn by the vehicle (assuming the road is clear on the opposite diection!) or only a 'merging' via a right turn? On  narrow (1.25 vehicle width) roads local to us, this could prove an interesting manoeuvre.............. Pouyade [/quote] Yes, the vehicle can turn left or right. [/quote] I don't think that is correct.  In our nearest large town you have to give way from the right when turning left from a P A d road, the P a D is one directional.

I think a phone call is necesaary to clarify the situation as the E121 is not actually relevant to this issue.  A job for super Deb?? The letter as Benjamin says is specifically addressed to the pensioner and states the EHIC will be issued to you because the UK pays your pension.  I don't get any UK OAP yet and so as far as I see it, I remain covered by my French EHIC although the UK now pays my health costs (I know another health tourist Norman [:P]) it does not pay me a pension which seems the criteria for trhe EHIC split. Common sense says that a family should be covered by only one provider, but common sense is not a commodity often seen in French or UK  bureacracy.  I hope mine stays French as getting one is so easy through the ameli website [:D]

The OP said nothing about SKY actually but the other bloke who tagged onto the thread said that he had cancelled his subscription, "More annoying is Sky - I cancelled subscription and now it flashes up you need a new viewing card"  I and many hundreds in France have never had a subscription to SKY,  get the same message from time to time.  Everybody who uses an old SKY card to get the extra  free to air stuff through SKY like 5, FIVER Five US on their Sky box, is getting the mesage that the card must be updated to continue receiving programmes, so I repeat. don't take it out unless you want to lose some channels straight away. They will go soon but no need to hasten the event[:'(]