stan

Thanks Sunday Driver, that was the answer I was looking for. Its a pity there is not such as thing as a health equivalent of the double taxation treaty, ie tests done once/medical history recognised in France! Back to the docs!

[quote user="cooperlola"]It's not COTOREP now but MDPH. All the info' is here: http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/F2446.xhtml including the links to the two forms you need.  Your doctor fills one in and you the other - it will take about 6 months to come through.  Yes, I'm afraid a medic' here must confirm your incapacity.   [/quote] Thanks for that cooperola. I am aware that a doctor here must confirm my incapacity by endorsing the MDPH form, but how does that confirmation come about? As per my initial post, does that mean I have to go through all the tests again to establish a French record of disability, or can my doctor, state that I am disabled as per the 100% figure stated on the CPAM Attestation? (and the E121).

I moved to France last year with a blue disabled badge as the only physical evidence in my possession of disability. I have a UK govt ill health pension. I realise I have to go through COTOREP to obtain a carte d`invalidite. My doctor here in France only has the briefest of details as regards my disability and obviously no medical records here. The only reference he has to my disability is the " invalidité100% du (date) au (date)" on my CPAM Attestation, and of course the "Invalidity" endorsement under section 3 of my E121 form, which CPAM have. In order for COTOREP to consider a carte d`invalidité, do I have to undergo, yet again, the complete raft of tests and examinations to confirm my disability in France? Any advice appreciated.

[quote user="Steven Quas"]Do you measure the stove temperature?  We have added a magnetic thermometer to the outside of our stove so that we can see that we are burning in the normal range of temperature. We try and keep ours between 200-250C, but I have not seen that written - just taken advice from experienced friends.  That said, the baffle plate on ours is warping after about 8 years of use, so perhaps we have run it a little too hot, having occasionally reached 300C. Steven Quas , Hamburg [/quote] That was the suggestion of the fire company from whom I purchased the Villager. I think I may invest in one as I am sure that it is burning way too hot. Thanks StevenQuas

[quote user="LesFlamands"]We've never had this problem with Villagers. Are you sure it was correctly located on the front lugs? If it's new it should be replaced under guarantee.[/quote] Yes, it is properly fitted, leaning onto the front lugs and the rear of the plate sitting on top of the firebricks. I have emailed Villager to seek further advice. As I say, it is brand new and only been in use for 3 months

We have recently completed the renovation of our kitchen and installed a Villager AL woodburner. After 3 months use, the baffle plate has fallen into the firebox. It is totally warped, flaked and perforated. Has anyone had baffle plate problems with their woodburners?

A few months ago, I was £1400 to remove all my furniture (160 items in all). The vehicle used was one of the large Luton vans (cant remember how many cubic metres). The move was from south of Aberdeen to just south of Tours and the company was from Kent, found via Shipley.

We have a Villager wood burner with the vents at the front. When it is burning, you can feel the air being sucked through the vents and into the fire quite strongly. Can someone tell me why there is so much dark coloured dust in the room every day? I did not think dust would be able to come the other way through vents when the draw is so strong. Does the dust exude when I open the door to put in more wood? You can appreciate, from the question, that this is our first season with a woodburner!

Thank you Gardener....just what I wanted to hear.

Would someone be good enough to clarify the new rules regarding Mortgage Tax Relief. I am aware that it has been abolished as of 2011, however..... My home here in France is my primary residence. I purchased it in May 2010 and is part funded via a mortgage. Do I still receive 40% of the interest part of the mortgage payment for the appropriate part of 2010?.....and more importantly, as I would be elegible for this refund before the abolition, do I still continue to receive a refund for the remaining 4 years? I would be grateful if anyone could confirm/deny this? Many thanks.

[quote user="Jay"][quote user="stan"]Thank you for the numbers, however none of them direct a caller to an English speaking helpline anymore but to the French speaking central number. I received my EDF bill via the internet, the day after my customer area came back online. The bill is estimated and is double what I have used. How can they repeatedly get it so wrong! My nearest EDF shop is 50 miles away. I think I will write to them and ask for a new bill. [/quote] Yes they do direct you to an English speaking helpline. Obviously you didn't understand the initial message, if you had waited a while the English version would have come up - it's an international helpline, French comes up first which is only natural seeing as we are in France! [/quote] My apoloies..you are perfectly correct. Typical impatient me, I only heard the French words and assumed they had done away with the numbers. I have called them back and sorted out the bill. Thank you for taking the time to correct me, it is much apreciated Jay.

Thank you for the numbers, however none of them direct a caller to an English speaking helpline anymore but to the French speaking central number. I received my EDF bill via the internet, the day after my customer area came back online. The bill is estimated and is double what I have used. How can they repeatedly get it so wrong! My nearest EDF shop is 50 miles away. I think I will write to them and ask for a new bill.

Anyone?

I see. I pay every 2 months. I did not want to set up automatic payments in case the estimations were way out. Maybe Jay can get back and answer the "new bill" query?

[quote user="Jay"]Jot down your meter readings and take them into your nearest EDF office. We have been doing this for years and they still can't get it right! When you take in the new readings they issue a new bill. [/quote] So, they issue a new bill if you take your readings and the estimated bill to an EDF shop? Is that correct? My estimates are usually way way out and at this time of year, high bills are not good!

You are not the only one, sweet17. As the customer area is presently unavailable, I tried to phone in the numbers today, however was unable to. The system just does not allow this and directs you to submit online, which is presently unavailable! Maybe I will try looking elsewhere too.....

[URL=http://www.speedtest.net][IMG]http://www.speedtest.net/result/1116505077.png[/IMG][/URL] Not too good in Angers.

I am hoping to improve the draw of my burner and double flue chimney system by installing fitting a particular type of anti-downdraft cowl. At the moment, the top of the chimney is about 1m above the eaves and 2m vertically from the roof ridge. Horizontally the end of the flue pipe is about 1.5m from the nearest point on the terracotta tile roof. I understand the regulations stating that normal chimney should be  at least 50cm (or thereabouts) above the roff ridge, however I am sure I saw a regulation where a horizontal minimum distance was ok if the chimney vented below the roof ridge. We have no near neighbours,, if this is relevant. Can anyone clarify the regulations on this.

Thanks Clair, that is what I was hoping! Much obliged.

[quote user="Jane and Danny"]Sorry unable to edit the previous post properly for some unknown reason... You can check the version by clicking here http://192.168.1.1/ latest software version is on line 1.2 'version logicielle' It should either be FAST3XXX_68141C or FAST3XXX_681420 depending if you still have your normal FT phone line service or not. Danny [/quote] I have checked the software version as you indicated and it is FAST3XXX_681420. Thank you.

Thanks to all who have replied. To Jane and Danny....the box is left on all the time. I do think however it has something to do with the local exchange though, because for the first 10 days we had the box, it used to switch itself off "outwith office hours" and at the weekend. A telephone call to Orange technical services revealed that the TV subscription part of the "package", ie phone + internet + tv was taking up too much bandwith and causing the connection to be unstable. After removing the TV subscription (it was never used or even connected), the livebox did not switch off "outwith office hours" and has been perfect since..although as I say, it does reboot every day at some stage, causing loss of all services for about 2 minutes.

As my bleu ciel d`EDF customer area is currently "down" for maintenance longer than anticiapated, I have to forward my meter readings by telephone within the next 24 hours. The website lists an 080 number to phone the meter readings in, and mentions "serveur vocale". Does anyone know if this number is an automated service where I can just leave the meter readings vocally..or is it manned by a human? I ask this as my French is a bit limited at the moment. Many thanks.

We have just changed from Teleconnect to Orange and despite several initial problems which were rectified quickly by France Telecom, we find that the LIVEBOX switches itself off and then on again once every day at various times. It takes about 2 minutes to re-set and then continues to work perfectly well. I have read that the LIVEBOX updates itself....but does this happen every single day?

Thank you Parsnips, much obliged.

I have spent weeks on the net trying to find a definitive answer to several queries which I must find answers to prior to submitting our first tax return. I must say it is very confusing and wonder whether members of this forum can enlighten me. Basically, it is only my wife and I in the household, resident here in France since May 2010. I am disabled and am paid DLA and Industrial Injuries Disablement benefit. My wife is paid Carers Allowance for me and we both have E121 forms. I am paid a UK government pension, at about 30K euros a year net (tax paid in UK) Correct me if I am wrong in my calculations, but after adding all our income together, and allowing for the double taxation treaty conditions, does this mean I will have to pay tax at 30% on our disablement benefits? (assuming we have no other allowances to offset this amount), as my reading of this suggests that any of the lower rate tax bands are swallowed up by the double taxation system.