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stan

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Everything posted by stan

  1. I had just had a brand new thermostatic shower mixer (Bricomarche) installed, however I can only get very hot water or very cold water...nothing body friendly inbetween ! When I switch on the shower and the temperature setting is at the standard 38C, the water is cold, and remains that way. When I move the temperature control to increase the watere temperature, I have to turn it all the way up as far as it goes, before there is a change in water temperature (ie from cold to scalding). When I then turn the control all the way back to cold, it remains scalding hot until the control has been at the coldest setting for about 30 seconds, then it turns cold. When I then try and increase the temperature, I have to turn it to the hottest setting, and let it remain there for about 30 seconds again to let it change from very cold to scalding...then we go round in vicious circles. Everything between the maximum settings is either freezing or scalding. In effect, I cannot use the shower. Faulty thermostat? Proper pipe diameters and French connections (pardon the pun) have been used. Any ideas?
  2. [quote user="Boiling a frog"]That is logical why would anyone want more than 1 septic tank for their residence principal? You are wanting 2, one of which will become another dwelling house otherwise there is no point in having another septic tank, The French are not stupid ,and they do not generally put in a septic tank for a store room, only for a dwelling house,hence their reluctance to fund your project.[/quote] I actually did not want the extra septic tank in the first place, whatever is there just now works well and has apparently done so for years. The pipe from the gite bathroom and kitchen runs into the main tank, ie the one for the main, principle house. The French person who did the "etude" obviously did not think it was a "stupid" idea to incorporate this extra tank into the one system, and indeed SPANC approved the new system. There is only to be one filter bed and the extra tank will only run 8metres to the one filter bed. At the end of the day, it will only cost several hunded euros to add this extra tank. I will actually go back to SPANC and just confirm with them the need for this extra tank, and for what its worth, will continue to find something in black and white that specifies what exactly can be funded.
  3. Actually boiling frog, rather than wrongly suspecting the reasons for only funding one tank, can you tell me, or point me in the right direction on the source of your information regarding what you say about principal residences and outbuildings? Many thanks.
  4. [quote user="Boiling a frog"]I have to disagree with you. You have a house ,your residence principal and you can have various outbuildings which comprise your residence principal. However, as soon as you turn one of the other outbuildings into a dwelling that particular building is no longer part of your residence principal. You need a complying fosse for your house but you do not need a fosse for an outbuilding however you would need a fosse for another dwelling house, but that would not be part of your residence principal. Why would you receive what in effect is a grant to put in a fosse for a store room .I suspect the bank suspects you are trying to obtain a 0 % loan for something which you will then either sell on or use as a gite.[/quote] You are wrong the bank does not think I would do that. They say that their guidelines say they will only fund one tank with an Eco pret loan...nothing more sinister than that.
  5. [quote user="Boiling a frog"]If you read my first reply ,an eco pret is only for your maison principal, not for any other building which happen to be situated on land that you own and which is not even a house at the moment[/quote] Thanks, I appreciate what you are saying, boilingafrog, but the whole property is my "residence principale" (the wording of the govt eco pret bumf I read stipulates "residence" not "maison"), and part of the residence is a 3 bedroomed house with bathroom, hot water, electric etc that was used as a gite, although as I say is being used as a store area for now( although that is not to say in the future I may again use it as gite).
  6. [quote user="stan"]Thank you for the reply, although you have not read through or understood the problem. This house is my primary residence, hence the application in the first place. My question is basically, does the Eco pret apply to one  system or tank? [/quote] ADMIN...please delete this post and the post highlighted in the quote, as I have clarified my response to boilafrog.Thank you
  7. This house is my primary residence, hence the application in the first place. The other building, as I explained, is formerly a gite with a bathroom, and so is effectively a house also, although I choose at the moment to use it as a store. My question is basically, does the Eco pret apply to one  system or tank?
  8. Thank you for the reply, although you have not read through or understood the problem. This house is my primary residence, hence the application in the first place. My question is basically, does the Eco pret apply to one  system or tank?
  9. Is there anyone out there who knows some of the ins and outs of the Eco Pret loan system? My problem is that I have commissioned an etude which states that I require a 3000 litre fosse septique tank for the main house and another identical tank for a detached buidling, which was formerly a gite but now used as a store, although it currently has an old bathroom with sink, toilet and shower. The buildings are 5m apart and currently all waste water flows from said building and the main house to one large concrete tank. This system presently does not conform, hence the etude. Furthermore, I have permission to go ahead with the works via the commune/SPANC. To fund the works, which are estimated at just over 10K euros, I have applied to Credit Agricole Britline for an Eco Pret loan. Since the application CA have complicated matters by asking for "attestations" from SPANC, that the work is necessary (one of the criteria for qualifying for the Eco pret loan), despite such a form not existing and despite SPANC telling the bank this directly.( It as if CA have never processed an Eco Pret application before.) The bank have now accepted that they made an error and following my repeated trips to SPANC to look for fictional forms, CA have now accepted what I had originally submitted form wise. This appears to be a cost though, as they are now insisting that they will fund only one tank, despite the etude/SPANC specifying that the system requires two (as per above) to conform with the regulations. The bank have offered "to look at" the possibility of funding one tank via Eco Pret and then "look at the possibility" of asking me to apply for a home loan at god knows how much interest, to fund the other tank. This is not acceptable to me. My question is to anyone who knows of the ins and outs of Eco Pret loans, as to whether the lending criteria, and I assume it is the French government who stipulate this and not the bank, specify that the loan is applicable to the system and NOT just to one fosse septique tank. I do not know if CA Britline are correct about this, or they are wrong, or just trying to drum up business with interest applicable home improvement loans at the expense of the Eco Pret system. Any clarification or assistance of this problem would be greatly appreciated.
  10. [quote user="Pierre ZFP"]Stan, clearly you were never a student at Uni. If they aren't actually green/hairy/crawling away then they're good to eat [+o(]   [/quote] Yep, sure was...lived on cheap pork pies and 100lb bags of potatoes! Thanks for the advice....I will eat them before they go green and hairy!
  11. I thought this would be the best area to post this question. Yesterday, I uplifted my shopping from a delivery company who bring it over from the UK. I "accidently" bought 4 frozen steak pies instead of a chilled ones and wonder how long I can keep them safely in the fridge before cooking them. The pies were delivered frozen on Monday afternoon, allowed to thaw in a chilled container at the delivery compay depot, then delivered to me Tuesday afternoon, shortly afterwards put in my fridge. The delivery van has a chilled area where fresh food is stored during transit. Any advice on how long to keep, or to discard would be appreciated by any of you food experts out there!
  12. I will `hae ma porage for strength and lift it one handed!
  13. Thanks Big Mac, exactly what I was looking for....trust a fellow Scot to come up with the answer! Cheers, much appreciated.
  14. I was thinking of capping a well with a thick piece of granite or slate (1.2m x 1.5m) but cannot find anywhere that sells such a thing, neither can I find anything of this size on Leboncoin etc or any of the Brico outlets. I then had an idea of simply trying to make one with concrete and reinforcing it with iron bar. Has anyone tried this or suggest any alternative. I just want a slab of sorts to sit almost flush with the ground and be able to withstand a human adult weight on it without falling through and down the 25m depth of the well shaft!
  15. stan

    Colonoscopy Query

    Just back from the hospital..all done within 4 hours from time entering clinic to leaving. The procedure itself was quick, 20 minutes asleep, then back to room for coffee and muffins. Although I was not expecting anything to be found as it was purely to be preventative, they actually found 4 small polyps which they removed. They appear benign but will get results in few days. All in all a pain free experience and absolutely no sensation of anything uncomfortable afterwards. Well done to the French health service!
  16. stan

    Colonoscopy Query

    Thanks to everyone for taking the time to write down their experiences...just had my 4pm last snack...then 7.30pm laxatives. Not expecting anything to be found tomorrow as I am only having it done due to my father being recently diagnosed with colon cancer and it is hereditary. Will update tomorrow after the event...thanks again.
  17. stan

    Colonoscopy Query

    Thanks JustJohn and Cendrillon. I know the procedure in the UK, but here in France where patients can opt to have a relative even stay with them overnight etc and colonoscopies are done under a general anaesthetic (unlike the UK as a matter of course). I was just wondering if my wife can stay in my room whilst I am away having the procedure done.
  18. Having about to undergo the joys of a colonocscopy tomorrow, I was curious to know the experiences of others who have undergone procedures which are basically hald day admissions with general anaesthetic/sedation. I was wondering if a spouse is allowed to remain within your "day/half day" room whilst you are away having this procedure done, or whether there are generally public waiting rooms.
  19. [quote user="stan"]Sorry folks for having to ressurect my post from last year. The issue regarding my injury pension was dealt with, but having read another post on here regarding exempt income, I had a look at the link on the post regarding which income "ne declarez pas". Amongst the other items, it states: "Les indemnités temporaires, prestations et rentes viagères servies pour accidents du travail ou maladies professionnelles" As my Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is a life award for injuries sustained at work, not taxed in the UK, and indeed is deducted from my injury pension calculation amount,  should it also NOT be declared on the tax return. I declared it last year, but thinking about and reading the French tax rules, suspect that it should not be included. Any advice on IIDB appreciated. [/quote] Sorry again folks, ignore this post, Parsnips answered this for me last year and I unfortunately missed it until this evening when I was going over old posts. The IIDB is exempt and should not be declared.[:$]
  20. Sorry folks for having to ressurect my post from last year. The issue regarding my injury pension was dealt with, but having read another post on here regarding exempt income, I had a look at the link on the post regarding which income "ne declarez pas". Amongst the other items, it states: "Les indemnités temporaires, prestations et rentes viagères servies pour accidents du travail ou maladies professionnelles" As my Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is a life award for injuries sustained at work, not taxed in the UK, and indeed is deducted from my injury pension calculation amount,  should it also NOT be declared on the tax return. I declared it last year, but thinking about and reading the French tax rules, suspect that it should not be included. Any advice on IIDB appreciated.
  21. Thanks Gardian and Sid...much obliged.
  22. [quote user="Pommier"]When we were claiming a credit d'impot a few years ago, I filled in the on-line tax form and just kept the receipt ready for when the tax office asked for it. They never did, and they just gave me the credit (although it was only a smallish amount of money - about €400 as far as I can remember)[/quote] I thought that all claims for a credit d`impot had to be justified with the paperwork. I take it then, it would be easy enough just to email a copy of the paperwork accompanied by my tax reference details, and submit an online declaration?
  23. The last post has sort of clarified a query I was going to post. This year I have the possibility of doing my tax retun online, however I would have to also provide supporting documentation for a credit d`impot. I take it the tax return can be done online and the said supporting documentation sent (posted or taken) to the local tax office, OR in the event of supporting documentation being included, it would be better just sending all paperwork (2042 and 2047s included) directly to the local tax office?
  24. Thats great Gardener, thank you very much. I have found the 2 lines on the return for the differing amounts. Much obliged.
  25. Just a quick question regarding the mortgage interest tax relief. I bought my principal residence in April 2010 and last year submitted my tax return for the 30% refund of mortgage interest, which was accepted and refunded. I am aware that subsequent years, I can now only claim 15%, however, I have recently read this: Tax credit for mortgage interest on principal residence The tax credit is 30% in the first year after purchase, and 15% in the four following year. My query is this....does the first year after purchase in my case mean that I can claim for 30% refund of interest for Jan, Feb and March 2011, and thereafter 15% of mortgage interest for the remainder of 2011, OR does the 2nd year or following year, mean that I can only claim 15% interest for the whole of 2011. If someone can clarify this for me, I would be most obliged.
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