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redwood

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  1. Sadly the whole exercise seems a muddle to put it mildly. A CoC is technically not necessary as any vehicle produced for sale within the EU has, for a long time, come with a "Type Approval". If you look carefully at all components (windows are the easiest) there is a "EU" mark. These replaced the old "BSA" and German "DIN" marks and are a common European standard. A CoC adds nothing to the Type Approval. I have recently imported a Land Rover from Italy to the UK as I needed a LHD vehicle at a sensible price. Type approved etc but VOSA still ask for a CoC from Land Rover that addmitedly has more detail than the Type Approval but that is all. It simply seems one more layer of paperwork that costs more and slows things down. Several years ago I did a couple of personal imports (better exchange rate) from Germay to the UK; no mention of a CoC the type approval in the handbook was sufficient - so I too am at a loss to understand what ha changed. But if the authorities say you need one how much time do you want to spend arguing??
  2. Expensive but the Thule K-Summit range are very, very good. They also fit a range of tyre sizes.
  3. OK guys thanks - I'll give it a go. Seems we'll all need every penny the way taxes are going in France; reminds me of the Wilson/Callaghan era way back!
  4. Things progress and as part of the project I'll be taking the top off and old barn and after reusing some of the beams and tiles, hopefully sell the oak beams. I've been told there are UK based companies who will buy the beams at higher prices than can be had in France and ship them back to the UK for on-sale. Does anyone have any experience of this or is it just urban myth?
  5. Hi,   Yes that will be the situation at the start - need to get pensions and tax sorted out etc. Eventually I think I'll go for French tax residency but during the renovation stage I'll be 100% Brit. I think there are ways around the issue but it seems a pain to have to b****r around so much just because of UK regs that are petty. Still where there is a will there's a way!
  6. Good advice all round. Originally I had thought that the easy answer - practiacally and legally was to buy the van in Germany (prices similar to the UK), register it in France (completely legal), use it for the renovation works and odd trip back to the UK when I could also bring bits down and then, at the end of the renovation phase, sell the French registered van in France. Simples! Of course it now all falls over due to the narrow minded rules in the UK and there have been stories in the press about checks on vehicles (and we all have to pass throught customs) where the vehicle has been taken by the UK authorities as it was Franch registered but driven by a UK national. Confusion abounds. Last month's Frfench Property mag had an article from a French insurer - Axa - which states exactly what has been said in this thread; register the vehicle in France as a second home owner, insure it in France AND THEN you can drive it in the UK for up to 90  days per year. Perhaps the expert who wrote that could appear in court when the vehicle has been confiscated. As some-one commented the chances of being rumbled for the odd couple of days in the UK are slsim but.... what if??
  7. Thanks for the tips. I had received a reply to another - but linked question back in April. I think the post date is 12.4. The reply there was quite comprehensive and shows that it is legal to own and register a French vehicle in France for a second home. The main criteria is that the vehicle is based in France and not taken back to the UK on a permenant basis. I'll check with the authorities when I'm closer to getting stuck  into the work and get back to the Forum with the news then.
  8. OK thanks - but that isn't the clause I was referring to. You are correct re the permis and the 2 months + 15 days which is covered by the "Recours des tiers" clause; but there is a completely separate clause that just refers to the possibility of a "Retrait administratif" and that time frame is 3 months + 15 days. It wouldn't be a problem except for the fcat that the first draft of the compromis gives me a maximum of 6 months to complete unless the "get out" is triggered by a refusal of planning permission. I know I can ask for the compromis to be re-worded as the 6 months could be exceeded if it takes the maximum 3 months (possibly with a further delay if extra information is requested) to get the permis. If I then add a further 3 months + 15 days I am over the 6 months allowed to complete. And, I still don't know what the possible reasons are for a retrait administratif!
  9. Does anyone have any experience with this little clause that has popped up in my Compromis (I'm buying)? I have a Condition Suspensive to the effect that my planning permission must be granted. All so good so far with the usual time period for getting the application in, sticking up the outside notice etc. etc; but then up pops a clause to the effect that at any point within 3 months of the permission being granted (+ 15 days for postage) the authorities can rescind the planning permission. There is a further clause stating that if, after receiving the planning permission - but withing the 3 months + 15 days, I go ahead with the building then the seller and notaire are released from any liability. The notaire is being difficult by not wanting to answer questions by email so I'll be in her office in 10 days with the seller to doscuss but wondered if anyone has come across this before and can shed some light on who can rescind and on what grounds?
  10. Thanks for the input. I've looked at various aspects of being in France and registering/insuring vehicles and have had some good and accurate feed back. Leaving aside the question of French residency for ow; it is possible to register and insure a car in France - even for a holiday home. The stipulation is then that it must remain in France, I'm assuming trips to other countries are allowed if they are just that - trips. Returning to the UK on a semi-permanent basis would not work however. It would be a bit of a nightmare with a UK registered vehicle so a German (or other EU country) sourced vehicle would seem the best option as there should be no problem with registration. The idea wasn't to make a huge profit on an eventual resale but simple to come out ahead of the game when adding up all associated costs including some of the removal and being able to source some of the machinery I will need in the UK where it is cheaper. Still many a slip etc so time will tell.
  11. I did a partial exercise on this earlier this year and Aviva offered 180 days cover. I asked them what happened after that and was told that if I came back for 1 day towards the end of the 180 deay period then the 180 day counter started again when I returned to the continent. I also Googled for extended European cover and got positive results but cannot remember what the costs were.
  12. I've been told that Bricomart do a good aluminium one for about €700 and that is cheaper than the equivalent in the UK.
  13. Thanks for thr tip - it makes the exercise seem worthwhile. I cannot decide whether to buy a UK van and keep the UK registration or a German one and re-register it in France. The idea here would be to sell it when I have finished with it (after 9-12 months) and get back a good chunk of the original cost due to the relatively high price of used vehicles in France. I'd also be able to reduce the removal costs by taking bits down each time I came back to the UK and also buy a lot of serious DIY kit in the UK where it seems to be cheaper then France 
  14. Well interesting replies that have been very useful and informative. I think I have enough points of reference to give me all the info I should need, so grateful thanks to those who supplied the information. The points about insulation are appreciated as the property - assuming the purchase goes through - will need a lot of insulation, but as it is a 200 year old house/part wine chai and a separate gite it will be a combination of insulation and maintaining the character. Little point in buying an historic property and then ripping out or covering up every original detail including the stone walls. So far the electric option for heating seems the least favorite with wood burners (some already there) and a wood chip/pellet boiler; despite the higher up front cost being the best medium term solution. Tounge in cheek apologies to the "complainers" for a lack of response. I'm not prepared to defend my schedule but with several trips to France plus a holiday since my original post there has been little time to check the Forum. As the question was not urgent, in the sense of time, I have only checked on the replies today. Perhaps when I do move to France I will use the Forum more as a social chat site and be able to use it as an alternative to Twitter. Renovations etc. permitting.
  15. I'm renovating a house with no central heating - just an electric hot water system and some air conditioning units. The house is in the Lot and Garonne, near Duras, so the weather isn't too cold but we wanted to put in a few radiators - probably no more than 7 and upgrade the electric hot water system. I've been looking at various heating methods; gas, electric, oil and wood chips but cannot find much info on the relative all in cost. i.e. the cost of purchase of the various types of boiler, the cost of fuel and the running costs. Does anyone know if a source that gives these comparisons? 
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