arbredesoie

Thank you for your posts.  The 'foreign language' reference was a bit misleading as I simply meant it was very technical language! The box we're using now is an Amstrad Skydigibox and I'm pleased to say normal services have been resumed.  I plugged and unplugged at mains, then did the same for the aerial, following instructions here: http://www.radioandtelly.co.uk/freeviewhelp/retune.html A week without soaps did no harm!

Just to say I've found auto-tune on the menu.  It says 'processing auto tuning' but once it gets to 50pc, the screen goes fuzzy.  It carries on up to 100 pc then says 'can't find any valid channel', even though we have all the channels apart from the above.

Oh la la la!  Thanks for the info but it's all in a foreign language and it's not French!  How do you do a rescan?  How do you know which column applies? Is this really something an ignorant (but not stupid) amateur can do?

I hope skybox is the right term - it's the box which gives us the uk freeview programmes.  The box attached to the main tv stopped working so we attached the box from our other telly and since then we cannot get 101, 103, 104, 105 ie BBC1, ITV1, Channel4 and another.  102, BBC2 is OK.  It seems very odd.  Has anyone else experienced this and can provide a solution?

Just to add something which I found out just last week..  In the Somme area of Picardy, we looked at a house where the owner insisted the fosse complied with current regs but I checked with the mairie and then the local SPANC.  The fosse didn't come up to standard and the SPANC man said if the house was sold, the purchaser would have just one year to comply.  Like so many other rules and regs, this may differ from dept to dept.

Thanks, a finder's fee makes sense though I did ask about 'gestion'.  Perhaps that's as far as that agent's management goes.  If we take it on, we would be looking for the sort of management you mention so I'll allow around 5 per cent for the moment.  Seeing another agent and another house this afternoon so will find out a bit more. Thanks for your warning - do understand it's a minefield.  We do live nearby but a visit to the tax office this pm may blow the whole thing out of the water anyway.

We are looking into buying a 1-bed house to rent out unfurnished and visited a suitable property yesterday.  However, when we asked about the management fee we were told it was one month's rent p.a. but only if the tenancy changed.  So if a tenant remained for ten years, only one fee of one month's rent.  This seems too good to be true and so probably is too good to be true.  Where are they making their money?  Does it mean the tenants have to pay extra fees to the agent?  Would appreciate advice from an experienced landlord as this is our first venture into long term letting.  Thank you.

I once served this to a French friend and she said something like 'oh, un genoîse, or something like this.  Could someone tell me the correct translation and spelling please?  Merci d'avance.