Tilly

Is the common link the elder tree?  I read somewhere that people believed witches could transform themselves into elder trees, and other myths included never making a cradle from elder wood.  Having said that, I also read that planting an elder tree at the entrance of your property protected against witches, so who knows! 

It fell through because the name on the contract given as the owner turned out not to be the legal owner of the property.  Having spoken to the Notaire's office yesterday though, we have been advised the deposit is about to be returned, I won't hold my breath but fingers and toes crossed this will now happen! Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.  

Many thanks for your response, although now I am really worried!  This is contary to what the agent advised us, saying that as we were not to blame for the sale not taking place, whilst we would still be out of pocket for some Notaire's expenses, the bulk of our deposit would be returned. 

Despite emailing, faxing and posting our request for the return of our deposit, after expiry of the contract and sale fallen through, the Notaire has not yet done so, and indeed has not even acknowledged our request.  Obviously, I am now going to telephone, but before I do so does anyone know if there is a legal time scale by which the deposit has to be returned to us? 

We have flown over twice in the past fortnight to look at properties that we thought might suit and are in email contact with agents virtually on a daily basis - why immediately assume we are not doing any leg work ourselves?  We're well over your suggested £1K expenditure in trying to find another property!  My posting on this forum was a last resort - and someone wanting to sell a little holiday home might have been interested.

Having been let down by a seller and feeling utterly despondent, we are left with 85,000 euro stuck in a currency exchange account.  Before we change it back to £, at a big loss, and the 'French dream' is finally over - does anyone have a holiday home they would sell for that budget?  Dordogne, Lot, Tarn, Taren-et-Garonne, Aveyron or Gers.  PM me.  Here's hoping!

Thanks for advice, we'll be careful with the description, we certaily don't want a glass conservatory - more a wooden pergola type thingy, to give shade over the terrace.

Purchase completion due early November, fingers and toes crossed. One of the things we want to do before next summer is extend the terrace and cover with a verandah - either open and vine covered or tiled roof, not quite sure yet. Does anyone know if we will we need planning permission for this type of work? Also, shutters brown at present, can we paint them a different colour, or do we need permission for this? Have notice all the shutters on the other houses in the hamlet are brown too, so perhaps we can't change them? Any advice on this appreciated. Tilly