Nick Trollope

[quote]This is a good story from the Telegraph about Brits buying in France. Sorry i'm not able to make it a line, but i'm sure one of you good people out there will fix that for me.http://telegraph.co.uk/pr...[/quote] Does this work? http://telegraph.co.uk/property/main.jhtml;sessionid=M0FDOKMCZANRBQFIQMFSM5WAVCBQ0JVC?xml=/property/2005/02/26/pfrance26.xml&pos=portal_puff1&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=291 Although it is complete crap, of course. Just the sort of rubbish you would expect from the Torygraph. There is no way that 9 families in a village can have any influence on house prices, besides which, the French (generally) are not interested in buying doer-uppers. But we have been through all this before, yet some (on both sides) still feel the need to berate the Brits, or the French for what is essentially a European economic issue.  

[quote]Husband just informed me it's a 1.5 ton digger and he has now said he'll get diesel in France, which is a relief! Still need clarification as to towing plant trailer.[/quote] OK, since I started this, I'll try to knock it on t' 'ed.... Having investigated (at some length) towing a MD in France; I found the following; A transit (unless it is a twin wheel truck) does not have the capacity (in France, at least) to tow 2+T of digger & trailer. Whether it is capable or not isn't the issue, it's the max tow weight of the transit that is the issue (according to my local DRIRE). As far as I can tell, a mini-digger must be towed behind a) a large truck or b) a 4x4. However, if you have a French vehicle, the trailer will need to be registered and insured separately (as it is over 750Kg, laden). A French driving licence (or a UK one issued since 1992?) will not permit you to tow this heavy a combination (without an extra test). Remember that, despite the fact that you may have an "EU" licence, LOCAL regulations apply where towing and weights apply.   This is 1 reason why I have not bothered to register my Isuzu in France. However, at this point I have given up & sold the digger...   Good luck!!  

Hello and welcome back Am I missing something, 'cos why not just use pump diesel (which is a lot cheaper than in the UK), especially given the frugal amounts of fuel that a digger will use... I doubt any ferry company will allow you to transport 45 gallons of fuel in a can, either. Is this a mini-digger? If so, mine does about 1L/Hr - it uses more grease than fuel! Remember also that, if you do not have a UK-reg 4x4 over here, you are unlikely to be able to tow it anywhere.  

AFAIK, "they" cannot expect more than the 5% deposit you have paid (there is no fixed level for a deposit) UNLESS the 10% figure is in the Compromis. Be aware that the an agent will probably also come after you for his lost commission, if the deal fails. Did you not include a clause suspensive in the CdV regarding sale of a UK property? It would be normal under most circumstances, and your Agent (if there is one) should have included it, if he was aware of your circumstances. Essentially, if you fail to complete your side of the contract, you will end up paying (inc the Agent's fees). The law is designed to protect both buyers and sellers. That aside, get in touch with the Vendors (via the Agent, if necessary) and explain your situation to them. If they are serious about selling, then they will compromise with you. Failing that, get a bridging loan (painful, but cheap and "normal" in France). Bon chance!  

[quote]In a discussion on oil-fired central heating (maybe on another forum), I commented that we have plugged our boiler into an ordinary programmable timer which switches the heating on and off at specifie...[/quote] Quite simple really; Use a programmable thermostat, which replaces your existing thermostat. This will allow you to program different temps for different times etc etc. Of course, the N/O contacts of a conventional programmer, wired in series with your existing 'stat will do the same (ish). As your boiler won't be able to tell why the stat has gone off, there cannot be an increased risk of anything (apart from saving money). Available everywhere (I'm sad to say I bought mine from B&Q - £30, because the manual is in English.....) BTW, I'm not sure that CO is an issue with oil-burning boilers - the same way that it is not with diesel cars? I am not a chemist...

[quote]having dealt with electrics both industrial and domestic as my time as a fitter in a few factories in the uk and I have never heard of 2 phase or 4 phase new one to me but here are a couple of links ...[/quote] Which isn't surprising, as they don't exist... What I suspect everyone means is 2-wire (Phase & Neutral - ie. SINGLE pahse) or 4-wire (Ph1, Ph2, Ph3 & N - ie. 3-phase). A 3-phase supply is 3-off single phase supplies that share a common neutral. The entire distribution system is 3 phase (with the neutral "earthed" at the power station). The trend nowadays is for single phase supplies & EDF will convert you if a) you ask & b) they can (ie. if their wiring is up to it). In cabling terms, it follows that single phase wiring is cheaper than 3 phase wiring (slightly) certainly, single phase parts, such as trip switches are alot cheaper. In this day and age, and unless you are using industrial machines or catering equipment that is only available 3 phase, single phase is going to be "better".

[quote]Although this card is supposed to self-active it doesn`t. Phone sky from mobile and they will talk you through getting the info they need. They ask me why I was phoning from mobile, I told them I was ...[/quote] Interesting re: mobile. As I haven't got a UK mobile, I always call $ky from my French landline, number witheld. Noone has ever queried this. I suspect that source of a witheld number is not easy (for a private telephone exchange) to discover. After all, all $ky customers are overseas if they are in Bangalore!

[quote]Does anyone have any experience of cooking by electric or at least an electric oven & gas hob. The reason I ask is that, as usual we have cost ourselves money. I took a nearly new Canon Stratford...[/quote] A oven must be fed from a seperate feed and trip from your fusebox (20A, I believe). You can't just plug it into a socket. Gas hobs are obtainable everywhere and always come with both sets of jets. There has been a discussion about double ovens on here recently - they seem almost impossible to get here, but be careful about bringing one from England, as they are often need more power than a French installation can supply (inc ours!). Single ovens are also available everywhere, although they are more expensive than the UK. A 15Kg bottle of gas running a hob will last you months, if you are "average", like us. Costs about 23E.    

Assuming that you are both EU citizens, then you are free to move to France and set up home, without any checks upon you. You do not need to apply for residency (as you already have the right). You should not even need to apply for a Carte de Sejour. Your UK benefits should be payable in France, but you must check with the DSS in Newcastle - first. They are very helpful but not always up to date with the latest developments. A pension is definately payable in France. The rules (in France) change fast & frequently. David Hampshires book will always be out-of-date, I'm afarid. Bon chance!  

IANAL but; In the UK a contract (this is what we are talking about here) is binding, regardless as how it was established, unless someone can prove otherwise (to the satisfaction of a Court). I suspect that the same applies in France. Hence, a verbal agreement to do/not do something is enforceable, provided it is provable. Signatures become irrelevant (regardless of what they are on) unless the signatory can prove that it was not his. US and UK/French civil law differs considerably. Where are you establishing the contract? As I understand it, if you are in the US (even if the client and the property are not) then you can establish the contract under US law - provided you say this. Of course, prosecuting someone across the Atlantic is nigh on impossible. Better to avoid the need by taking CC details/sensible deposits. As I said, IANAL, get confirmation from someone (in France) who is!  

My paternal great-grandfather was an Englishman, born in London, who (so it would appear) lived most of his life in Calais, which is where my Grandfather was born. Unfortunately, I can only find scant information about him, so I have no idea why he was there.    

[quote]So I guess I am the only one who thinks, or is stupid enough to say, that I do not wish them well. They deserve each other and their behaviour in both previous marriages has been deplorable, but I su...[/quote] No you are not, but .... He will never be King - if Queenie lives as long as her Ma, then Charlie will be approaching 80 & Wills will be in his 40's. He is much more suited to the Gentleman Farner role than Monarch. As for kids Weedon, perish the thought! She is even older than he is (and they are related - ah, but then isn't that a pre-requisite?).  

No, I don't think you can. You certainly can using an French ID card, but the CdS does not have the same "status". I can only suggest that, in an emergency, you go along with your expired passport & your CdS & try your luck. Getting on the plane/boat is going to be the most difficult bit... Otherwise, a trip to Paris is called for....

Nick - did you buy your cooker in France ?. If so what make is it ?. Did you have any problems with the electricity supply for the double ovens ?. The hob is an Ariston, bought from BUT, running on bottled LPG. Our oven is a horrendously expensive Stoves (BEFORE they were taken over by New Home) double fan oven that we bought over from the UK ('er indoors could not do without it....). At 5.4Kw we had to upgrade our supply to run it...

[quote]thanks for the replies sure some one posted a web site where you could buy the adaptors but they would only deliver to the uk,remember it said make sure you buy before you come out to france but it`s ...[/quote] You can buy them from CPC - www.cpc.co.uk - and they will deliver to France.

[quote]Forum Admin, can't you do away with this 'option', it says someone called Sydney Bristow has posted and then it says it is catalpa who has posted when I opened up. I think that this is a really lousy...[/quote] It's really annoying! There is a senior member of this forum who has changed their handle - & I'm ******ed if I can work out who it is. Really annoying.  

The chances are you will need to make an adaptor box to make your fax answer, or your telephones ring. The UK system uses a 3rd wire to make the 'phone ring (and hence answer in the case of an auto-answer device), the French system uses 2 wires. Before you leave the UK, pop into B&Q and buy some UK MASTER (must be master) sockets, and wire these onto French-sourced 'phone plugs. If you need the actual connections, then it is 2 & 5 in a UK socket - but I can't remember the connections in a French plug - this info is supplied with the plug, or I can look it up, if it is of use. Otherwise, you will tend to need to adapt Fr-American-English, but this will only connect 2 wires. I have a handful of suitable adaptors, if you are stuck.  

Yes, indeed they do, although you can buy gas/electric cookers (frequently with 1 electric & 3 gas rings). We have a 6-burner gas hob & electric double oven. We buy 1 1/2 bottles of gas a year (total cost 30E), (full time) but gas hobs are so much better than electric ones, are they not?

I would have thought that your UK insurer would continue to cover you, under the EU-wide regs, even if you are of NFA. My UK insurer told me that they did not have a choice but to insure me, as the policy had some time to run, despite having left the UK. Due, I gather, to the fact that all motor policies must be Europe-wide, under EU regs. I don't think that you will be able to insure a UK caravan here, unless you matriculate it, which opens another can of worms. You can't tow a UK caravan behind a French car (unless it weighs less than 750Kg laden), unless again, it is registered in France.  

If you are a poor man, regardless of the temperature of your missus, don't contenplate installing LPG CH. It is about as expensive as it gets. Oil is cheaper, electric is cheapest to install. Or, failing that, how warm is your girlfriend, eh? eh? Sorry

[quote]At least in the UK lots of numbers are still local rates. In France we have had just about everything converted to stuff that charges us inflated rates for several years now. No way round it, it drive...[/quote] Quite so. However, if you call an 0845 number from France, it costs much more than a call to an 01xxx number. Also, isn't it the case that all French non-geographic numbers must have the price printed next to the number? 08 numbers in the UK is a huge industry, and they are generally very useful; but, calling them from here is a bl**** rip-off.

If, like me you are forced to call 0870 numbers in the UK on a regular basis, you will realise how much you are charged for them, by the likes of FT, Lesminutes & the like. Listening to R4 the other day, I got this web address; http://www.saynoto0870.com/company_search.php And it works, everyone I need to call is in there. Using Lesminutes, calls to the geographic numbers are about 5x cheaper than ringing the 0870. I also discovered that the DVLA makes in excess of £1M/year for their cut of 0870 calls. Beggars belief. Then again, you probably knew this anyway.  

I was under the impression that all fosse installations had to be pre-approved. Surely if you have permission, then the location of the pool was taken into account during the (compulsory) survey. If so, I would suggest that you have no problem.

Isn't it included in your vehicle insurance? It was certainly an option (which we took) when we insured all our vehicles.

Around here, it is basically the same as the UK. If the bloke in the shed thinks that you are dumping trade waste, then he chucks you out (although I believe you can pay to dump in these circumstances). Try persuasion, such as a nice length of old copper tubing, or a couple of car batteries in the van...