Plato comes homePlato

Most countries have a view of trades exploitation..he was here two hours and charged me $200...but when we gt down to say daily...in a country where an electrician has a base rae of around 600 quid wages..ie he business may require say 900 quid to support him... a charge out rate of 30 quid an hour seems more the point and in fact around $45/50 is more it...The tradesman runs a van and tools tyres and telephone and support mechanisms..and needs profit to move ahead. Generally in the West..currencies are manipulated..in Australian terms a fish and chips meal in Dorset cost me $22.50 which is 4 times the typical Australian price..but the pommies said..that's ok mate at 7 pound 50p! If we pay $4.50 for a big mac meal or some such you probably pay 4 quid 50p..currency conversions then enrich the capitalists in multinational terms. So a plumber in France costing say 200 eu for a morning's work isn't so bad whereas an aussie there would say "I just paid $400 for a morning's work!!" and be very unhappy! So look at the real situations before getting overwrought...in a country on euros I'd say 45 to 70 eu for a short term job (up to a day) <script language=JavaScript></script>  would be ok...handles his loading unloading and travel and expenses hidden but get quotes as well because I think the system the french use to cream people is the "quote system" and I shudder at the way they spin jobs out so you lose track of time and costs and you get so desperate you will pay through the nose... Never pay them all upfront or until the job has some testing time..like witholding 10% for a month..and make sure your work is certified by an inspector..I have seen not only pommie shonks but frnch shoks mercilessly riping off people especially the aged... Some demand 30% up front but I want a contract for that with every detail of the tradesman and his locality on it. Don't hesitate to use a supervisor and pay him or her but make sure they are absolutely clear as to your instructuons and demands..have specifications... As an example..when restoring a friend's house she had an electrician (couldn't wait for me!! as he told her the house was dangerous (what rubbish!!) completely rewire it..his work was quite good BUT he misconnected the active and neutral and fortunately my esp told me...I checked every light and GPO and all were reversed and switching neutrals...I eventually altered it after 6 months offf trying to gt her to get the 'friendly" electrician to return..oh no we mustn't offend this poor darling!!...Having spent the money to have seperate circuits as I advised for heating..as electrical heaters can be very cheap...she decided too go gas!!...even though the electricity ws very effective and the capital paid...the plumber charged her nearly 6000 euros for the heater and 3 radiators and the pipework back to the front of the house..well, that was 3000 less than another one!!..but when I made it clear I knew the plumbing game he started not coming..never had the courtesy to say hello to me when he did come and then after finding when I was leaving france..left her without hot water for 2 weeks(I got her to get temporary) even though I did all the difficult stuff for them to save their time whe they used that section as an excuse to 'delay" ...and funny that ..kept being 'delayed! " We are now in the 4th month!! for a simple job...delayed  until I had left and then returned two days later..why?? because conning women is a French "trades" art!! The actual worker said the boss hated me because I was an etranger, because I knew about the work ad because I made sure he discussed issues with my friend..reaction..use the French method of walking over me and frustrating her so as to cause dissention... Many are very very nasty and threatening con men and not real tradesmen at all. Anyone can paint "artisan peinture " on a truck!! or letterhead it...You should always protect your self but you MUST be clear in wroting at the OUTSET and before saying 'yes" just what you want and what the metier will bring...type quality, everything.. As well always photostat their licence and assurance details at the quote and at the time of commencement.. ..no give..no money..and never fall for agreeing to avoid TVR because ifyou do..you will be in their hands in the event of a disaster....there are solutions but better not to go there.. I have deviated but hope it raises issues of value... Cheers

I have tried to hammer this subject out over the years. There are so many variables that become escape toutes. By the way I consider pollution from aircraft to probably be one of th worst and best hidden..both in chemicals and in heat...as is airconditoning elsewhere in the latter matter. It seems to me that "live and let live' is simply the Gordon gecko smugness applied. Whether one owns one house or five the impact on france and its culture is enormous now. Why turn France into a sort of mystical britain? Are we not there to learn? Millions more feet tramping monuments is destroying what IS for future peoples...should this evoke a response of self discipline and deprivation?..I think so.. There is no doubt that the exteriors of so many pommie places in france are colourful and pretty...somehing I have spoken with mairies about for years..COLOUR!! and Mairie assistance to its villagers to make villages less drab..yet in a way I am doing what I accuse others of dong...changing France for my pleasure!! The stories of the Dutch importing everything are largely French inspired gossip which has grown. The Dtch are finnicky but as well... a lot of Dutch furniture has been sold via brocantes in France...lovely stuff...so often Getting back...if you have a conscience you will not be denying the French people or their young their ownership....you will discuss needs with the mairies..including their assistanes with low cost rental renovations..For me this concept of "we have the money..lets exploit" is low class ehtics...low class morality. So you bring wealth..no one can deny that now after ten years..the changes in quincailleries are obvious...but you also bring inflation..and THAT is what directly impacts on the ordinary french family and their old people. You have been directly responsible for the young being displaced BUT I say to the mairies.."Its gone too far now, hating the changes is wasted effort...the Governments have permitted the changes for greed....because WHY would France need Pommies???....or Aussies either...so you MUST change your culture too, to a house BUYING culture...provide benefits to young people to help them buy houses and DENY them to migrants..favour your own..but then begin to provide low cost housing for young French people to buy..and I give examples... Of course most French are NOT rich, basically survivors. British inflation has condemned France and Spain to exploitation and greed by egotistical foreigners...the bulk of whom are British...so France should blunt the british sword and sharpen its own...if not hatred will cement itself...Sure older people can rationalise the impact of English takeovers but villages are over brited to the stage of obscenity as is Dordogne region...is there a simple answer....Hmm well not unless Government action includes limiting the exploitation..BUT it can come from the heart of the brit (or others) in making that second house one which serves some French family well in its modern facilities in a French style...cheap rentals..all that..and later perhaps use the rent to buy a holiday home. In other words..use your heart to give back some of what the French culture has permitted you to snare.....Leveraging property in exploitable poor countries is about as low as exploitation  minded human vermin or the Gecko "live and let live perversion" can creep. Try to do good..and find how..maybe this could be a valuable occupation for you (us) all... Cheers  

My daughter..a quite senior horticulturist and supervisor (and so I imagine knows something)..says"don't kill them dad they are good for the garden.." Sure they eat plants but placements of plants and associations of plants limit damage... Do they not... I'd concentrate on restoration work and mulch and getting worms to work so that plants themselved become strong and healthy...overwatering is a neurosis of gardening types...but don't sail boots and all into bug genoicide... I would be happy to learn more on this subject...even though I have a "resident expert" because she is busy!! Cheers

Anyway tresco...we can always..pass in the night...change the subject...settle down..!! so we have options...whether the forum  wants me or not won't change the fact that I am well equipped for France..by livng there and by experience...I actually am glad that the level of brain wave activity has risen from sonambulistic mutterings. Now listen....go back to what I initially said about Corsica..there is good advice there couched in language that got up your nose...I find that there is much sort of 'self fulfilling prophecy" in Europe..if you fear something you are attracted to it!!...the best solution if you must buy is..to be open to the reality that a whole range of personalities exist but that even the "worst" (a variable in perspectives) have saving graces and can be very caring and loyal.Giving leadership on change is nowhere near the same as 'in your face" changes nor "enforced change". Let people see and know you before moving in..test the waters..you might find something really interesting comes up if they 'like' you...and they will care about you. If one then becomes the old raj pommie they will start to simmer and hate you....often people who tell me they have been "brilliantly accepted" are simply so thick and unimpressionable they don't get the reality...but you and I are just like the old "*****" moving into brit suburbs thirty years ago, loathed and detested....lonely and depserately wanting to survive ..thus ghettoing as the Pommies do in france...and anywhere else...IF a **** came to you amd said "I am lonely and frightened in your country, I am so unbused to your ways and yet I want to live here as a good citizen and experience the littlest reactions possible for me and my family..can you help and advise me"...would you tell him to shove off?...or would you soften... I think that's the same anywhere and we"superior" types (ie of privileged stock and trade) need to come down to earth and approach people on their understanding and fears of overwhelming migration by??......US!! what you fear you cannot love.. Cheers    

Jim le G..I forgot...the use of the cursed "copper nails in fuses" as we say(usually several strands of 30 amp or a length of the awful french 2.5 sq unstranded......doesn't affect the RCD WHEN OPERATING ON LEAKAGE so abnormal earthing csa is not for that reason once RCD's are involved as leakage protection and the circuit breaker in france requires in general no greater protection cuircuitry than in Australia....say....give it some thought and get back as you seem to have a grip...thinking about non MEN systems of the past, of argile, of distances from substations of the poor mechanical protection usually seen on older french installations especially...of impedence and consideratons of main neutral breakage...see if you can give me some other ideas... The possibility of earthing being unintentionally becoming part of a lightning arrester system hasn't been raised either.. Which of what I mentioned are the furphies?..or are there any...?your associates foaming at the mouth there will I hope pitch-in and help... cheers  

Guerrier, you have opened the book of kells!!...I see you have some intelligent thinking..I read you and your later doubt then traversed the paddock of the braying Donkey and went on to Paul and Debby and thought at quick scan "we are getting somewhere!!..then I saw this "One who is trained or professionally engaged in a branch of engineering" and not a gob sh1te who think he knows best - I rest my case !" How terribly vulgar..but still the site constantly reinforces my criticisms...please note also I don't have to go to a dictionary to define "engineer". It amuses me to see such plebian suppositions as inexpert persons right out of their league trying to get some kudos.. Let's just ignore the peripherals now...and try to condense this subject int some concentrated accuracy..oh and I logged on at first only to say my highly educated French friend said "chauffe eau" is ok though struggled to explain why usual French rules didn't apply and had to go off to teach!!..so I apologise to those who, unwittingly at the time, were not incorrect in that usuage. One ought always to admit error and apply penance..and I for mine I will, tonight recite the ancient mariner backwards whilst hopping from one leg to another under a street lamp..thanks too to guerrier for the enlightenment of the subject ...I still find it 'unfrench" but ehre has to be a reasoning...(??) Back to earthing...You cannot economiccally install adequate earthing in any ordinary premises to account for enormously high (usually and fortunately) short transient  level fault current without damage occurring in the event of such fault..it would be impractical on  a risks and consequence basis. We require adequate earthing to carry NORMAL range  fault currents and be adequate to hold together to operate normal circuit protection where a fault to earth (directly or via MEN) occurs. Short duration faults can involve extremely high currents but the more usual ones will neither "blow" the earthing protection system and cabling nor cause irreversible damage. 2.5 mm sq cable can carry considerable current on a short term basis and greater csa may well only lower the passage resistance to earth with no significant improvement. There are arguments for limiting the free flow of earthbound currents too.......which does not include greater csa than supply. Sadly some ignorence of the reality is being displayed by interpretations of 'regulations" I don't want to go too deeply as I am still awaiting alcatraz' explanation of the subject of earthing, re the question I asked recently after his amusing abusiveness for the purpose I presume of entertaining you and distracting from his technical void. I think he has had adequate time to frantically ring around and drum something up yet I see no reposne..perhaps you could sit up and listen alcatel rather than get all defensive....at least you didn't accuse me of "racism" as did one other poor ignoramus and I appreciate that alkie I really do... In an RCD system the primary role of earhting is to operate the RCD in event of either overload or of leakage......bravo guerrier for your wisdom there...and to hold together for the next one!...because resetting the rcd after fault finding is a pretty important part of people using them and not having them unfunctioning.... Protection of circuits with greater csa on earthing than supplies is rarely used....unless...??..and don't try pointing at regulations you don't comprehend fellers...unless what?? The usual properly engineered system of say 16mm squ two pole systems is 10mmsqu. if you want to argue against that say why it should be so? Following on to Paul and Debby copper earth stakes have several purposes of choice..and not all earthing systems are stakes. Better in my view than copper coated stel or stainless the solid copper is my usual choice..Your assumptions on earthing are generally on the line of correctness but you are not technical and were distracted from what could have become a worthwhile essay on earthing had our knowledge been up to it...by your desire to be 'clever' and try to do the impossible. On the basis of what you wrote and comments on engineers I think it is fair to say you have potential Paul but that I'll be long pushing up daisies before you get to cooee of my expertise unless you take on engineering as both a subject and as a field job. You made some odd remarks about copper and cash...Why would we choose, seeking lowest impedence earthing paths, either stainless or copper coated rods raher than coppr, the best conductor in general terms panel?? please make some suggestions... One cannot argue technically about use of say 240mm squ earth on 1.5 mm sq circuits other than it is grossly expensive for no advantage, in fact is of considerable disadvantage .The earthing is the most important part of an installation in a sense...depending on your argument but adding copper to it achieves effectively nothing over a point of optimisation. The speed with which RCD's operate ensures that exposure of the earth to high current is tiny and especially when the fault is on leakage in a combined breaker..100 amperes of fault current to someone who raise the quantum is not at all substantial unless "continuous". Note that the arc drawn within the breaker is quickly quenched and the current to earth ..if it is a part of the operating cause...is quickly limited. Various curves of circuit breaker operation  exist for various particular purpose but c is used much in normal usage. By the way..what is he purpose of voltage drop formulae and temprature specs say as in between V105 and V70.? What is the purpose of derating factors? ... Just as a finality the difference between us and regulations is that regulations often do not exemplify good engineering practices nor logical engineering practices other thn under a certain band of perception..corrupt gains through political policies associated with  terrorism paranoia is a good example in another field. We who have to make decisions on electrical matters use mathematics and experience to do so...and Guerrier's simple (my paraphrase)"the purpose of the earthing is essentially to cause proper operation of the RCD" is not something which can rely on regulations and wholesaler's handouts..it requires a knowledge of the gear and the terrain..in the meantime specifications for the "average" situation are very much suited to the majority of instances. Another question for our enervated bretheren (I am so pleased to see it) Recently(ten days ago) a block of new apartments had immediate RCD tripping in one of the units.The apartments had many faults and wires left out etc by the previous contractors and we were there on 'do and charge' to repair it all. Nothing seemed to stop he fault and tracking it was aparently driving them crazy after numerous other problems had run them down that day and in that unit....  The only figure I could get from the electricians was "77 ohms on the circuit" Now as a hint or distraction..the typical bulb resistance on the individual lights installed is 77.5 ohms on one order post point. The sparkies  were brain bogged after chasing the fault for some hours and literally tearing apart the electrics. ...... I gace the site suprvisor some advice and I saw the lights go on in his eyes....the problem was resolved rapidly then......what advice might I have given them which rapidly found the fault and what could the fault have been? Cheers 

Hi..gee I sort of accidentally came back...vaguely to see if resident electrical "know almost nothing...alcazar" or whatever the name is had answered my question re earthing in reply to his blustering assertions gained from the plumber...a fine source... Obviously he hasn't a clue even about the issues he raises himself...I stand by..even more firmly now..that people ignorent of electrical installation technology should employ a tradesman. This is not "do it yourself" stuff like some primitivity in crystal sets from BOP but lethal situations. In the meantime I will help anyone seriously interested in wiring matters, reluctantly in one way but only rather than that they electrocute theselves or others somewhere along the track... I read the whole site thoroughly and realised that a serious inquiry has been met by some serious attempts to help the guy who asked the question, one chap perhaps showed some sort of hope with an electronics background and I offer to him out of politeness that I am a Ham Operator ..unlimited call  and was member of IEEE.Love to chat with you mate..email me if you want..ok... Sadly profound ignorence has also been a part of the general melee of this site but .....then none of you has a trades background..nor do french plumbers "usually" as electricians...so just throw that suggestion from one of you into the loonie basket..a tradesman is NOT someone with certain dispensations for example to fit hot water services. Don't make me laugh with cretinous responses please....the answers supposedly attributed to the "plumber/electrician" are at about fifty times the level of your informant and still prattle.....and Simon I DON"T need you...but do appreciate your interest....perhaps looking at your photo we could discuss violence and post Ni-dan theory. Good advice has been given on using a "snake"...perfectly rational EXCEPT better to avoid the steel ones mentioned around active switchboards..most nylon ones aren't worth a cracker in serious work but for short lengths like a few metres unless much convoluted they would be fine. It occurs to me that using occsional "french technical terms in a serious english converstaionis ..as basil Fawlty observed 'presumptious"  better to stick with the English ..... The use of building wire in conduit is largely a factoring of current matters when concerned with the passage of air in keeping insulation temperature down and in some cases to do with polyphase interaction. I am happy to explain this to you personally questioner just email me.... The use of circular tps and other laid up cables as opposed to flat TPS (a la UK and Australia for example) may simply be a choice by Authorities. Using conduit and building wire would be much simplified by the use of 7/067 for example instead of single core cables which are for example banned in Australia...too easy to nick in installation and break thereafter. Re RCD's if you seriously require expert advice then, again  questioner or anyone else seriously interested,  email me personally. Alcazar questions your RCD perspective however the question is not only rational but an 'everyday one. Let's look at this case....I have an installation in which I have a number of 30 mA Rcd's.I want to protect ALL my installation in the event of say a fire..I use a 100mA RCD say after the main switch and from it I feel off to unprotected and protected circuitsor only the unprotected)...noting that my total installation has cumulative leakages from various circuits through each protected sub circuit and this reduces the effectiveness of subcircuit RCD's and also again accumulates to reduce the effectiveness of the 100mA RCD. I have however these unprotected circuits which may cause even more mayhem than RCD subcircuits which will individually switch out in the event of (just say) a fire causing one of several leakage possibilities..but my unprotected circuits can cause grave damage and fuel the fire in a sense..so...I protect myself using a main RCD of say 100 to 300 mA and may well choose to have my subcircuit rcd's fed through it as well...thus an RCD feeds an RCD...get the idea my mocking friends there? or do you have something expert to say? if not say nothing or run and "phone a friend" In the normal state of say domestic installations a lot of disputation has taken place over the years concerning leaving circuit such as lighting refrigerators and stoves and hot water OFF the RCD protection..little real reason exists other than in power factor corrected lighting installations where misleading leakage can occur as it did/does with early TV's. The use of independant RCD's largely does away with such arguments over cumulative leakage affecting a "main" rcd....I always use combined RCD/CB's. To supply all the domestic  RCD circuitry from say a 100mA "main" rcd can be viewed as extravagant or sensible but whatever the thought there is NO problem feeding an  RCD from an RCD so long as the secondary is lower in leakage actuation than the primary..my simplified answer is not the whole story. To use one RCD to cover all circuits is false economy....better to use a 30mA rcd on each subccircuit and by the way these trip out between 23 mA and 30mA..few exceed the leakage current. Unlike alcatraz or whoever he is.....the regional electrical engineer in south of France found my recent system discussions with him to be valued enough to do considerable work for my client FOC. Any of you who think I don't know what I am talking about are welcome to your ignorence and playing silly games amongst yourselves giggling and sniggering ......abuse all you like but don't expect to gather any points from misleading earnest and sincere questioners like this person because if you try to dump ignorence on them and I am around I will cane you...so far I have been a gentleman. The comment by willy the conqueror was spiteful and ignorent because he has no expertise...but he IS after all your guru and you must listen..in the meantime if you want expert advice, ask me..but don't try to waste my tim..only sincere people please. The matter of france's perversely functioning electrical misconcepts will be on my agenda for next trip and I hope eventually to see France going more sensibly with electrical reqirements... Finally....it is this ingrained english ignorence which is hidden under waves of bluster which irks me to remind the pommies who they are...as does the concept that somehow anyone from across the channel who goes to france is an instant expert and knows more than the french. Almost all your law (not Roman) came from your antecedent's defeat in 1066 by Normans, not Francs, who spoke french but in the more southern regions is a much more obstinate and  difficult French subject. The French widely resent you as well as, resultingly,  other immigrants because you don't fit in and you think you are superior to them and you are changing their culture for one with not much to offer THEM. In fact you have seriously depleted their property culture and social realities as , like with the Raj etc, you come to how them the great light and the great game. Elsewhere I spoke of the destructon of Spain and Portugal for greed through these fould investment units which are completely out of place.....so fostered by English investors. Ok some are some are not of that "this is my moment of glory..so  to teach the French how to suck eggs " immigrant and I accept that..I love some of the pommies I have met.... nevertheless both as homeowners and as tradesment their trades skills range from good through to non existent and worse...and they ought to just wake up to themselves, get a social conscience and use the appropriate French tradesmen rather thanblunder through the restorations using people who don't have a clue eit

Gee I nearly forgot due respect to some "guru" ..what was the name ..K something under "Belinda" as I recall.....my dear..if Dick has something imtelligent to ask me or do the others who thought they made some impact , I am delighted to answer...by the way, what are the qualifications to be a site guru? please... Cheers

Tresco dear boy (?) you were SO excited about Will the Conq having a go under "restoration" and I imagine that your ("hey guess what")..predictions of my demise will excite you no end..in the absence of anything intelligent or scintillating from any of you re France or anything else..although Billy DID pick me up for a mispelled "intelligent" but then that was about the best he could do other than slip into the same abusiveness as you seem to get a thrill from inventing for me. With a stroke of luck Willy might be starting to realise that the game is bigger than he/she thinks and wider in intellect... The jackals were at the imagined feast of my carcase Tresco there on "refurbishments" or whatever it was... and did they descend on my absent form fighting and snarling ..but I brushed them off like flies Having the ludicrous affrontery (for one so easily offended) to accuse me of (sic) bordering on racism clearly being one of those who simply cannot comprehend communication other than in styled format I gather you haven't a clue what racism means, being attached to the petty political form of "anything which sounds as though it doesn't it in with what I read somewhere"..so..you thought this word might be Merlinish...alas! My presence in this forum brings along a vast knowledge and experience coupled with pointing the stick at those who think that overwhelming someone else's country with their own culture and anti culture is just fine. Tragically through costs of law I cannot nominate the shonky english agents for example but the french records of abuse do... I did nominate localities  in which to be particularly alert to sweet talking shonks persons well known as shonks but so "british bulldog" as to persevere through all odds of French legally frowning experience and who use their "patriotic" recommendations to you to get work done freely for themselves... Personally I no longer give a toss because I went too soft on them some years ago.....any future action will be to see them in a French gaol. This will reduce sme of the ads you see!! Unfortunately for "French" experts such as sites based around real property agents, any number of their advertisers are precisely what I point out..and to look after your countryman honsetly one needs integrity. Curiously so many of you only see "shock horror " in things I write rather than someone actually caring enough to advise them....I still hear for example one of the greatest female crooks in south of Limoges praised as the 8th wonder by recently 'assisted' brits... So my dear friend I have at least raised this site from its 100 year sleep for a moment or two I fear nothing of dismissal...I am giving and not taking you see... ..the site  having pricked its finger on the magic needle of the droning zzzzzzzzzz  "lets talk but say nothing because we know nothing" ..The grumpy replies so attest.... Where are all those people who leaped to the fray amateurishly yesterday "trying to slag me" as your soccer louts say...trying to raise there heads from the froth and highlight what a dummy I am....? Perhaps you can tell me privately once I am banished. In the meantime I search the site for some gem of wisdom from you and the other friends of man  and when I find it I shall reply..cheerio all including those who said something after my last letter...I am always ready for serious questions... if you want to play gmes with me though..be prepared to be good losers not take your bat and ball and run home to mummy "forum"..doing that means you are not accountable..just hit and run types... Cheerio...cheerio.....

Yes its true Miki ..one of the great chasms between French and other species of 'agents' is honesty. The French records so show...and my personal experience adds to that. The Notiare is obliged to indicate the termite infestations and any vendor  aware, or who ought to be aware of an infestation is also so required.... You will note that until I raised the enormously important issue of termites nothing ie NOTHING of it was raised elsewhere on the site where I can see.....as is generally the case in my emails, I slip teh dagger in where mot effective!!...be grateful...I am vasty more qualified than formally un-educated english pseudo-agents and have considerable French experience. I will continue until banned from the site...a threat already...to raise pertinent points re property shonkers in France most of whom are not french but are teribly personable and enchanting of Brits.... Don't be put off by sneers at me..I am vastly more honest and educated in property and appropriate law than most if not all alien agents and can readily apply it to french nuances.    As for Brit free zones..don't you think my pointed comments throughout the forum, where I have already been warned as well as accused of such laughable traits as 'racism'  for being perceptive...have a point. The Dordoigne in 1999 (so said my soured counsellor from Rochechouart) had at least 5 cricket clubs and a conkers comp..how very French!! The French were NOT appreciative.....and the english paranoia of home places such as Brixton should make it clear that people have fears of change as well they should. What I suggest is use of the French property resources for several reasons rather than merely slipping back into a sort of uk Brigadoon, Now reinforced by others I indicated great appreciation of the Charente maritime and have been heartened by support......BUT you Francophiles-to - be....unswervingly invest in full building reports and ignore English agency waffle....then live the great dream as a new-chum French person in France... Oh yes...when you see Gypsy encampments there too..don't be mean to them but also don't be charmed.and buy next door.....seek advice...you may be shocked... Cheers

Yes its true Miki ..one of the great chasms between French and other species of 'agents' is honesty. The French records so show...and my personal experience adds to that. The Notiare is obliged to indicate the termite infestations and any vendor  aware, or who ought to be aware of an infestation is also so required.... You will note that until I raised the enormously important issue of termites nothing ie NOTHING of it was raised elsewhere on the site where I can see.....as is generally the case in my emails, I slip teh dagger in where mot effective!!...be grateful...I am vasty more qualified than formally un-educated english pseudo-agents and have considerable French experience. I will continue until banned from the site...a threat already...to raise pertinent points re property shonkers in France most of whom are not french but are teribly personable and enchanting of Brits.... Don't be put off by sneers at me..I am vastly more honest and educated in property and appropriate law than most if not all alien agents and can readily apply it to french nuances.    As for Brit free zones..don't you think my pointed comments throughout the forum, where I have already been warned as well as accused of such laughable traits as 'racism'  for being perceptive...have a point. The Dordoigne in 1999 (so said my soured counsellor from Rochechouart) had at least 5 cricket clubs and a conkers comp..how very French!! The French were NOT appreciative.....and the english paranoia of home places such as Brixton should make it clear that people have fears of change as well they should. What I suggest is use of the French property resources for several reasons rather than merely slipping back into a sort of uk Brigadoon, Now reinforced by others I indicated great apprerciation of the Charente maritime and have been heartened by support......BUT iunswervingly invest in full building reports and ignore agency waffle....then live the great dream as a New-chum French person in France...when you see Gypsy encampments there too..don't be charmed...seek advice... Cheers

Ah..tresco my dear..I am so glad to have raised you from the armchair....sorry you found nothing..had I known I could have beamed in on your problem but right now am all beamed out (brain boiling work you know old chap) did you try under the washing machine..I suspect it is possible that your target rolled under there when you stumbled home foggie from recent celebrations and lay prostrate for an hour or so in the laundry.."dozing" . Please don't embarrass me more. old fellow,  by your self deprecation..my intutively accurate perception is simply a gift for which I claim no praise at all.  thought "slippery" was most lubricatingly perceptive....as fror my education nd experience..mere circumstance old chap..mere circumstance I feel confident that once you have had your toast and some nerridah tea you will be much more relaxed about your problem with me...don't go away out of self consciousness, I really feel we have a great furure together here.. Cheers

Oh bother!!..I forgot Miki..sorry, Miki so, at the end of all that misleading abuse of me..you are in truth  saying I am a Pommie??...how very subtly praising of your race to put me and it in the same intellectual room when I suspect you strategically meant to pretend to your mates that you wanted demean me..I guess there is some freudian slip there old chum but anyway..thanks..I understand what you are trying to say and I appreciate it enormously....I hope the pomies and your old scrubber mate from the Bondi pipeline do too...cheers

I'm chuckling still to myself that you guys have got to the 'phone a friend" stage to try to get a win over the poor ignorent (did I get that right willie?? )aussie..Hey..not ozzie..he is a sort of duck ..anyway....oh well, good luck chaps!! It amuses me that instead of seeing the trees you only see the woods. It saddens me that having stirred some life into this sonambulistic forum you don't grasp the strong timber but seek the straws. Note I do not have to run for help to answer questions... Someone, was it alcazar whom I vaguely recal trying to assist in2002.. asked a question re earthing. Really I am disinterested in number throwing by telephone types......The electrical engineering of electrical circuitry today where RCD's are used involves an earthing system which will satisfactorily operate the RCD. In other eras the earthing system was geared to one of two things..its comparison with a reference earth and/or  a mathematically arrived-at impedence which mathematically allowed fault currents to operate protection circuitry. 16mm squ cabling does not in any engineering sense require 16mmsq earthing UNLESS the earthing path and components require particular attention. Lets take 2.5mm squ cable..the laid up earthing of TP/circular is 2.5 mm squ as it is with 6mm squ.You see earthing and earthing fault levels require intellect...not ignorence.I had an instance today where I approached management re earthing size..2.5 mm squ in 6mm squ format. Why my so clever friends/opponents  did I do that??Let's see how smart you and your dial up mates actually are..the question is SO simple!!If you get it right you may be able to comprehend more....I really love the intellectual approach, gets me all "brrrrr"...so keep it up please. I thnk we have a chabce here to illuminate the intellectual darkness out there.... YES!!..Suddenly the forum is alive...I am really pleased!! come on to the coconut shy and see if you can drop the target chappies...so far I have been abused and slagged off by amateurs and it amuses me immensely...but as well already people are checking and learning..isn't that great!!..I think so...........if one of you learns one thing of reality that's a great plus ..no?? cheers

I am truly delighted on several counts that criticism of me has leaped into the discussion and stimulated some thinking. First of all Will the Conqueror has performed similar efforts to those  he/she/it criticises in me. This equalises our position other than I sense some concept of superiority. He also is in error that the expression is not an Australian "know all"...for this has no sense..the expression is an Australian "know it all" hyphens are unessential. French in general requires an abundance of seemingly repetitive referrals to a known object under discussion wheher by definite article or "donc" for example...and as well requires earnestly to have no following vowels between words... and the rest you can work out for yourself re "chauffe eau" and chauffe de l'eau. Re a spelling error...well you must have been so thrilled Willy to have snapped that up especially if so pertinent...I didn't bother to check and took your word for it..I will and do make many spelling errors as I race through replies or information and do not use spell-check. This forum is a minor part of my active life. If I made only one spelling error I would be most surprised..see if you can find some others my conquering hero, think of it as a sort of safari... a bit like the 11th century meanderings of (your alias claims some "connection to" ) the Norman Duke who engaged the "English" in the battle of hastings. I wonder how he spelled chauffe de l'eau and intelligent..anyone know...? I will continue to make spelling errors and if I have minutes to spare might acknowledge it...I wonder how many needed to check whether it was "ant" or "ent"...hmmmmmm?? I madly race through typing with the fingers supple enough to type and typing is not my greatest skill on the other hand as I type dozens of times more info than most I am more likely to make errors than most. I am often tired after 10 to 14 hour days of serious work 6 days per week and promise NO improvement...ok! When you find that I am ill informed on construction and restoration,Electrical engineering etc.. hot water and chauffage, the destabilisation of the world, politics,that it is NOT this site or its owners who (as one of your people has proposed) decide the regions of France such as Charente-maritime, the abuse of Brits by Brit  Real property vendors, and the numerous other matters I tried to enlighten such even as horse stables and associated matters...then do say but please don't hide it away where I need someone like Tasco to lead me to it...please John I need to say this....it is clear that after criminal maltreatment by poverty stricken population abusing british 'justice' systems led to deportations and transportation to the antipodes and the stealing of "terra Nullis" Australians and Australia developed far more rapidly and efffectively than britain. We made significant impact on saving Britains hide in the Boer, First and Second wars to only mention 3 and at the cost of serious losses through british command incompetence and Political chicanery. We took thousands of orphaned, lost, downtrodden  and other british migrants after WW11 on a ten dollar pasage and cared for them. We now abuse migrants tragically unless rich and from a limited Asia and are guilty of not turfing out the bully-boy abusive Federal Government.. I accept that.WE now make it difficult for Europeans to immigrate to here as we seek rich 'locals" and have some political plot to render Australia less European and homogenous whilst having, paradoxically,  the most enlightened approach towards europe and England as well as Asia. SBS brodcasting is a prime example of Australian public enlightenment fighting against the government's desire to emasculate crticisms of its policies via the ABC. Migrant groups owing to their alienations and closeness are reasonably easily controlled in voting via their leadership and the federal and State Governments realise it and so SBS was allowed to get off the ground many years ago and serve numerous natinalities with news and entertainment. I suppose Britain also does this..?Interestingly some SBS news shows direct opposites to Australian news interpretations when it shows more compplete news directly obtained from the target country. Hallelulia (did I spell that correctly?) Re "Pommes" and your lightly humorous explanation (we Aussies are used to brit efforts to pull us down!) I have explored the term Pommies and Pommes with numerous French and Brits and none has a clue as to origin. The origin (copyright..let us not have any scenestealing) is the similarity between Pomme de terre and Angleterre..voila..as for Lulu's mentioned not by your decent letter...but  by other jackals coming in for their share of a perceived attack, dangerously mistakenly  on a "weakened animal" feeling safe being fostered by William the Conqueror (it was a trait in his time too)...well..they abound... I do recall someone on this page calling me an idiot..I doubt the supervisor will criticise that but I would suggest that term is transference...its amazing you know how the weak minded and cowardly come in viciously for the kill both in the animal kingdom and our own when trying to impress their peers... John...Easter is approaching rapidly and your Penance for trying to shame Australia in the light of reality should be aptly performed in front of her majesty's prisons at say... your most local one ....It should consist of singing the Austrlian national song..called by Aussie ignoramus' here our "Anthem"..every quarter hour forwards and every half hour, backwards,..for a day. As for the teeth snapping "rest", mentioned just above, well Tasco has been spoken-to elsewhere as he revelled in actually saying something. I don't think anything else was seriously significant and as for warnings I have noticed that as usual soliciting is permitted on the site. I am very, very, very, very, glad also to have incited replies however critical as it meant people actually DID something instead of drifting aimlessy around making banter with little effort..several actually went to the USA produced French dictionary... a good start but sadly no one has been able to make intelligent technical dispute of anything I have indicated re building matters since 2002 on forums such as this one. That I am multiskilled and highly educated than most may irk you but you have the opportunity to work on something I expose or not...its your choice. I am always happy to learn new things or of my own errors however much I joke about it or retaliate.... and in the meantime have plenty of technical expertise and offer it freely...if you want to mock that well..do so...its neither here nor there to me whether you learn or not. I haven't learned much from the site other than information of little consequence passed through it before I returned from my travels.Though I seek to learn and to concurrently destroy and rebuild..its a process not confined to one letter...On the other hand I helped and spent time personally with numerous people whom I think gained from my experience and knowledge.   Cheers