M3GS

Thanks Les, That makes sense I guess. Please let me know if anything different transpires at the handover. Best of luck with it!  Roger

My new build in 82 was completed in September of last year and to date I don't have anything which might be described as an equivalent to UK title deeds. Obviously I have documentary proof that I own the land with the relevand CU etc, but nothing related to the building itself. Can anyone tell me if I am missing something here, or will title to the land suffice? The reason I ask is that we are about to make our French wills and I dont want to walk into the lawyer's office looking more stupid than normal! Grateful for any advice, thanks Roger [:)]

My painter and decorator is fully skilled and approved - Siret number etc etc. I wouldn't have recommended her otherwise. Thanks Roger

Hi, Just spotted this - yes I can recommend a decorator based in St Sardos - just the other side of Montauban from you. PM me if you would like full details. She is excellent - particularly with wallpapering. Regards Roger

Your timescale is realistic in my experience. Initiated my land purchase (which had existing CU) October 04, signed up Jan 05, builder consulted and design finalised, plans approved June 05. Foundations started Aug 05 and house keys received Aug 06. All in all very happy with the way things went but beware the dreaded EXTRAS!! Also be prepared to kick serious arse - sometimes difficult from a distance of 1000 miles. My builder is very good - but not averse to telling the odd white lie. Once he realised I was not going to accept everything he said blindly he treated me with new found respect and the project went very smoothly from then on. It did help that I kept him on his toes by not warning him in advance of when I would turn up - something I did learn very early on! Best of luck! Roger

Well, some fascinating stuff above, particularly from BQF. I have just returned from a very frustrating week in France, involving daily visits to the local CA agence which yielded a blank until Thursday 10th when I was told with some delight that the missing funds had been 'found' languishing in Paris in the international dept.This was a relief to say the least! However I was then told that the funds had been returned to the currency dealer's bank as the IBAN number had apparently been incorrect. Thus my relief was very short lived as I had promised the builder his final payment that very day. In the end by careful marshalling of resources and having to make a large cash withdrawal on my  UK VISA card (ouch!), I managed to save face. To give the dealer his due though, he did make sure that the funds reached my account yesterday, Friday, without a hitch this time. CA's story does not ring quite true as I have seen the transfer printout from the dealer's bank and all numbers were correct. The bottom line is that they have had the money for 2 weeks and had I not created such a fuss one wonders how much longer this would have continued... Another one down to experience, I guess. Many thanks for all the advice and support, this forum really is a fantastic resource.

Cassis, I have scrutinised the document very carefully and the IBAN, account numbers, etc are perfectly correct. It does look to me like CA have 'lost' the funds on the face of it. However there is a clear contract between myself and the currency dealer - which includes transfer of the money into my CA account. No doubt they will say they did everything correctly, but they are so arrogant and dismissive that cannot help feeling that they are more responsible than they actually are. Whatever happens I shall not be utilising their services again. Running a company which relies entirely on customer service myself makes it an even more bitter pill to swallow I suppose... I'll just have to wait until Tuesday when I arrive at the bank in France. In the meantime there are some red hot emails and faxes flying around, but given my experience of French bureaucracy and customer service levels I can't help but feel pessimistic! Of course as one of the above posters said, best to keep a cool and calm head and stick with cold reasoning rather than fly off the handle every 2 mins. Its still a worry though! Thanks Roger

Thanks for the fast response. I will push CA of course, and if necessary I'll picket the branch until they sort it out. Still, the blase attitude of the dealer really pees me off as well! I also think that as the dealer was entrusted with the money he has some legal obligation here. Effectively I have paid for a service and he has literally failed to deliver.

I am currently having one hell of a time with my regular currency dealers over a sum of UKP10,000 of Euros, which they transferrred to CA on 25th July and has never reached my account. They have provided me with what they say is faxed evidence of the transfer which shows the money leaving the Bank of England bound for my French account. All details are correct so seemingly no possibility of error there. I need the money early next week in order to complete the final payment on my French house, and will be very embarrassed if it doesnt arrive in time. All previous transfers have gone perfectly, with funds arriving in my acount the very next day every time. The dealers say they are making enquiries but have so far come up with nothing. I have contacted my CA branch, and faxed them the transaction 'proof' but they still tell me that their international dept has no record at all. Am I correct in holding the dealers responsible, as they last had custody of my money? I hope so as I have now threatened them with solicitors if they do not either refund the money or re-transfer it on Monday. Does anyone know exactly how these transfers work, and how in the world 14500-odd Euros could disappear into space? Any advice most welcome... Roger

Thanks for all your fast responses. I am pretty sure that I'll be Ok then as my trailer only carries a motorcycle and that will keep me under the height/weight limits for class one. Great forum! Roger

Ok  think I have found the answer: My badge permits the transit of Class 1 vehicles including 'ensembles de vehicules' which I take to mean trailers as well. If any one can confirm this is actually the case though I will be eternally grateful! Thanks Roger 

Hi, For the past 12 months or so I have enjoyed the benefits of having the Telepeage transponder stuck in my windscreen - one of the best things I ever did. However on the next few trips I will be towing a trailer, and obviously the tolls due will increase. My question is, does anyone know the correct procedure when I go down to may place in 82 next week? That is to say, should I go through the manned booths and pay the difference in cash - or will the toll person adjust the fee paid automatically when my transponder triggers the barrier? Or could I risk navigating the autotolls and hope for the best that the barrier does not come crashing down before the trailer gets past? (OK I know this would probably be unlawful!) Any advice most welcome as I have checked the Sanef site, but I cannot make head nor tail of the small print. Thanks Roger

Yes I travel this route every six weeks or so whilst my new build in 82 is ongoing. I think that we are talking about a new 'Aire' under construction here - in typically wacky French style I might add. No sign of any peages at all when I came back on 18 May. I too use the doofer thingy which is one of the best decisions I ever took - I am almost always alone so no dashing around the front of the car and fumbling with small change - it's worth its weight in gold - well almost! Roger

Surely the reason that windows generally open inwards in France, is so that they can be opened in hot weather with the shutters still closed? Different requirements altogether in UK. We are in the midst of a new build and fortunately we are aware of the potential issues with thin or under-insulated interior walls, and have therefore  raised the spec on this.  This is a highly relevant factor of which all new build-ers should be aware. I have to say though, that the original post did come across overall as a bit over the top to me.  Best of luck with it though! Roger

I have used http://www.interchangefx.co.uk/ several times now in relation to my new build. I find them very reliable, no charges, and got 1.474 on Friday. Over time you can build up a good relationship with your allotted account manager, and they send you daily market reports if you wish. Unfortunately my Stone Age French Bankers CA NMP charge 20 Euros just to receive it if over 12k Euros. I'll never slag off English banks again! Roger

Kathie, We are in the process of a new house build in 82, and we have been quoted under 22k Euro for a conventionally built 10 x 5 pool + Roman end + including all fttings, installation etc. This does not include any terrasse work however. Other types of pool may be cheaper, but we did not explore those seriously. The devis was provided by Big Mat in Montauban and we are very happy with it. Their service in other matters has been really excellent to date, and I have seen examples of their work. From talking to others, including French people, this seems a fair quote. They did make a site inspection before quoting, which I am told, not everyone does, which seems a bit daft to me. Best regards, Roger

Hi ZRX, We were drifting off topic anyaway! I plan to leave one of my bikes in the UK and bring the older one to France permananetly next year. With the latter I can run it on my UK insurance and plates for a period of up to 60 days legally, before the insurance lapses. The bike as far as I know does not require a valid UK tax disc whilst in France, but it will have a current MoT whether that is required or not. If I wish to keep riding after that there are French insurers who will cover me (at a price) on English plates for up to 12 months in total, after which I am legally obliged to register the bike in France or take it off the road. This should give me sufficient time to wrestle with the frog bureaucracy, but if not I will lay it up until such time as I either sell it or succeed in re-registration. I am reasonably sure of the above but no doubt someone will put me right if not! Cheers Roger

>>Lunch next summer somewhere halfway.<< I'll hold you to that Bill - we are probably less than 100 miles apart. A bientot, Roger

Hello GSPD, If you are the same chap I think you are, I recently sold you a GPS unit. The world is truly very small. Can't help you on your questions really, as our house in 82 is not yet completed, but I do plan to keep my GSPD Classic there from next summer onwards, so I shall be keeping a keen eye on this thread. My other bike is a 1200GS which will remain on English plates for the forseeable future. Like you I shall be spending a lot of my French time working on and riding old airheads, so maybe a meet may be on the cards in the coming year or two! Best of luck with your query and your bikes. Roger

We are currently on the midst of a new build near to Lavit de Lomagne, which seems relatively undiscovered by Brits as far as I can see. (Having said that people will now no doubt emerge from the woodwork to prove me wrong!) I know of only two other Brit couples down there, and half of one of those is actually Australian anyway. I have to say that this is how I like things to be - but my opinions on this may change when we actually become resident sometime next year! This year we spent two most enjoyable weeks in a villa near St Antonin, so we are getting to know the whole departement bit by bit on each trip. Anyhow, good luck and maybe our paths will cross in the near future, Roger H

If you are considering 82 within a radius of say, 75km of Montauban, please feel free to PM me.   Thanks   Roger

Gert, We should only have to decorate internally, once the kitchen is fitted. Regarding the driveway, yes, this involves digging out a track of approximately 80 metres from the lane, and surfacing with hardcore and gravel. As I recall the connection to EDF and water comes to about E3500 of the total quoted above. We had an idea of what we wanted, discussed with the builder and his architect (all inclusive) came up with a great design straight off the bat. Although we only have 120 sq m above the sous sol, we are having a 4th bedroom and large bathroom actually in the sous sol together with a double garage, utility room, etc. Only the rear of the sous sol is actually below ground level as the plot is sloping. This way we can accomodate most of the family on their freebie (they think!) holidays. The builder is a small firm who came highly recommended not only by Brits but by many French customers as well. I inspected two of his most recent houses thoroughly before I committed. Please do not hesitate to ask should you have any further questions. Roger

Hello Gert,   We are having a house built in 82 currently and everything seems to be going smoothly so far - although we are only up to the sous sol at the moment. We are using a highly recommended builder from Montauban who provides a full service incuding architects drawings etc. One of the downsides, however, is the time scale involved - we were quoted 11 months from breaking of the sod to handing over the keys, and this does seem to be the norm in this area at any rate. When I told the builder that in England they would build a complete street in that time he just gave a typical Gallic shrug - basically saying, "and your point is?" I love the French! We bought 4000 sq m of land overlooking a picturesque valley for around 38000 Euro, and building costs work out at approximately 1250 Euro per sq metere of surface habitable and somewhat less for the sous sol. 10 x 5 pool is quoted at about 25k euros inc terrasse. You also need to be aware of extras like the fosse septique, driveway access and connection of services etc, which in our case amounts to a total of 10,000 Euro or so. We are extemely happy with our deal, as all we have to do on completion is furnish the place and paint the outside - oh and an acre of landscaping as well! Oh yes, and a fitted kitchen will also be priced on top of the above. Of course these prices include carrelage, bathrooms, underfloor heating etc.   Hope this helps, Roger    

Hi all, We are currently having a house built in 82, with completion due around Christmas. In the meantime I would like to keep a BMW motorbike permanently at a friend's house nearby. As the bike is currently on German plates (don't ask!) I have the option of registering it here in the UK or in France, hopefully, which is where we will be living permanantly from 2006. My queries are therefore: 1) Can I register the bike in France even though I am not yet a resident? 2) Would it be possible to arrange French insurance, and if so would it be preferable to have it on French plates? Many thanks for any assistance, as advice on the net seems to be mainly car oriented. Roger    

Thanks for that reassurance Blackadder. I have made an offer this afternoon on a plot of 3900 sq metres. The views are superb from all angles and I am hopeful of success. Over the past week I have viewed renovation projects of all types and habitable houses with various degrees of work required etc, and have concluded that best value for me would be a new build, with all that this implies - no draughty winters - modern underfloor geothermic heating etc. and a blank canvas to start. We intend to use it as a holiday home for 2-3 years and then move lock stock and you-know-what after that. Another factor in this is that my wife suffers from rheumatoid arthtritis, and a home witha minimum of stairs and steps with mod cons is a priority. As I was typing I have just received a call from the agent to say that my bid was successful! Now the trials and tribulations really start, and I guess that I will be making much use of this site over the coming months - hopefully putting something back in as well as taking out. Thanks once again! Roger