Penny29
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Posts posted by Penny29
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LAST EDITED ON 13-Aug-04 AT 08:43 PM (BST)
Hi Sue,
Saw an advert in French News this week pointing people in direction of http://www.counsellinginfrance.com - maybe worth you checking it out?
Penny -
Mssge in your inbox
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Hi,
I used to get the 7am Limoges flight from STN - used to check in around 5.30am, but the place was already buzzing at that time - I got the impression people had been there for many hours and that check-in had been going on for some time.
Penny -
Hi,
Does anyone know of an online shop or chain of shops in France where one can buy caravan accesories and specialist cleaning products. I have tried all sorts of searches but keep coming up with car cleaning shampoos sold by Castorama!
I am in Dept 24 between Perigueux and Limoges.
Penny -
Gwen,
I'm absolutely 100% confident that this has been comprehensively covered somewhere in the forum within the past 18 months. Have you tried doing a search using words like "checklist", "moving house" etc.
If I remember where it was I'll post the thread.
Penny -
Just to finish the story.
The carte gris arrived in the post this morning.
We took it down to the insurance company where they copied it and changed our details on their computer) - 5 minutes.
Went to the garage where we got the car CT'd - showed them the carte grise - the receptionist got on the phone and ordered the new plates (E24 including installation), the CT documen did not need to be amended. We are to go back tomorrow morning with the carte grise and they will fix the new plates on - she said this should take 5 minutes.
Then we are done!!!!! (Now if only my French tax return turns out to be so easy......................)
Penny -
Hi,
We are having a lot of work done on our house at the moment entailing much (soooooo much) cheque writing, but recently there was a delay until our new cheque book arrived so we had to draw E2000 out of our French bank a/c via the cash point over several days in order to pay various delivery drivers when they turned up with materials etc (the drivers mostly can't take payment by CB).
Fine, we thought, no problem.
Then our bank started phoning us - was it correct we had drawn X amount of cash out on X days?
Fine, we thought - they are obviously security minded and are making sure that our cards have not been stolen (our French bank a/c is normally very inactive).
But then there were more questions - why did we draw cash, what for, who did we pay, where did we get the money from in the first place, were we working? (This despite the fact that we have always promptly written to the bank's HQ each time we have transferred cash from the UK explaining how we realised the sum in the first place).
I accept that the banks have to be careful about both security and money laundering but I have to say that I found all these questions extremely intrusive. We have nothing to hide - everything we pay out is carefully recorded and receipted but I do feel that the bank is merely our money storage device (expensive in charges too) and that it is our own business what we do with our money - cash, cheque or CB!
This, combined with their monthly charges is making me seriously consider changing banks but I just wondered if this is, perhaps, normal for ALL French banks. If it is then there is little point in changing - apparently one must be regarded as a potential criminal/launderer if one dares to draw cash!
Has anyone else experienced this?
Penny -
Hi Saligo,
I've seen your other thread on the size of the bedrooms in your potential new house and I can't help feeling that you should, maybe, walk away from this one.
I'll just be blunt and you can tell me to get stuffed if you like!
It sounds like an awful lot of money for not a lot of house.
It sounds like either the vendor or the estate agent is playing games.
From some of your other postings I'm not convinced you like the geographical area or the house that much either!!!
Perhaps you have house-hunting fatigue and just want to get settled (can understand that!) but better to hesitate now than make a costly mistake that you will regret for years. We did the same when we were looking and almost made a mistake by buying an "Not quite what I want but it will do" house because I was soooo desperate for a home of my own. I'm glad we walked away and waited.
Penny
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Hi,
There are lots of threads within this topic on the subject & obviously we all have our favourite methods. If I were you I would read all the relevant postings under "finance" then you can make an informed decision. Boring, I know, but I would suggest you read every posting.
For us, it is www.hifx.com everytime.
Penny -
Hi,
We had something very similar turn up on our asbestos report and the "panels" turned out to be nothing more than detachable screen-type-thingies that the old lady here hung on the outside of a non-shuttered door and window during the winter to keep out the cold. We asked for them to be removed and the vendors daughter simply came and unhinged the things and took them away in her car - so, it could be that simple, you just need to ask more questions, I think.
Penny -
Hi,
I am laid up with a wickedly bad back at the moment after doing something really stupid. But just wanted to say that I have found a really brilliant osteopath in Perigueux (just in case anyone else is in need). Laurent is French, speaks fluent English (but encourages one to practice French conversation during treatment) and his wife, Gillian, is English by birth but speaks fluent French. They are both highly qualified (in fact Laurent is nationally recognised and trains other osteopaths)& run a proper practice in the middle of town. Treatment is E50 for 1/2hour.
If anyone needs address and telephone number please let me know.
I would highly recommend them.
Penny -
Hi Carly,
I'll answer just from our own experience & don't claim to be an expert!
1. Our house ceased to be advertised at the immobiliers only after the Acte was signed, but no-one (to our knowledge) was shown round the house after our offer had been accepted. I think the signing of the compromis safeguards against gazzumping.
2. Mostly NOTHING is left in a French house, not even a ceiling rose, overhead light fitting or light bulb. If you have agreed that certain goods are included in the sale then you must make sure they are detailed in the compromis. Having said all that, we were very lucky as the lady who sold this to us was moving from a large farmhouse to a small town house so when we moved in we were delighted to find that she'd left us lots of unexpected gifts - a wood burning insert, enough chopped wood for 6 months, light fittings and bulbs, an old cooker & loads and loads of farming/gardening equipment. But this type of generosity is unusual - most people I know bought the structure and nothing much else in the way of fittings was left!
3. Yes, the alternative to adaptor plugs is to get down to any Brico/supermarket and buy about 25+ French plugs, then sit down with a screwdriver and a small glass of wine and painstakingly change all your appliances over to French plugs (but check out other threads for advice on big things like washing machines/cookers). There is a good thread on here somewhere with instructions on how to change a French plug.
Penny -
Hi,
I do know from friends of ours that EDF and Sogedo will happily send the bills to a UK address. Don't suppose this helps much!
Penny -
Hi,
I found the points you raised in your posting very thought provoking.
Yes, I guess we could have moved to the countryside in the UK but there were a number of reasons we didn't do this:-
1. It wouldn't have been half as exciting.
2. We could not afford it (unless prepared to consider Outer Hebrides or similar. Brrrrrr)
For me the challenge of learning to live and converse in a new language is one of the big plus points of moving abroad. I feel a wonderful sense of achievement when we manage to make ourselves understood and/or get something ordered/organised. Each day we learn something new or experience something different - such a change from the jaded city lives we lived back in the UK.
As for ever going back - all I can say is I hope not. We are an itchy feet couple so I doubt we will stay in France forever, but who knows. If not there are plenty more countries in the world to explore and many more languages to master. I would see returning to the UK as a retrograde step.
Penny -
Hi,
In my opinion a SORN does not really apply, so by the letter of the law you should now notify Swansea that the camper has been exported to France and then ensure the vehicle is re-registered, controle techniqued and insured in France.
Others will disgree with me.
See lively discussion in thread below this entitled "Still using your UK car".
Penny -
Someone called Rosina inboxed me to ask if my "spare" builder would go as far as ST Matthieu - the answer is YES, but I've managed to delete the original mail from my inbox and can't trace the sender & reply to her through the LF Forum. So..... Rosina, if you get this message can you ring Stewart! His phone number is on the website I gave you. Sorry!
Penny -
HI,
Why don't you try www.canvasholidays.co.uk
They are selling off 4 year old refurnished mobile homes - 2 proper bedrooms with wardrobes, proper shower room, dining/lounge area plau galley kitchen complete with oven, hob, fridge and heating throughout. They are currectly on off er at 2995 with free delivery. We are awaiting delivery of ours - we think it is really good value for money.
Penny -
HI Jaybee,
Okay - try this as it worked for me and I've had no excess charges for the 20 odd months we've been in France. I'm doing this from memory to avoid having to sign off myself!
1. Go to your sign on screen
2. Choose the option "Add a new location"
3. Make France your location 2
4. Scroll down list and highlight France
5. Opt for the number which says (I think) Offre tout compris.
6. Click save.
If this doesn't work for you then come back to me as it probably means I've missed out a step (hard to describe every step when the right screen isn't in front of you).
Penny -
Hi,
I hope this won't be pulled off as advertising cos it isn't really. It's just that I have a builder going spare in the Dordogne and someone might like him!
What has happened is that renovations have started on our house & my builders didn't book any more jobs in for the rest of the year as they thought we would have enough to keep them occupied.
These plans have all gone rapidly down the swanny due to our planning permission being knocked back (and also because we can't yet vacate the house as we were let down at the last moment on a caravan)........... it now looks likely that the majority of our building work will have to be carried out next spring, so our builders are likely to finish here mid - end September and I feel dreadfully guilty about the situation.
I'm also aware that many people out there are looking for builders and don't want to wait ages and ages for them to start work - so, in effect, I am offering up a cancellation!
Before anyone asks, the builders are British, fully registered with SIRET numbers. They are skilled in electrics, plumbing, roofing, tiling etc. I have been very happy with the standard of work they have so far completed for me (removing walls, exposing and renovating beams, fitting kitchen, repairing roof, re-wire etc) and would be happy for anyone to come and view the work they have done here.
I am not connected with these builders in any way other than that they are currently doing work for me. I just hope someone out there may be in need and that, in some way, by doing this I can alleviate my own guilt in what I see as letting them down!
If anyone wants details please message my inbox.
Penny -
What an excellent idea!
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Trocs (esp Troc De L'Isle (See Pages Jeunes for your local ones)
Emmaus (string of charity shops - check the Pages Jeunes)
Brocantes
Vide greniers (boot sales - will be advertised by posters in your local towns).
www.pagesjeaunes.fr (you can search in English)
Penny -
Hi,
I'd love to hear all your worst/funniest/dirtiest/most bizarre guest stories! Can all you gite owners share and give us all a laugh?
I was cleaning gites for a friend last year and had a Most Embarrassed Guest moment when (we thought the property was empty after all it was long past "gettig out time")I went in to clean the bathroom and a VERY large naked lady was exiting from the shower bum-first. I don't know who's face was the reddest.
The rudest guests were those who arrived 5 hours before "letting in" time and refused to go away. They walked back and forth with their luggage all over the floors that we were in the process of mopping, pushed past us to put food in the fridge WHILE we were in the process of cleaning it, and treated us like dirt. We felt we could not be rude as the gite belonged to friends who were desperate for business.
The dirtiest guests were the ones who left what looked like a weeks dirty washing up in the sink, scummy bath, used condoms in the beds, a fat-coated cooker, overflowing rubbish bins and toilets which had to be seen to be believed.
Penny
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Hi,
I looked into this when we lived in London - there are quite a few websites if you type in a search under animal/house sitting services, but none that I could find gave any inkling of their charges.
We always ended up putting the animals in kennels/catteries, and trusting the house security to the alarm system and watchful neighbours. Just before we left for France I noticed that someone in our local vets was advertising house/pet sitting services so you could also explore that avenue.
Had "free" house sitters twice when young friends (20 year olds)were anxious to have a few weeks break away with their boyfriends and "play house". One couple were superb, the second lot had parties, left the house in a disgusting state and broke things - after that I said never again! -
Jackie,
Have you any small outbuildings?
Just a thought as I used to stay in a holiday cottage (small) in Cornwall and (at one time) there was no washing m/c in the accommodation but the owner had put a machine (and freezer) in a small sort-of-shed thing near her own house and tenants were allowed to go and use those facilities whenever they wanted to. There was an hoesty box and you just dropped a pound coin in whenever you used it to cover the leccy.
Lack of a washing machine would put me off but I wouldn't be too bothered if it wasn't actually in the cottage/gite itself.
Penny
E106 eligibility etc.
in Health
Posted
It might be worth mentioning the following:
1. E106's are issued on a calender year basis i.e. January - December for a maximum of two years. This means that if you tell Newcastle you are moving out from September you will only get 14 months cover whereas if you tell them that you are "officially" moving out in January 2005 you will get the max 24 months cover.
You may well decide that it is worth taking the risk of relying on E111's for your first 3 1/2 months here. This is a risk only you can decide on whether to take or not - technically you should have proper French health cover from the moment you decide to be resident here. You also need to weigh up the costs should either of you need serious but non-emergency healthcare in France before January 2005.
Much depends on whether you are renting for the initial period - if you are, then in my opinion, your first 89 days here are very much a "holiday-cum-making-your-mind-up time" and so the E111 is definitely more applicable than the E106.
2. Secondly, the years on which your NI records will be checked are for the last two closed tax years BEFORE the year in which your E106 is issued. This is unnecessarily complicated merely because (stupidly) in the UK the "benefit years" (such as E106) run January - Dec but eligibility is based on NI records for tax years April 6th - April 5th!
I'll try to explain!
Say you tell Newcastle that you are moving to France in Sept 2004. The E106 will run Sept 2004 - Dec 31st 2005 BUT theoretically this E106 started in January 2004 (although you don't use it until the Sept) - therefore the NI records checked will be for the last two COMPLETED tax years before January 2004 i.e. April 6th 2002 - April 5th 2003 and April 2001 - April 2002.
But if you tell Newcastle you are moving out from January 2005 then different tax years apply - the E106 will be issued in 2005 and so the last two completed tax years taken into a/c will be April 2003 - April 2004 and 2002/03.
3. As you have rightly guessed the years you claimed SEE (Small Earnings Exemption) will show up as blanks on your NI record & can't be counted towards your individual E106 but as others have said below you will be able to attach to your husband's E106.
Penny