Julie Clare

Thanks for that info idun.  It goes to prove you need to do a lot of your own investigation into these things before commiting.  What started all this off was visiting a restaurant recently which had one installed and we were very impressed with the amount of heat given off for the minimal amount of fuel being used.  Obviously all is not what it seems![8-)]

Thanks very much for your comprehensive answer.  I appreciate your input.  I have also read the links on the forum that you gave me and I have to say that they are begining to confirm our suspicions re on-cost. Although we are not looking to run our water system from it, we tick over quite nicely with our chauffe d'eau - there are only 2 of us.   One of our major concerns was the storage and from what I gather from yourself and the other contributers means we would be looking at spending as much on somewhere dedicated to keeping the pellets dry as on the heater itself!  You have given us much to ponder on[I]

Hello, looking for info from anyone brave enough to have installed a wood pellet stove.  Owing to our advancing age, OH and I are begining to think we will not be wanting to be stacking a cord of fire wood away in the cold and wet in a few years time!  Hence the pellet burner theory. At the moment we have an insert wood burner which vents warm air upstairs as well and as our house is now pretty well insulated, we managed to get through last winter just using that.  What we  would like to know is the unknown on cost of electricity as these stoves are need it to function.  The lady in the store we have just visited said about the cost of running a 60 watt light bulb per hour, which leaves me aprehensive!  Also where to stack a pallet-load of pellets, we have a decent sized woodshed, but the mouse problem concerns me, will we have to put in something mouse-proof?  More on cost.  I would be grateful for any feedback on your experiences.

Hi there, moving to Burgundy(Cote d'Or) soonish - anyone out there tinker with repairs to HIFi equipment (Audio Innovations valve amp + Project turntable).  Or, can anyone recommend a reputable firm they have used themselves?  Would be most gratefull for any info! Thanks Julie Clare

Hi there, Are there any machine knitters out there ?  Relocating to France and taking my machine, has anybody found French web sites where you can buy wool on cones.  I have found sites but they all sell by the ball.  Also French knitting terms for patterns, anyone know where I can find a translation ? Much obliged for any info.  I will be based in the Burgundy area. Thanks

That sounds even more optomistic !   Many thanks for link Sunday driver ! [:D]

Ron, thanks very much for info .  I will make sure we check that out ! All the best[:)]

Thanks for that Bob.[:)]

Hello,    What is the general concensus on where to pay income tax. Myself and OH are due to come out and live in about a years time . Now that Mr Brown has done away with the 10% lower tax bracket, the remainder of our meagre pension pot might stretch further under the French tax system looking at some of the post in this forum.  We will both be 61 when we come over, I will have my O A pension plus we both have small occupational pensions, totalling about £13000 per year.  What would be our best option? Thanks in advance for any info ![8-)]

Hi Ron, Thanks for info, very useful !  I do speak reasonable French, I just wondered which out of the miriad of providers were considered userfriendly and reasonable value. Thanks for your advice Julie[kiss]

 Hi Ab,    Plasterboard -  new drylining. Julie

Hi Mattjazz,     Sounds like what I need, has it a French name and brand, and can I get it in Big Mat or Weldoms (ex Maxibrico)?  We need to paint newly dry lined walls.  When we first bought the house, we made the mistake of slapping vinyl emulsion on everything, then wondered why it blistered and peeled off !! Thanks again Julie

Thanks for message, had that one in mind, but wasn't sure whether they were the right sort, obviously they would be OK. I can get that in UK and take over.  It is new dry lined walls we would be painting.  We have a problem with damp stone walls that we need to rectify, and are working on that one, but I don't want to seal more damp in so am seeking a non vinyl distemper -type paint. Cheers  Julie

Hi everyone,    Still relatively new to this site, so bear with me .  I have been reading posts about E121 covering spouses or not, and am wondering how this will apply to us.  Here's the scenario.  In late 2008/early 2009, my husband and I are coming over to live in France. I will be in receipt of my old age gov. pension (not full as not quite enough contributions), and he will be in receipt of a small NHS pension from a former job. I suppose for the first year or so we will have the E106, but then when I claim my E121, will he be included on mine do you think until he is 65 and can claim in his own right, he will be 62 by then .  Having read the other posts, the o/h is either much younger than claimant or still working, neither of which applies to us.         Also, as we will be on a very tight budget, can anyone recommend a reasonable insurance plan for top ups and are there any English speaking ones ? Thank you all in advance for your help !! Julie  (cote d'or)[8-)]

Hi, Can anyone enlighten me to where I can buy breathable interior paint please and what the brand name is ? Thanks a bunch, Julie (Cote d'or)

Does anyone know if there is a book swap service in English up and running in the Cote d'or/ Burgudy area ? If not , would there be any interest in starting one ?  We will be moving permanently to the Morvan area in about a year to 18 months.  

Many thanks Val !

Thanks Clair !

Don't know if this is the right section but re.TVA @5.5%  My electrician has sent me the new form to fill in to qualify for the reduced tax on our rewiring job. We still live in England at the moment so can anyone who is familiar with this document tell me the following: On the declaration form there are 2 places where you have to put your name and address, commune etc one of which is obviouly the place where the work is to be done , but the other one which begins Je soussigne - should I put my English address and if so , will it jeopardise my chance of being eligible ?  Also at the bottom where you sign it has Fait a... as on cheques, there again do I put England  ??  Sorry to be a pain but need to get it right !

Can any of you kind souls enlighten me as to what the ownership time is before you are exempt from CGT in France.  We have owned our house for six years and are considering selling ours and moving to somewhere needing less in the way of renovation as we are nearing retirement and it is becoming a bit of a `money pit'!  We have been told by friends that it is 15 years, is this correct ?  If so, is there a sliding scale before that? Many thanks Julie (Cote d'or)

Robert, Hi,           Can you help, I have a friend who has a house in Hesdin.  Before Xmas he received his Taxe d'habitation bill, which included the sum of 116 euros for a tv licence as is usual in France now.  I on his behalf, penned a letter to his tax dept, explaining that as he was still renovating the house and was not resident in Hesdin, he had no tv.  He has just received another bill from them demanding the money !  Has he got to pay this regardless ?  We have a house in Burgundy and were sent a letter separately, asking us whether or not we had the means of receiving tv, to which we replied no, as we are in thbe same position as my colleague.  Our bill arrived with just the Taxe d'habitation, so can you suggest what he should do now? Gratefully Julie

Hi Val,      This means then, that because we will both be 60,  I will be able to get documentation to say I am a pensioner, but my husband wont as he is not 65.  What would be our  cheapest form of getting cover as we are coming out on early retirement funds plus my pension. If we got a form E106 before we leave England, that would cover him or us for 2 years I believe. Can you renew these to take us up to his 65th birthday ?  Also, what proportion would we have to top up with a mutuel ? Thanks for your help ! Julie  

Hi Val,      This means then, that because we will both be 60,  I will be able to get documentation to say I am a pensioner, but my husband wont as he is not 65.  What would be our  cheapest form of getting cover as we are coming out on early retirement funds plus my pension. If we got a form E106 before we leave England, that would cover him or us for 2 years I believe. Can you renew these to take us up to his 65th birthday ?  Also, what proportion would we have to top up with a mutuel ? Thanks for your help ! Julie  

Thanks Mike,        Looks like we will have to leave here a bit later than we planned then ! Cheers Julie

Hi, This sort of falls under this topic. Can anyone tell me whether they get their winter fuel allowance from the UK when over 60 in France ? Thanks Julie