Tonyf

I can't help but have noticed that there are a lot more businesses dealing in various aspects of French commerce that are using 0800 numbers. I was approached some months ago by one of these telephone companies offering me an 0800 number that would transfer direct to my French business phone because 1.  It gives the impression that it is not an international call. 2   It is untraceable by the French authorities if you are working in France. Needless to say, I declined.  But maybe this is worth bearing in mind if you are solicited by such  business.      

I posted information concerning an UK Ltd Company Agent in Pré en Pail.  This company is about to be struck off by Companies House and I thought it a relevant piece of information for prospective purchasers. It was delected by Forum Admin. Nonetheless it is a matter of public record so have a look at thelink below. Is this forum for the benefit of advertisers/potential advertisers or those seeking and buying property or living in France? http://wck2.companieshouse.gov.uk/7c063da3f055d733f9922afd15dc2c7f//compdetails

[quote]Hi We have recently signed a Compromis de Vente on a house but have yet to receive it, so still not in the 7 day cooling off period. (we are now back in the UK) However, we are making further enquiri...[/quote] Sad, but it never fails to amaze my how people sign a contract without full understanding of what he transaction entails. The best advice is to get professional advice.  It will cost, but there are lots of folk who buy first, complain later and unfortunately did so without taking the requisite care, that one would have undoubtedly done, had they been buying a house in the UK where they speak the language.  

A Mandat de Recherche is the LEGAL French method in which a business or agent may find a property for a client. It therefore clearly shows that those Brits who work as illegal estate agents, but describe themselves as 'property finders', are working illegally. Why don't these people just go legal?

Jim Davidson in the Mayenne is extremely professional and reliable.  he is also registered as an architect in France and the UK.  A good guy and recommended. www.davidson-architect.com

A person selling a house doesn't pay any fees to the immoblier.  But if you think that the addition of his fees puts the price into the realms of it being unrealistic, then either advertise privately or reduce your price. Immobiliers do vary as far as being pro-active it concerned, so you would be well advised, if using the immobilier route to put it with as many as possible.  The ones who are more pro-active will invariably do better. As for buyers using an immobilier, visiting a property and then negotiating his fees down, it's a bit like using a service such as a builder and paying him half.  He had performed his function, you visited properties with him knowing what his fees were and then looked to move the goalposts. If you don't want to pay the fees, don't use an immobilier. It's no wonder our name is as it is in France.

Termite inspections Mayenne   ........... there's one..........................................there's another one ......................there's one   

Hi Freddie It is becoming common that many agencies will ask for a potential clients full name and adress and a telephone number before booking an appointment.  I think this is understandable because I am sure there are timewasters or no-showers. However, for me, the alarm bells start ringing if an agent has omitted to disclose their address, or home/office telephone number on their web site.  If I were to request the information and be refused, I would run a mile.  Is this what you are saying Hunters Club did???

.... the government always gets in.

I think you may find that they were part of a recent 'cull' by the gendarmes in Mayenne of 'english property sites'.  They may well still be in operation because they do building, although there are local artisans who may wish to dispute that. I have noticed though, since the start of this thread, that the site appears to be dead.

QUOTE "In the UK there is no law that says you have to put your Ltd company number in an advert, neither do you have to put a French SIRET number in an advert place in a UK paper or magazine." And there, ladies and gentlemen, is the bottom line.  Living France magazine has no legal obligation to ensure that it's advertisers are legal or otherwise in France.  However, given that the magazine is designed to inform and assist enthusiasts of France and/or property hunters, it chooses to drop short of providing protection. It takes a second to ad to the advertising form a space for a SIRET number or alternatively run a short disclaimer, advising the reader of the pitfalls of employing clandestine labour. Better still, why not an informative article on the subject.  but that probably would upset some of the advertisers. There is no getting away from the hypocrisy of it all and the £££ dictates all. Just because someone might have a little dig at LF, don't keep saying, find another forum.  I like it here and am sticking around. Final word.  CHECK OUT SIRET NUMBERS and PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS of all workers and estate agents etc or on your head be it. That wasn't shouted.  It was spoken quietly but with emphasis.    

I think that is absolutely spot on Bob. My understanding is that 'French News', an often maligned publication, actually ask for a SIRET number from their advertisers as a matter of course.  So, given LF's desire to regulate this forum so vigorously, why don't they protect their redership in the same way.  Simply, it's a question of revenue as you say and therefore DOUBLE STANDARDS. Sabine, who replied to me by PM, is legal and trying to earn an honest living.  What a shame the her information was delected.  However, she has a web site and it was very interesting. Oh well, at least you got a reply.    

Thanks for that Gay.  Am I losing it???? I'll post it again.  

I posted a reply in the earning a Living in France section.  It was in response to a post by Living France and it doesn't appear.  Can the moderators please confirm whether it has been received or removed because there is no trace of it.

I have no complaints about the codes of conduct, I am merely pointing out the irony that Living France police this forum rigorously, which is fair enough to stop folk putting forward their businesses etc. (whether they be legal in France or not) Yet for a few bob, one can advertise a clandestine, probably uninsured business, with the same group. Just a thought.  I have no businesses in France or UK but am happy to see the honest commerçants do well.

No worries Quillan and thanks for your frank and honest message Sabine. Seems somewhat ironic that Living France, one of the most frequently used mediums by and for, the furtherance of the clandestine market in France, (for which they take a pretty penny) seek to restrict a genuine, legal business.

Hi sabine, Nice web site, and you may be right as far as your professinal activities are concerned.  Your definition of 'other personal services' on the greffe can cover a multitude of activitities.  I suppose you could say that the property side of the business is a sort of 'personal shopper' for the house hunter. I think your activity is similar to that offered by 'Oui Can Help' (referred to on here ad nauseam).  But I am interested to ask what your charges are for property hunting. It may work, good luck to you if it does.

Let's be honest, no one likes a gendarme and they do nothing amongst their community to change that attitude.  They are watched by the locals as they drive into, and when they drive out of, every village. Skivving???  I used to think so, in that they only bothered to stop motorists.  However, in this area (53 Mayenne) they have been a lot more pro-active, particularly against UK cars and residents.  They are starting to follow and stop vans with tools to check if someone is working on the black, they are also calling on local brits with non FR car plates and have, to my knowledge, pulled in over six local 'estate agents' working on the black or without the proper papers.  there is a even a local gendarme who speaks good english.  The tide may have turned.    

This has some relevance to the previous thread on Agent Commercials. Recently there have been more and more 'property finding services' spring up in an attempt to say 'we don't sell houses, we've just find them and refer them on to the Immobilier'. Sorry to say, for those folks, it's over.  Any work relating to the sale of houses is encompassed in the new law, details of which the Mayenne prefecture distributed to Immobiliers this week.  Special reference was made to property consultancies who profit from the sale of property.  Their referral and or involvement must be declared by the Immobilier, whether or not they are paid a commission by that immobilier or privately by the buyer.  Non-disclosure by the Immobilier will invoke extremely severe penalties. Worst still for the Immobiliers is that further implications of the new law spell huge problems for those who have a number of offices and only one holder of a carte verte.  Each individual office will have to have a 'carte verte' holder in permanent situ before 1st March 2005 or will have to close, or be closed down by the fraud. The bigger agencies in our area, such as Zambon, Normandimmo and Nord Ouest Immobilier may have to down size or take on their staff as salaried.  

St Aignan de Couptrain (53) is part of the survey, however not in Pré en Pail, Neuilly le Vendin or Couptrain.

Will I agree that that folk should buy at the french price but, as you know, many pay well over the odds for no other reason that they are not clued up. Personally, I think the name similarity is no co-incidence.  However, if he decides tio bring the discrepencies in pricing to the notice of possible house hunters, good for him.  if it serves to help local businesses, (I would hope that they would be registered etc.) then again, it can only be of assistance to all concerned. Perhaps a 'black' tradesman site is the answer.  Name and shame! Is there a contact email on the site??? if so, and you have a legit business, why not put forward a listing?

I know the guy who is writing the site.  As far as I am aware it is a free listing and advice site.  I think it is primarily designed to bring people's attention to some of the intermediary property sites that are around and that it is possible for purchasers to buy their property at thesame price as the french would have bought it, instruct only registered and insured building workers and, if they need their hands held in settling in, find a firm who charge a set fee, rather than have it added onto the price of the property itself. I think there's an email link on the site itself and that the links are working.  Try it out.

There is one listed in the artisan section of mayenneproperties.fr

There is one listed in the artisans section of mayenneproperties.fr

Ad in FPN this month from an Immobilier who is looking for Agent Commercials throughout France. An opportunity , at least for many 'estate agents' to get legal. Don't know about pay/commission etc email to [email protected]