Porth

For my sins I was a senior employee with Cable and Wireless as well as being a lawyer.  Sky as we know it is only destined to be received in the UK.  Fact and absolute fact.  Taking the card out of the UK and despite continuing to pay the monthly fee does not absolve you from what is a breach of contract.  Fact and absolute fact once more. Again it is what is in your mind which actually dictates what offence you are commiting.  If you think what the hell they will not know for I am outside the minimum contract period and the telephone is disconnected I cannot be doing any wrong. You are but equally has anyone incurred the displeasure of Sky by taking the card outside of the UK.  There must be thousands of people within France and Spain who continue to view programmes but technically and very technically they are in breach of the contract between themselves and Sky. Some of you will remember the threads of many years ago when people were taking advantage of say twenty four hours return and promotional fares on the ferry but not intending at all to return.  Thus your mind is saying what the hell I am going to do it they will not realise what is going on.  However what is really going on is a form of conspiracy in your mind and your intent is both to deceive and defraud. Mute point but what difference does it now make I am retired wigs and gowns are a thing of the past.   rdgs

I am afraid and this despite being a lawyer of many years standing that I agree.  However even in the UK we have good bad and indifferent lawyers.  You pay your money and take your chance.  However in the UK if a Solicitor who is 'on the roll' does not do a good job then there are lots (and yes I know defensive measures at times) opportunities to take the firm to their professional body. Question for you in that you are spending circa £200K on a house. What would you do in the UK? would you check everything question everything do not take anything that anyone says at first value.  In essence be on your guard for the test is wherever let the buyer beware. I personally (and please do not sue me) is that I would do lots of legwork locally talk to people talk to the notaire talk to the bar owner whatever for if you deal with a Lawyer in the UK thats all its is someone that is remote from the scene.   If you really do need a good lawyer in the UK then those with the absolute greatest of respect that advertise in various publications may not be the type of firm that you need to deal with.   I have some at the tip of my tongue but I am not allowed to let you have the information.  However as in everything good advice is not cheap and sometimes even if expensive it is no good.   rdgs

Obviously stranger things have happened at sea!  However geography was never my most interesting subject at school hence my becoming a lawyer. In saying that surely the nuclear power station is up on the top of the pennisular and to the left of Cherbourg. Are we suggesting that the new proposals are coming down the pennisular and then basically cutting across towards St Sever then cutting back again and down through Rennes the Loire and then down through Bordeaux and to Espagne? Know nothing about topography or geography but surely that is madness.  I can tell you that there are huge ducts in the ocean bed between England and France and then to Spain which carry telephone calls and there is surplus capacity in the channels so perhaps................ I think that the wine producers in the Loire then down through Bordeaux then the Corbieres and again Languedoc will have something to say about this. Is there something which authenticates the information that is currently before us! In any event go to the restaurant near the power station and which overlooks Jersey and Guernsey its quite good.  Is its name Semaphore?   kind regards    

thank you for your help.

Good evening we have today exchanged contracts on our house and will move out to our existing house next month. Unfortunately and due to some legal work I do I will have to return to the UK from time to time leaving therefore my wife in France. Whilst away I would like to arrange for my wife and my vehicle to have roadside assistance. We are bringing our two rhd vehicles with us.  Is there please such a thing as the equivalent of the RAC or AA in France? and on the question of car insurance do we go to our agent who dealt with lots of things for our house (he is AXA man) to get insurance of rhd vehicles.  Is there please any problems in getting insurance for rhd cars?   rdgs    

ok and thanks a bit premature of me obviously.  I will look forward to a response but it is nice to think it does work.   kind regards

I too saw this advert contained within the magazine.  Thought ok lets see what they can or cannot do! Correctly filled in the enquiry form received notification that it had been received and they would come back to me.   That was five days ago.  Perhaps they are infected with the malaise that seemingly infects French banking?   Perhaps the Forum Administrator would take that aboard and whilst I do understand that they cannot vouch for any or all of the articles which appear in the magazine it should be the case that if an article is written about a new service that the appropriate safeguards and undertakings should be in place?   rdgs

thanks

My I preface this by saying that wife and I are not getting divorced.......we have been through that before and have the scars both financial and others. Briefly a friend of ours is a UK national married to a UK national but have lived in France for many years. The marriage took place in the UK. There are no children by this marriage but from previous marriages there are.   They separated some two years ago sold their house and have lived apart. There is some considerable difference between them in years and the Husband has now petitioned for divorce in France.  Is this possible please and can the French courts apply French divorce law against UK nationals who are living in France.  I thought (and I know nothing) that UK law and not French law applies to divorce. I think I may be wrong.  Please can someone help for we are supporting our friend and have to go in front of the Tribunal very shortly.   kind regards and thanks in advance.

Please do not believe that if you make a 'tax loss' on renting your French property that the 'loss' can be set against your PAYE income and thus you will pay less tax on your 'day job'   Not so the letting side stands alone and indeed if you have a benefit from using the house as in say a company car then you must declare that portion of the benefit. Any loss is carried forward against future income from the letting process.   That at least is my advice from my Accountant.  He may be wrong!   regards

I find that strange in that our carpenter has just recently fitted two velux for us and when we converted our loft. Equally we have a first class roofer.  In both instances and without hesitation I would recommend both to you. If you were to send me a private email I could give your their names and addresses plus telephone numbers.   kind regards

Cjb I am not one of Outcast's creations and totally unrelated. Surely we can  disagree with each other have a meaningful discussion but at the end agree with the concept that we have differing ideas and without having to resort to personal and direct attacks. Obviously there is a comfort factor of sitting in front of a screen and letting loose. Here may I turn to education and indeed HE.  I have three degrees one earlier in life two later in life and at the grand old age of 50+.  No great deal anyone could and has done what I have done and indeed obtained better degrees. Facts later degrees were a 2.1 (Hons) in Law then Masters in Law then read for the Bar. However what had happened was that earlier I had spent some twenty five years in banking and reached the position of Regional Director.  My tutors Profs and the like kept on lecturing me on the law, I responded to the effect that whilst the law was the law reality in commerce was altogether different.  We could not agree and still do not agree.  They were only concerned with what the books said and not what reality taught. Whilst we had heated debates we still remain friends and from time to time I am called in to give lectures on reality in the commercial and banking sector.  That is what I call balance. Education and HE is not to be viewed as a rarified atmosphere and divorced from reality. Those who work within it are not to be considered as the only bastions what is good in our society.  Indeed there is a discourse here in the UK which goes along the route of why should our teachers and dare I say it the Police have protection pension wise when our colleagues in industry suffer the fate of capitalism and the god of shareholder value.  On that I am prepared to have an argument with you! Last point I am the son of a deceased Welsh miner.  Do you think I have views about Baroness Thatcher and the Miners Strike of 84/85.  Indeed it was the subject of my thesis.  Naturally I do and will argue my case until my last breath.  However what I do not do is to attack on a personal basis those who do not agree with my positioning. And here and just in case you think I came down in favour of the Miners....I did not it was two protagonists fighting for what they thought was right and having no consideration for their actions. Sorry I have gone offtrack but hope there is someone out there who will forgive me.  

I have just come off the phone (their call to me)from France and where the local bar owner and his wife have congratulated us Welsh on our victory in the Stade de France yesterday.  We had a wonderful laugh over it and it now seems that the knives are well and truly out but not for us UK folk but for the French coach! We have promised each other a few drinks when we are over next just after Easter. Here a very simply story about trying to get involved with the French and their way of lives.  We have a wonderful neighbour and who is truly a character.  I treat her and her family with the utmost respect she responds accordingly and we chat away in our respective gardens talking about the various plants.   Last week she gave me some wonderful primrose plants (not the wild yellow ones) but some which she said were 'pas commerce' They were in the most wonderful colours and hues and I have never seen the like. The next day I gave her some special lilly bulbs as a thank you for the primroses. In the Manche and where we live life just goes on like that and on a daily basis. Life is simple and values are strong.  I do understand some of the French problems but truly believe that we are making a net contribution to their way of life.  However and in some regard we could try harder for otherwise we could end up like the Brits on the Costas playing bridge and drinking G and T all day   regards

As a lawyer I agree with our other contributor in the the unfair contractural term acts does provide the safety level that has been argued. It used to be years ago that one served papers on the registered office of the Defendant that is now not the case.  Indeed I know of some Solicitors who serve papers on companies at remote addresses from the one that is subject of the claim but on the same company.  Yes they then get lost but that is not the fault of the Plaintiff.   I am sorry but if you think that P and O are going now to take this case from effectively the small claims court then upwards through the system then you perhaps will find that this will not be the case. In my opinion papers properly filed properly served are copper bottomed.   Again if you think that PLC's do not have County Court judgments then take some credit searches.  Lots of them have hundreds of them because they are so large that cases get lost in their system.    

I too am a traveller member with P and O although the tense should be past as with the closure effectively of Portsmouth we are faced with Brittany. When this happened I was left with unused points and then received a letter saying if you do not use them by September they will be lost. We live in South Wales and bluntly going to Dover to use them and then faced with the journey to Manche and with dogs was unacceptable. As a lawyer I believed there was an arguable case for P and O to refund the notional value of the usused points.  They argued no I argued yes and said 'lets test it in the courts' 'As a gesture' they gave in and refunded the points! and a cheque drawn on the City branch of Lloyds TSB came into my possession. It was a relatively small amount and it is going to charity but I am convinced of my position and they seemingly see some value in my argument for otherwise I am convinced they would not have written me a cheque.    

[quote]This has been boiling up for years here and now the pan has boiled over and will probably get worse unless agents stop inflating property prices. I would be very worried about owning an isolated prope...[/quote] If we continue on this thread we will have men with hoods and white ones at that and burning crosses on every hill-top throughout France. You have to live with yourselves and if you integrate utilise local people for the work on your homes, pay your taxes amd treat everyone as a fellow human being, respect their values et al then what more can you do? In our case  one of the sons of an artisan and his wife has had a baby our son and daughter-in-law also has had a son and they get on so very well we just enjoy each others company respect values and have some fun. We have meals together and just try as best we can to integrate. They laugh at our French we laugh at their system we laugh at each other's rugby and we look forward to the week-end when we meet in Paris to decide the Grand Slam. We use the local vet buy all our goods locally and share with our neighbours all of our suplus plants and vegetables and fruits. Ok it might well be in our minds but my wife and I are content with our life and if we are singled out then we will on a balanced basis argue our respective values and thoughts. However we will not move. Finally Val as to the Welsh in the 80's please truly believe me but you are not close or even close to what happened.  Naturally I am Welsh and a South Walian and we and our colleagues in both West and North Wales disagree both on culture background religion and most other things.  Here just see the demise of the Welsh coal fields and what that has done to our society. Howeve one thing I can tell you is that on the back of my car is a Welsh Dragon and this has helped me in over 40 years of travelling through France. I respect the French their background their culture their history and if that is not enough then so be it.

thanks for that and such reassuring news.  wonderful is it not! I may be wrong but having travelled on the route for well over 15 years I think the cars go on a differing train to the passengers.  Things may well have changed. If we continue as a race and a nation to think to ourselves 'better not do that' then we will just go under.  If these guys on the back of the train and whilst stuck at lights on the line want to have a go at lets us say a car that has five stars for security then so be it. If it is almost impossible whilst the car is immobilised to get into it then one would think it is somewhat difficult whilst on a railway line. Let us hope as the train goes around the bend at Tain Hermitage they fall off. Again there may well be over 200 cars on the back of the train I just wondered Alcazar what the %'s are for your car to be broken into.  Or are these bandits on every bit of the railway track from Calais to Avignon.  It is alfter all a little bit cold at say 02.00h when going down the Vallee du Rhone

thanks most helpful

We have a house very near to Villedieu-Les-Poeles and have conventionally used P and O to Cherbourg.  Got into a habit like an old carpet slipper lunch on the way out shopping in Cherbourg on the way back then the ferry then taking your life in your hands going back up M3/A34. Now you are basically getting stuffed by Brittany and yes supply demand but also domination of market place is surely something that does not fit easily in our way of life. We live in Wales so driving to Folkestone is a round trip of over 420 miles then say four hours driving the other side.  Ok we can get away with it but we have three dogs so no choice just pay up and shut up. There is now a flight from Southampton to Cherbourg but again without a car what does one do.  If you were to leave a relatively inexpensive car at the airport it would not be there the next time. I spent most of my working life fighting BT (I worked for Cable and Wireless) and the domination of the market is not necessarily a good thing.  Take North Wales no competition BT just turn around and say sorry if you do not like what we are going then...................  Problem is to put fibre in the ground is hundreds of millions of pounds and no return for there are not enough chimney pots.  Sorry going off the trail. regards  

I am not sure if this is the correct part of the forum? Briefly in June I would wish to travel from Calais to Avignon with car etc in that we have used the service before (but from the UK) and it saves on wear and tear and the nerves. I am trying to find the correct web-site to book on line but cannot (it must be me) find the site for motorail.  I get bounced back to London and Eurorail etc. Does anyone please know the correct web-site in France or is it just possible that I can wonder into our local gare and book there? Would appreciate your help   kind regards  

I do apologise and as one subscriber clearly identifies it is Villedieu les Poeles. (50)   I am sorry for the inconvenience. As to the Vets in Villedieu les Poeles is that the one fairly near to the post office? kind regards   Porth in Welsh means gateway and undoubtedly this forum is the gateway to greater knowledge on all things to do with France.  It is such a great help.

Whilst we have had a house in the area for some four years we will not be moving on a permanent basis until early March this year. To date we have only used our vet for the obligatory treatment before we have taken our dogs back home. Whilst they are 'nice' people and seemingly know what they are about they admit that 80% of their business is either vache or veau. Indeed it is only the newly qualified vets straight from Vet School that seemingly have much knowledge of small animals.  Obviously in the UK we have those vets who either concentrate on one or the other.  Normally its small animals for we are a nation of animal lovers? Long way around to a question but please does anyone have experience of vets in or around Villedieu or even further afield and whom they can suggest have an interest or better still knowledge of dealing with the small animal side of life?   many thanks  

Here may I just say that I have posted this issue elsewhere on the forum and really will  try not to duplicate matters. However we are trying to get this 'right' and our approach is to try to integrate and whatever the system says be it income tax or whatever then thats what will happen.  We do not live a life of escapism. My wife has suffered from Rheumatoid Arthritis for over 28 years and we understand that is a european wide illness that is recognised for 100% funding. Here there is a new drug that has revolutionised her illness and is paid for by the PCT (Primary Care Trust).  It is available in France and the manufacturer has an plant in France and says that way to obtain the drug is by referral direct to a Hospital Rheumatologists who will then prescribe six monthly treatments to be collected from the Pharmacy in the hospital. The cost is £8k pa and reflects no doubt the research that the drugs companies have undertaken.  It will come down in time. Should we confirm firstly with Newcastle for as Will indicated due to bringing up her family and the illness my wife may not have made enough contributions. Thus we are very concerned that we are perhaps exposing ourselves to being unable to obtain (through the system) the drug in France. We both have occupational pensions having both retired on ill-health some three years ago with my wife being 57 years of age and myself 60. AXA in France have already quoted us for 'insurance'. I really would welcome some advice on this point for it is causing us considerable worry. kind regards and best wishes to everyone during the holiday season.    

Thanks again for such supportive information.  It used to be Enbrel but my wife had a severe side attack from it and has now been changed to Humiral which we presume is available in France? Problem then seems to be the $64000 question in that the drug for my wife has been supported here in the UK and funding is in place. We then go to France on the basis that whilst RA is a well-recognised disease and my wife has had it for over 28 years we have to subject ourselves to continuing investigations in France to prove that my wife has both RA and that the new drug has improved her life. As it is she (my wife) will lose her various allowances when and if we move to France and the logic seemingly is 'if it is not broken do not mend it' so it could be we are in France then the system will not support the drug and yet we have then burnt our bridges in the UK as well. Looks as though some work is still needed and more investigations are the order of the day. Meanwhile thanks to everyone for their responses and again best wishes for the holiday season.:

thanks for the response(s) So it looks as though it is available next question is I suppose how do we get it and having obtained it who pays for us.   RA is a recognised chronic illness I wonder as it is allocated to my wife on a named patient basis we can get it in France on a reciprocal basis but I do think that payment is the problem. thanks again