megans mum

Hello, What happens if you own a property in France and you can no longer meet the mortgage and bridging loan commitments to the bank. I would assume that the property is repossed and sold as a matter of course but what if there is a defecit in relation to the final sold amount and the amount outstanding to the lenders ? This is a worst case scenario but your help would be appreciated. Regards

Can anyone recommend a vet in Calais for the pre requisite tick and worm treatment necessary for the return to the UK and how much would I expect to pay? Is it better to pre-book. Many thanks

We own a property in France and are returning there in about a weeks time,(at the moment we predominantly spend the bulk of our time in the UK) question is that we are looking to buy a France registered camper van and bring it back with us in a few weeks time. What requirements do we need to satisfy in order to buy the vehicle and what are the implications of bringing the vehicle back to the UK, but I will stress that we are not looking to import the vehicle into the Uk merely have a camper to be able to travel back and forth to the Loire without the need of hotel stays.

Hi All Yet again the users of this forum have exceeded my expectations on previous posts but I have yet another question. I have found a list of vets in and around the Calais district for our first trip with Meg (she's our very high maintenance Westie !) but does anyone know of any half decent B&B's around Calais were we can stay whilst awaiting the papers for homeward travel via the eurotunnel back to blighty. And as always thanks in anticipation. Tom xx  

Thanks guys for as always a speedy response . I have decided to stick with the tried and tested method of 3x2 and plasterboard. It works for me! Also a criteria that is relevant is that there is no desperate rush to complete the upstairs Thanks again Tom xx

In our farmhouse we virtually have a blank canvas upstairs. The stairs were put in by the previous owner and the beginings of a bathroom but that's all. My question is simply, to divide off into bedrooms/ensuites etc is it a simple case of 3x2 studded walls and plasterboard as in the UK or is that not the way the French artisans would do it? Tom

Has anyone out there fitted dormers to their roofs?? We have a farmhouse which has a low dormer in one upstairs room but would like to increase the height say to about 5ft internally and add two matching ones further along on the same side of the roof. I don't have any shortage of stone (got tons of it) but just wondered if anyone had done this and is it a sort of suck it and see excercise? The roof itself will need re-tiling in the next couple of years but I would like to get the dormers done first. Also I need to add a window into an end wall and noticed that on existing widows they only tend to use a partial lintel as opposed to a full width lintel.....why?? Tom

Hi The problem you have is that the leakage has taken off the lacquer finish which contains the colour as well. It,s a modern method of spray finishing furniture which saves time and money in so much as rather than stain the timber the traditional way with a water or oil stain leave it to dry and then apply the lacquer finish what has been done here is that the lacquer actuall y contains the colour or stain and is sprayed on in one go. This is ok untill you accidentally remove the finish which also removes the colour as well. If you apply a stain to the timber it will take on a completely different appearance to the existing finish because you are appliying stain to the timber. Not a good idea. What you need to do is to seal the timber with a colourless basecoat or lacquer and then apply a oil based stain on top. This may take several applications and may not even come close to what you want but trust me it's the only way to approach it, or put a plant over it. Tom

Hi everyone, We returned last week after signing the acte de vente on our farmhouse just south of Richelieu, Indre et Loire. To say we are chuffed is an understatement ! Anyway, we are looking for a local carpenter to make us an oak staircase or at least quote for us and there is no rush for it at all, just as well I hear you all say. We are located about 19kms north of Chatellerault and 12 kms south of Richelieu (North of Poitiers) and would be looking for supply only. I could make this myself but as yet we are not establised and it would make sense to use a local tradesman. So any help would be appreciated. By the way , anyone out there near to us? Love the forum and thanks in anticipation...........Tom

epsom

As far as I know all property's have to conform to energy saving regs ie: loft insulation,energy saving bulbs etc. I have an article somewhere which I will dig out and quote. xx

Hi All We signed our compromis de vente in September 2006 and are to signthe acte de vente on the 16th of December 2006. However we have been reading about the new energy rules and regs now relating to house purchases and was wondering were we stand on this? Because we signed the compromis de vents before this act came out are we exempt or will it apply to us? Tom xx

When the police motorcyclist stopped a motorist for speeding the following conversation took place, try it. Good morning sir, do you know why I stopped you? No ! You were travelling well in excess of the speed limit so I would like to see your drivers licence please sir. I am sorry but I don't have one! Any reason sir ? Yes, I have been banned for the last 5 years ! Ok sir, so do you happen to have the car registration documents sir? Sorry no I don't, you see it's not my vehicle....(pause) I stole it! So let me get this straight sir....You do not have a current drivers licence and you are in possesion of a stolen vehicle ? That's correct officer ! But hey wait a minute ! I think I saw a registration document in the glove box when I put my gun in there. You have a gun in the glove box Sir? Yes I do. Ok sir, why would you be in possesion of a firearm sir? Quite simple officer......I used it to shoot the woman who's car I am now driving. So you shot the Lady owner of this vehicle? Yes I did and she is at this moment in the boot of the car, I was on my way to the woods to bury her when you stopped me!. At this point the officer took a few steps back and radioed back to the base for back-up and within minutes the area was surrounded with armed response units and helicopters. Looking somewhat surprised at the speed of all this the driver called over the police Captain (who had just arrived on the scene) and asked him what was going on. The Captain said, I am told that you have no licence and have been banned. Not at all..(He then produced a full and valid licence. I am also told that you have stolen this vehicle....he then went on to produce his registration document. Looking a little bemused the police Captain then asked him about the gun in the glove box, Take a look there's nothing in the glovebox! Ok Sir, what about the body in the boot? The boot was open and nothing in there except for a spare wheel. At this point the Captain was beside himself when the driver of the car looked at the Captain and said, AND I BET THE LYING B*****D TOLD YOU I WAS SPEEDING AS WELL !!!

Why is the focus of climate change always focused on the Brits or Western Europeans? Does anyone out there realise that the good ole US of A is the biggest poluter on the planet and they don't care a jot !

We have in our courtyard three very large tree's, one is a sycamore and the other two are beech. I plan to fell the two largest and just leave the smaller of the beech tree's for summer shade. However, do I need to ask permision to drop the tree's? And if so I would assume that it would be my local mairie. XX

soory about the typo's,,ceoss cross beams

Hi Stewart Another option for me would be to halve the length and go for a cross beam to support them but this will have to be 7 metres, (the room is 7 metres by 6 metres) but if I cross span it then I could support the ceoss beam into each wall (front wall and back wall) but the ceoss beam will have to be at least12ins square. Any ideas? I didn.t want any intrusions into the floor space if possible. Regards Tom

Forgot to mention that the beams I have been offered is green oak but I am not sure as to what amount of movement these will produce as they dry out once fitted in place so hence the preferance for reclamed oak, or has anyone done this type of thing in green oak.?

I am looking to put a floor into a barn next year and would like to use oak beams. I have found a supplier near Poitiers and he will cut any size for me (they need to be 8 metres long and about 10ins square) but is there any formula for working out what section I need over 8 mtrs and also would I need to use reclaimed timber as opposed to green oak. I would like to do this in one span as I don't want any supports in what will be the lounge. The upstairs part of the conversion will purely be a bedroom so minimal weight loading. Any help would be appreciated Oh! and does anyone know of a Timber Reclamation yard preferably just north of Poitiers. Thanks all

HI From experience I would suggest that if you want to stain the wood then use an oil stain (this would automatically give you some water protection). Leave the stain to air dry for at least 24 hours and then apply several coats of danish oil. This can also be bought in various shades or colours and of course natural. You can use linseed oil but it doesnt nave the same adhesion properties as Danish oil. Finally,you can always finish off with a wax,but do not use Bri-wax as this contains cellulose and will seriously affect the oil properties already applied. A good Liberon wax will make the world of difference. Ton'n'jen Oh and Happy Birthday to Jen today (7th) xx

Would it be pertinant to ask which songs ?

Passed it ?? Passed what? The peasants are revolting, I'll have you know my young lady that I jog over 30 miles a week and road cycle over 120 miles a week and think nothing of spending 45 minutes on a cross-trainer ! Passed it ? I have even got near it yet. Mind you I do sometimes think if there is anything else to do whilst I am down there tying my laces or is it that I am trying to conserve energy? Tom'n'jen

Sorry....that should say Orbital

Hi Have a look at an orbiyal sander, they are amazing pieces of kit and dont leave sanding rings and will access most places easily

I am ,so I'm told, on the right side of 50 (that means 50+) Anyway am I losing my conkers? What on earth is a Blog?? Any uncomplicated replies would be most welcome Tom'n'Jen