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dessiedog

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Everything posted by dessiedog

  1. Thanks for your suggestion re a 'man with a machine'. This had occurred to us but we were unsure whether the transmission had been moved again. Last year we tried to get a quote from the local Pro & Cie shop but they declined, saying that UK TV reception was no longer possible. Hence we did it ourselves, successfully until the signal disappearance a week or so ago. We will be back later this month and will try with another shop if the signal hasn't moved. Thanks again for your reply.
  2. We are in Bearn, 64, and installed a 1200mm dish late last summer and enjoyed good reception during our visit in October. Returning for the first time at the beginning of March, the reception of all free to air channels was again good. The signal did, however, disappear over a 10-15 minute period every night at around 10.30-10.45 (French time), which at that time of night was just an inconvenience. Just before Easter the signal started to disappear earlier until at the beginning of last week, before we left, there was none at all. It may be that the dish has moved slightly although it is in a well protected but accessible position, and needs adjusting, or is it a further 'refinement' of the satellite signal transmission? Has anyone else encountered a similar problem? Advice appreciated.
  3. Sounds like a simple solution and cheap! The last thing we want is to have a slippery surface around a pool which will naturally get wet, particularly when the grand-daughters arrive in a couple of weeks. Thanks for the suggestion. Dessiedog
  4. We are in 64, Bearn, and the dish is 1.2m. Friends who live approximately 5 miles away have this size dish and get very good reception, so fingers crossed it will work for us, providing I can tune it in! I suspect that getting a man in will be the best solution. Dessiedog
  5. One of the jobs to be done during our next visit is the installation of a new satellite dish and try to tune it in. There are various satellite meters advertised to achieve this, but the question is which one would be best? Any advice - make / model, cost, pros / cons - would be appreciated. An alternative is to spend the money getting a local expert to tune it in once it's installed? Looking forward to your replies. Dessiedog
  6. It has been suggested that we seal the paving around our pool for easier maintenance, and bearing in mind the cost of products in France to source one from the UK. I found a sealant by Thompsons, but when I asked them whether it was suitable around a swimming pool the answer was no because it could be slippery. Has anyone used a sealant that they could recommend - make, cost, pros and cons etc. The alternative is to just power wash as necessary, which is what we have chosen to do at the moment. Regards Dessiedog
  7. Thanks for everyone's prompt responses. I have something to work on now re dish / LNB makes etc., but as we don't live there full time, only visiting 3 - 4 times per year, cost has to be born in mind. It's difficult to justify spending a fortune just to watch UK TV? Delivery shouldn't be a problem as we have friends who are returning with their van at the beginning of next month, I'll have to check prices etc asap. Thanks again for your replies - Dessidog
  8. Since last year's change in the UK TV transmissions via satellite, we have survived(?) with the Sky News channel etc during our visits to the Bearn, 64. We now understand that UK TV reception is possible with a larger dish, 1.3 or better still 1.5m, and are consequently considering buying one in the UK to install on our next visit in June. Any recommendations /advice on the make / model of dish and LNB to buy, or not buy, would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. Dessiedog
  9. We are looking at the pros / cons of getting UK TV via the internet following the recent changes. Our house is south of Pau and we visit 4-5 times per year. To date we have survived without a fixed phone, and even the internet! Looking at the French Telecom / Orange website we note that you can suspend the phone service to 2nd homes to avoid the monthly standing charge. We recall you could do the same with their internet service but cannot see any reference, unless we have missed it - which is definitely possible. Is it possible to suspend both? Any advice regarding other phone / internet providers, including costs, problems etc would be appreciated.
  10. Thanks for replies so far - we are in 64. From the amount of shrubbery etc deposited at the decheterie, a lot of people don't have garden fires, whilst I quite enjoyed having one once in a while. Certainly quicker than having to take it all to the tip, using fuel in the process? 
  11. During a conversation with a neighbour last week I was informed that garden fires were no longer allowed and if caught by the fire brigade a fine would be issued. The conversation could not be misunderstood as it was in English as his language skills were / are unfortunately somewhat better than mine! The justification is apparently environmental, to prevent the burning of old engine oil etc.? I had been on the point of burning an accumulation of garden debris, but took it to the decheterie instead. A couple of days later, however, I noticed that someone else had definitely had such a fire. Can anyone confirm what the current situation is, are fires allowed or not? Dessiedog
  12. First of all thanks for the replies and apologies for my very late response! The plant was bought at Gamm Vert in Oloron Sainte Marie in July. As mentioned before we have left it in place and will see what it's like when we return, probably in Feb / March. We don't have the receipt but do have the plant's tag / pot and if it's dead we will approach Gamm for a refund or replacement. Will let you know how we get on. Regards Dessiedog
  13. We were given an albizia tree this summer which was planted as advised and watered daily until we left for the UK. Unfortunately when we returned last month it seemed to have died. A friend has told us that it has a 12 month guarantee and will be replaced free of charge. We have left it in place for now and will see how it is when we return next year, but can anyone confirm whether it does in fact have a 12 month guarantee?
  14. Not the answer I wanted but probably what I expected! Pity as the Pyrry Knees was where I had in mind. He'll just have to stay at home, lying on the bed of course. Thanks for the very prompt replies
  15. I have heard, 2nd / 3rd hand, that dogs are not allowed in French National Parks, even on a lead. Can anyone confirm whether this is correct? If access is allowed, is a lead necessary at all times?
  16. Thanks for response - it was the security aspect rather than the water quality. We were there in November and ended up having to empty 50% of the water as the cyranic acid level was too high. When we left the water quality wasn't quite right but should be ok over the winter. Re the security it was a question of whether the wall / locked gates would be classed as sufficient if the abris was off during the summer when we are not there? According to the local Cash Piscine chap the answer was no. We have been told that the local mayors have been given the responsibilty to monitor the pool legislation, so perhaps we should raise the query with him. I cannot imagine, however, that he will agree is case it backfires on him.
  17. We have a 10 x 5 pool and due to changed circumstances can only visit 4-5 times / year, resulting in algae problems! Friends visit to monitor / add chlorine tablets but with an abris and sun the water can quickly go out of balance. No problems whilst we are there to keep an eye on things with the abris off, but when not there we have been advised that it needs to be in place to comply with the law. The pool is in a garden totally enclosed with a 2m high stone wall and lockable gates. We have been told that as these do comply with the legislation we would be liable should the cover not be installed, we are not there and anyone under 5 ends up in the water. An above ground pool, however, complies if it is 1.1m high and access ladders etc are removed ? Comments / advice welcome.
  18. Thanks for all comments re the increase in our TDH for 2009. A visit to the Centre des Impots has to be the next step as a 23% increase seems steep to us. Friends in the area pay significantly less than us, again for properties with pools, not that we will implicate them. Just need to brush up our French - a lot - perhaps something to do over Christmas before our next visit?
  19. Receipt of 2009's TDH came as a surprise with a 36% increase (nb all figures exclude tv licence element) The completion of some renovations in 2006 followed by the unavoidable submission of form H1 resulted in the TDH increasing from 435 to 712 euros. Last year saw a slight increase to 723 but this year it's 981. The only change has been the completion of a swimming pool which required a 'declaration de travaux exemptes de permis de construire' again followed by a request for a form H1, submitted in November 2008. From the 'cotisation' calculation, with the tax rates basically the same, the increase is due to a higher 'valeur locative brute', now 5446 cf 4420 last year. Surely the pool cannot account for this 23% rise?? Has anyone else encountered a similar problem? Comments / advice appreciated.
  20. Many thanks for prompt responses. The house is currently a 'maison secondaire' - pending UK house sale! - and query re TV arose when we visited for a week last month. Consequently cannot advise info re Sky box etc until after next visit - both box and card were purchased from a friend of our son. Have to admit that I wasn't aware a card can fall asleep if not used and I suspect it hadn't been used for some time before we bought it. We intend going again for a few weeks later this month and will certainly follow your advice, DIY jobs permitting! Once again thanks for assistance. Dessie Dog   
  21. Eventually purchased a TV late last year for use with Sky box / card and whilst we can receive normal 'free' channels, neither 4 and 5 are available (nor 4+1 etc). We have used the card in a friend's Sky box with the same result, although they receive all 'free' channels.  Do we need to acquire another card or is there another solution? Apologies if query has been raised / answered before. Dessiedog
  22. Thanks to all for your comments, looks like French insurance etc once the car is in France is the solution - didn't know that they have to be insured even if off the road. Have to admit that the thought of a SORN even with the car in the barn had crossed my mind, but knowing my luck....... Once again, comments appreciated 
  23. Considering taking our 10 year old Passat to house in France whilst taxed / insured as UK car, leaving it in the barn when we return to the UK for say 2-3 months during the winter but surrendering the tax / cancelling the insurance and getting refunds on both. From other threads I believe it will have to be 'exported' in order to get the tax refund. Leaving it registered /insured as a UK vehicle isn't an option due to the limit upon the number of days it is insured outside the UK. When we return to France the intention would be to purchase French insurance which no doubt will require a 'Controle Technique' and French registration? Any thoughts upon whether this course of action is viable, and can you drive to a CT appointment in a car with UK registration plates but no tax disc as you can in the UK? Suspect it would be better to just bite the bullet and arrange for the CT, French registration and insurance before leaving it over the winter?   Dessie Dog
  24. Martin - re your comments:- 1 - although it's working OK (fingers crossed), we don't intend to take UK TV to France but buy one there, so the RF modulator aspect won't arise. 2 - likely to use a 2nd hand SKY box from a friend.  3 - no I haven't found a French TV with built-in satellite receiver - showing my ignorance confusing digital with satellite! Thanks for clarifying things
  25. By no means up to date with current technology - our UK TV doesn't even have scart sockets ( much to the surprise of the young lad in Currys a few weeks ago!) so apologies if I appear a little confused. With a suitable dish:- - to receive free UK programmes do I take it either SKY box and card or a freesat one is necessary? - would you receive all of the programmes shown via freesat with a SKY box / card? - would a TV purchased in France with an built-in digital receiver pick up UK programmes?   Dessie Dog   
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