Coral

Hi Mandi I don't know if this will help but I shipped a couple of loads of my stuff from Japan - the last lot  in Spring last year .  On the advice of the shipping agent I shipped via UK. , the reason being that as a returning 'Brit' I would not have to pay any duty on goods more than 6 months old.  The shipment was then moved on to France - shipment within the EU.  - no tax charges, no certificate of residence needed. The difference in shipment cost was minimal and everything turned up on my doorstep in France without any problem. I hope this helps. Coral - nearly in the Ariege

If only...if only..... Max is a real beauty and if I had managed to get out of Japan and to my place in Ariege last year as I had planned I would not hesitate.  But  officialdom is keeping me  here  until July at the earliest.[:'(] Coral-should be in ariege ...NOW!!!

I was given the same advice shipping from Japan, Pancake. Somehow the car arrived through Southampton and the rest through London but it all worked out perfectly with all the goods finally delivered in Ariege.  The stuff arrived on Friday and the drivers shot off to Spain to spend the weekend on the beach ...can:t drive trucks at the weekend in France you know [;-)].   Good luck Pancake.  I envy you as I am still stuck here in Japan for another 4 months ...a CGT problem! Coral -  should be in the ariege!!!  

Freeze a half full bottle of water with a lid that screws on tight.  When frozen solid turn it upside down.  When you return you'll be able to  see whether  there has been a 'melt down' .  Cheaper than buying a plug in clock!  Coral  - nearly in Ariege

I have just transferred a sizeable chunk from my French bank account to UK (after managing to cancel a lost-in-the-post cheque).  Easy and quick!  and done from Japan!  I faxed a letter to the bank requesting them to  send XX euros to the fx currency brokers and faxed the currency brokers asking them to remit the funds on arrival to my UK bank.  It was all done in 4 days.  Just check on your French bank:s web site that they accept faxed orders.  I got a friend to pop in the bank to see if it would be OK first. Some of the countryside banks have got into the 21st century! Good luck Coral - nearly in Ariege -- nearly!  

[:D] Whoopeee!!! Success! !!  The payee was a solicitor in UK and he wrote a letter to the bank refusing the cheque and stating that it was lost in the post.  Faxed it to my estate agent in France who took it to the banque and explained the situation.  OK. No problem. Will refuse it if submitted.  I was just asked to send a fax cancelling the cheque.  All done and dusted.  I guess it helped having the cheque  refused by a solicitor and having the first fax sent by him.  The faxes were  were worded by my friendly estate agent so my generally garbled French did not confuse matters.  If anyone needs a wonderful estate agent in Toulouse or the wording of the letters, PM me. Coral - nearly in the Ariege

Thank you everyone for your comments.   Stomach is still doing flip-flops over the situation. The cheque is not small so I have to do something just in case a 'tealeaf' has helped himself.   I am looking at potential disaster. I have the registered post tracer report from this end and am waiting for the one from UK , plus the letter from the solicitor it was sent to stating non arrival.  I am hoping those three bits might help. Wish me luck! Coral - nearly in Ariege  

12/15 euros? Right TU! I think I can probably make up the cancellation expense by arranging an fx company transfer instead of the cheque Thanks for your comments. Coral  - nearly in the Ariege  

Thanks for the quick response.  It was for an amount more than my annual salary so if the registered post guys can't give me an answer by tomorrow (Friday) I think I 'll play it safe and cancel it.  I'm in Japan and post normally only takes 4 days - reason for the panic. Fingers...and everything else....crossed. Coral - nearly in the Ariege

Help!!  Can I cancel a cheque drawn on a French bank by fax ?  It was for a large amount and should have arrived in UK more than a week ago... and it wasn't sent by the Fench post.  I've got a tracer being put on it but I am panicking. Any advice please. Coral - nearly in the Ariege

Toulouse airport has quite  reasonable monthly and annual charges at one of their parking sites .  I used it for 2 weeks and it didn't break the bank.  I think it is P5.  You can find the charges on the internet .  A friend has also told me that Pau is cheaper ...around 300-400?? euros a year.  He parks there as his place is not close to any transport system and it allows him to pop down to his place at any time.  Hope this helps. Coral  - nearly in Ariege 

I don't think that newtoarea knows what he/she is talking about.  Tax in Japan is individual not couple based if both are earning money.  It also depends on how long they have lived in Japan and residence status.  On the French side - who knows?  I have had a load of differing advice so I am waiting until I get there to sort things out. Coral  -  nearly in ariege

Ok you are all set up and going to Uk.  Your pet has had his rabies shot and the laboratory has sent the certificate indicating the titre is over 0.05.  Great!  But was it signed and stamped? My moggie has had his shots regularly over the past 3 years and on checking everything with the  authorities equivalent to the DEFRA at this end they pointed out ... no stamp on the certification so into quarantine or no flight.  I've got to start all over again!!! Actually as I intend to go on to France I have found that I can take George E Pussybobs direct to France once the new certification comes through.  If I can get him on diet (he's 0.5 Kilo over allowance), Air France will allow me to take him free as carry-on luggage.  So BA with their high cargo charge can go whistle!!   Bit of a delay but can do. Coral - almost in Ariege

Thanks for the comments and advice.   I dug out the specs and the list shows PAL B/G PAL D/K1 SECAM B/G D/K1 (OIRT) as well as NTSC 4.43 /5.5.  So Martin your info about L (whatever that is) is probably the reason for the friend's comment.  So if I buy a French DVD/Video and route everything through it I should be OK. Right?  FYI it's quite an old TV but it would cost more to dispose of it this end in unburnable goods disposal charges than the shipment cost and it still works really well - great picture.  I'd better touch wood somewhere!!!   BTW most people suspect that Korea's choice of Secam was very much controlled by Koreans' easy access to Japanese programs. but that's another topic concerning TV licences and taxes. Coral - almost there - ariege  here I come!  

I live in Japan and am doing my final pack-up before moving to France. I  am not bringing my computer - just popping the hard-disk into my handbag. but I have a fairly new printer/scanner/fax.  It runs on 100V not 240V but  I am thinking of bringing it and using it with a transformer.  Can any of you experts tell me if this would work or if I would have unsolvable problems ?  would there be any difficulties with the fax? Also my TV is supposed to be multisystem PAL/NTSC/Secam/Mescam but a friend says that the Secam in France could be different.  Huh????  Help/Comments please!!!  I have been pulling my  hair out over the  so many problems in my move to France that I think I am going bald!! Any advice or information would be really appreciated. Coral - almost in Ariege