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Hi Would you please advise your recommendations for free on-line translation websites and also translation CD Roms we could purchase to download to our computer.  We need to be able to write letters in French and also to translate from French to English. Thanks  

Hi, we own a maison secondaire in Deux Sevres.  When we brought the property there was a bin directly outside which was emptied by SMC. The bin was removed last year (without our consultation) and now we have to dispose of any rubbish in the communal bin in our hamlet (we have to drive to this).  We are still receiving bills from the local Treasury requesting us to pay 89 Euros x 2 payments, but don't see what we are paying for.  We have written to both SMC & the Treasury requesting a breakdown of the payment but have not received a response - our French is not so good, so perhaps they don't  understand us!  If we don't pay the Treasury (we have received an urgent payment bill) will we be blacklisted?  Any assistance with this would be greatly appreciated as we have been trying to sort this our for a year.

Many thanks for all your replies.  We will obviously have to pay!

Thank you for all the replies.  Can I check, if we have a UK TV and only watch UK programs, do we still have to pay the TV Licence.  If we don't, how do we amend our bill.

We own a maison secondaire in Deux Sevres.  We have just received our first bill for Taxe d'habitation.  On top of this tax, there is an amount of 116 Euros for 'redevance audiovisuelle' (votee par le Parlement et versee aux entreprises de l'audiovisuel public).  Can anyone explain what this charge is for and do we have to pay.  Thanks

We own a maison secondaire in Deux Sevres.  We have just received our first bill for Taxe d'habitation.  On top of this tax, there is an amount of 116 Euros for 'redevance audiovisuelle' (votee par le Parlement et versee aux entreprises de l'audiovisuel public).  Can anyone explain what this charge is for and do we have to pay.  Thanks

Hi, we are interested in finding a company for new builds in the Deux Sevres area.  We would be grateful for any recommendations.

Hi We are interested in building a new property on land that we already own.  Has anyone any experience of this and can advise costs/recommend builders in the Parthenay area. Thanks

Hi We are interested in building a new property on land that we already own.  Has anyone any experience of this and can advise costs/recommend builders in the Parthenay area. Thanks  

Thanks Andy.  I will give your insurance a call when ours is up for renewal.  It doesn't help that our insurance booklet is written in French, so an English version would prove very useful.  

Hi Can anyone recommend a good company for house insurance in deux sevres who speak english. We have recently been burgled and have our insurance with AXA. We have made a claim with proof of purchase and AXA have only paid out a third of the claim. Is this normal. They are saying it is a 'good payment' based on the experts report. I would like to ensure that in the future we have a good cover so that if it happens again we are fully covered for our loss. 

We have a second home in France, located near to Parthenay (Dept 79).  We have unfortunately been advised by our friends that our house was broken into this weekend. We are very upset to hear this news and are not able to get over to the property until middle of this week.  Our insurance company will not pay to have new locks on our home (even though keys have gone missing).  Has anyone else had this experience with burglarys/insurance claims and has any tips on keeping the property safe.  Thanks.

We have a second home in France, located near to Parthenay (Dept 79).  We have unfortunately been advised by our friends that our house was broken into this weekend. We are very upset to hear this news and are not able to get over to the property until middle of this week.  Our insurance company will not pay to have new locks on our home (even though keys have gone missing).  Has anyone else had this experience with burglarys/insurance claims and has any tips on keeping the property safe.  Thanks.