Jay

[quote user="rowland"]Should we make some enquiries and ask for an inspection or is it better to leave well alone.[/quote] Definitely not, leave well alone!

[quote user="dave21478"]I occasionally see a pump truck on the roads in this area for emptying these things. It has a Veolia logo on it which I am sure is merely a huge coincidence. The people telling you something has to be done -at a cost to you- more often than it needs to be, being the same people that provide this needless service? Yes, I am sure that is merely a coincidence. [/quote] I agree, there is no "law" saying you must empty your fosse in a certain period of time. In fact a leaflet received just last week from SPANC specifically states "The emptying of the fosse should be achieved when the height of the sludge reaches 50% of the volume, no mention of a time period.

Courroie d'arbre à came

[quote user="Théière"][quote user="AnOther"]Here you go Théière : [url]http://radarcan.com/es/sc-12r.php[/url] As I said not cheap but it did the job and continues to do it. [/quote] Thank you, not that expensive either for something that actually works and with a good £/€ at the moment very competitive. Ta. The big snake that lives under the water tank is pretty good at keeping the mice/loire away from at least one end of the building. [/quote] Théière I've just ordered a radarscan. How did you get on with the one you purchased, did it solve your problem? AnO, does yours continue to do the job?

You should find similar on eBay.fr, something like this for starters? http://www.ebay.fr/sch/i.html?_odkw=Ecrou+de+blocage&_from=R40&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.TRS0&_nkw=+Outil+de+blocage+%C3%A9crou+de+d%C3%A9montage+de+la+roue&_sacat=0 On Amazon as well http://www.amazon.fr/Laser-3291-Douilles-D%C3%A9pose-Antivol/dp/B0012MB360/ref=sr_1_28?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1429985663&sr=1-28

[quote user="frenchdc"]towed to a garage for fixing, they do not fix only tow to a garage.[/quote] And therein lies the problem if you break down a long way from home with an old (as in not worth very much) car or if you do all your own repairs and don't trust a garage. I discussed this problem recently with our insurance broker and he said the recovery service may tow you home if it is not too far and you ask nicely.

So did they start your car at home or tow you to a garage?

[quote user="CSV"][quote user="Jay"] "No problem", they said ,"we will send the appropriate form in the post." [/quote] It will be interesting to know; 1. If you ever receive the form 2. The account is opened after you have filled it in I suspect the help desk person was not fully 'aware' of your situation [Www] [/quote] Getting back to the original question and CSV's post. We sent off the forms to add my wife to our savings account which I had opened online with NatWest a few months ago. One question on the form asked if we paid tax in the UK or our country of residence. It took about 5 days for the account to be authorised - no problem as the man said!

Well done, don't let the barstewards get the better of you! As for IJ. I had a demand from them for 86€ two years after changing my ISP from Alice. It concerned me initially and I sent a recorded delivery letter with proof that I was paid up to date on leaving Alice ISP. Of course they took no notice whatsoever and kept sending demands and threats. There was no invoice to say what the money was for and it did not correspond with any amount Alice would have charged. In the end I returned their crap with a note telling them to either take me to court or "go forth and multiply" - they chose the latter.

http://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/produits/materiaux-menuiserie/evacuation-et-traitement-des-eaux/accessoires-d-evacuation-et-traitement-des-eaux/accessoires-caniveau-regard-l1308218065 Bottom of list 24.50€

Yes it is possible. We got two for ours when they disintegrated due to old age (frost damage etc. I presume) We purchased them from 3MMM. As far as I recall they were quite cheap but that was several years ago.

[quote user="mogs"]Anyone know if it's possible to buy the special glasses in France, and if so where? What's the best way to project an image? (I never was very good at science or physics).[/quote] I will be use my welding glasses (Lunettes De Soudage) about 9€ from BricoDepot.

Top Gear, one of the best programmes on TV. Let's hope it is back soon! Come on then those of you that can't stand Top Gear, let us all in on what you watch - I'll bet it's Coronation Street or Neighbours. It amazes me you all know so much about Top Gear if you dislike it so much, obviously you must avoid watching it on a Sunday night - Ah, I think I've got it, you are all "All Star Family Fortunes" fans.

[quote user="CSV"][quote user="Jay"] "No problem", they said ,"we will send the appropriate form in the post." [/quote] It will be interesting to know; 1. If you ever receive the form 2. The account is opened after you have filled it in I suspect the help desk person was not fully 'aware' of your situation [Www] [/quote] Forms received in the post today. They seem appropriate to our situation and have sections for address in countries other than the UK. I shall let you know the result. The person I spoke to seemed well aware of our situation and well versed in the banking rules etc.

We have had a NatWest current account for many years and were told when we moved to France a long time ago we would have to close our ISA accounts which we did. A couple of years ago I asked for a savings account to be opened (by phone) in mine and Mrs Jay's name. This was refused. I tried again online and managed to open an online savings account but it would only accept my name, not joint. Just this week I used the chat facility on the NatWest website and asked if I could change the title to Mr & Mrs Jay. "No problem", they said ,"we will send the appropriate form in the post." Why they should allow an online account and not a walk in branch account I do not know.

A little more info here: http://www.liguedesconducteurs.org/legislation/kit-mains-libres-une-interdiction-qui-fait-debat

[quote user="Chancer"] This is posted Under the gîtes owners forum, given the lack of response could it be that any owners on the forum rent mainly to UK clients? Do they realise that their customers wont have this insurance (it doesnt exist in the UK) that if one of them left a cigarrette burning in a waste bin your French insurers would wash their hands of the affair after demanding détails of the renters responsabilité civil cover? [/quote] What utter rubbish. We have comprehensive insurance for a gite which specifically includes damage caused by guests of whatever nationality. This is written into our insurance policy in clear and precise terms. I don't know where you get your information but I suspect it is mostly hearsay. It is up to every property owner to check with their broker to make sure they are properly insured.

[quote user="AnOther"] Shame you didn't scan and post them for others [blink] [/quote] What an excellent idea, that would be really helpful. Doc signed mine, didn't even read them.

[quote user="Jonzjob"]I am always amaised that the same laws apply all over France but yet they are translated from French to French by a google translation. Or they should be the way they are so different wherever you go! [/quote] Wow, great sentence. What was that translated from?

[quote user="Théière"][/quote] That's neat!

[quote user="Araucaria"][quote user="AnOther"]If any car of mine breaks down I want it delivered either back home or to a garage of my choice, particularly so for my MGB which nobody but NOBODY lays a finger on, so for the €100 a year it costs for the two of us I'm more than happy to be a member of ADAC.[/quote] Have you ever had to use ADAC's breakdown service, AnOther? If so, what was your experience? I ask as I too have taken out the ADAC cover a year or two back, but I am not at all sure what would actually happen if I called their helpline. Your concern about your MGB rings a bell too. [/quote] See this post which should answer your question: http://services.completefrance.com/forums/completefrance/cs/forums/3105404/ShowPost.aspx ADAC taking over the AA! No wonder they didn't attend the French car if they were told that. I was informed by ADAC's rep that they use the AA if you break down in the UK, they are certainly not the same company.

[quote user="idun"]No one living at home 'just' gets £100 for the household, for anyone who doesn't realise, all households with a qualifying pensioner,  get a minimum of £200 and once over 80, it is more. That is the way it is at the moment, even when living hors UK. https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/what-youll-get [/quote] I don't live with UK hors. Who said anything about household? I get £100 and my wife gets £100, totally independent. There again I could live in a care home, who are you to know?. That's what it says on your link as well. https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/what-youll-get

[quote user="idun"]idun said 'well, I'm not the brightest spark around'..... obviously I am not the only one. The allowance is £200, even 'I' know that! And it goes up after a certain age. [/quote] Is that so? Well I only get £100, perhaps you are not always right.

[quote user="idun"]....... well, I'm not the brightest spark around............ [/quote] Well you said it, I don't think anyone would dispute that. Nobody forced you to move to the North of England. I'd bet you would not refuse £100 to help with your fuel costs even if you lived in Cyprus. In any case it doesn't look particularly hot there at the moment, I imagine krusty will have his heating on. http://www.cyprus-weather.org/ There is an e-petition to sign for those who think we should retain the WFA. http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/73297

.......and the latest from florabest: "We did our best to answer your request and actually we are not allowed to provide you a new charger for free." Who are these people, what a joke!