Joshua

Thanks Parsnips, It was probably wishful thinking on my part that the FSA "Moneymadeclear" booklet said "Must" rather than "should or could" to applying Lifestyle protection. I'll try to find the reference to it on their website. What makes it worse is that we started the fund many moons ago with Shabby National and they sold it on, and then on and on to subsequent Fund Managers. One of which lost us 28% of the value of the fund, prior to the financial meltdown, in just under a year. Thanks again, Joshua

Hi, Can anyone advise me whether there is a requirement on the part of the Fund Managers to move a fund into a lower risk  "Lifesyle option" fund when you are within 5 years of  your indicated retiring. I put the question to the Fund Managers after reading a mention of this in a FSA booklet and they have been very vague saying I didn't request them to do it Regards Joshua .  

[quote user="hopeful"]Can someone clarify how the top up system works, do you have to always pay upfront, then claim the whatever percentage back, so if it was a big operation costing thousands, would you be expected to pay for that upfront, then claim it back?[/quote] From our own experience, but that might be different for others ! If you take out Top Up Insurance and undertake to use the same Pharmacy you are not normally changed for any prescriptions you have and you don't have to produce proof of your Top Up Insurance each time.  I say normally because there are a few products ( seem to be mainly with Colds & Flu remedies ) that are charged for Typical Cost for Early 60's is 130 Euro per couple per month. Hospital's take the details of the Top Up Insurance when you attend or are admitted and don't charge. However we do get invoices from the hospital for Consultations, which we pay and then get back all of it from the TUI.  Could be because we see the top Neurologist Professor at a Teaching Hospital.  Blood tests at the Lab are also invoiced and then reimbursed. Hope this helps. Joshua 

Thanks TH & Maude That might be why I can't find Board Finish. If its common practice to only fill the tapered edges at the joints then Board Finish might be not available. Board Finish , usually in very pale pink, is used to apply a very thin layer over the whole surface to give a perfect finish. It has a consistency of thick cream and fills all the imperfections. Regards Joshua  

[quote user="Théière"]Can't agree Joshua, in the sheds are numerous younger employees who although shy of speaking English, usually do so far better than us in their language and have always been helpful. I would try and look it up for you but the cat is asleep on my catalogues (pun intended) and I and not going to disturb him [/quote] Morning, I would agree about some people being shy of speaking English. I've lost count the times I've struggled with a long conversation in French only to be answered afterwards, by being spoken back to in Pretty good English. ( at least better than my French, after all I'm an old Cotton Head ) Regards Joshua

Thanks Thunderhorse Now that I know they have at the sheds I will try to work out which one is the remover. My "everyday" French will be tested ! No point asking for advice in the sheds, the assistants normally walk off and never come back or look at me like I've got two heads ( which last I counted I don't ) Thanks again , Joshua

Hi, I'm putting  Taper Edge Plaster Board up between the ceiling beams but I can't seem to find the self adhesive tape for the joints or the Board Finish Plaster Can anyone help with the French names for these, and who's likely to stock them. Thanks Joshua

Thanks Chancer, I've tried petrol, from the lawnmower's tank ( can't cut grass when there's snow on the ground ) and it seems to get it off . It is a bit messy and I'm as high as a kite on the fumes. ( save me opening a bottle of red tonight ) I will wash off any residue tomorrow with soap and water and reseal it all Thanks again, Joshua  

Hi, This is probably a question for Chancer or Glue Stick.  AKA " The chemical brothers" Do you know of a product available in France that will remove Silicone Sealant. Whoever did my shower enclosures made a pigs ear of them and I need to remove it all and start again. I've got most off with a sharp blade but its the residue thats causing the problem. I've brought the new sealant from the UK because once again its far more expensive here. Should have got the remover then but ! Regards Joshua

Hi, I've tried laying Tiles over floorboards that were in good condition, flat and screwed down. I used flexible adhesive and grout and within a few months the tiles where you walk were all loose and popping up. Gravity was the only thing holding them in place I had to rip the lot up and replace the floorboards with flooring grade chipboard ( water resistant type ) to avoid having a tripping hazard at the doorway, screwed down every 12 inches and its been fine for over five years. If you can't get flexible adhesive and grout , they do a liquid additive in the UK that transforms normal adhesive / grout Best of luck Joshua

Hi, If you can't get replacement cartridges, because they are not available you can buy bottles of ink to inject into the old units. Its a bit messy but can be done easily. You drill a small hole usually in top and inject the ink in and then seal it with a stopper thats supplied with the kit. The quality of the ink is superior to the original because it has to be adaptable for all printers. You might have a buy a zapper to reset the chip on the latest type of cartridges but again its easy I've found that you can get more than 5 uses out of a cartridge before the quality drops The printer may send a message to the computer that the cartridge to not compatable but you can ignore that Hope this saves you money, Joshua

Hi, Only from my own experiences, if you find more dead flies than live ones I think they will be Cluster Flies. You need to block up their point of entry and spray everyday in the Spring to stop the "Life Cycle" of eggs etc Google Cluster Flies for advice on killing them. They do seem persistence little so and so's Its no reflection on anyones cleaning habits. They just decide to settle there Best of luck.  Joshua

A few months ago I took a telephone call from Orange offering to upgrade my Live Box Internet service to include TV. I said a positive NO to all the offers but have found since that they have started a direct debit for the additional services. I've spoken to my bank and they are recovering the money, now in its third month of payments but the bank say if I had not spotted these payments for more than 90 days they would not have been able to recover the money. Its a relatively small amount under a heading that appears elsewhere on the bank statement so might have gone un-noticed. Nothing came in the post about this and nothing was signed by me so it seems it can be done if they hold your details on file Joshua

Hi, You can pay your Tax d'habitation over the first ten months of the next year with no extra charges ( total divided by ten payments ) by direct debit, which can soften the blow Joshua

Mr J lived and worked all his life in the UK and had his 60th birthday in the spring before he moved to live in France in August of that year He is not and will never be entitled to Winter Fuel Allowance Mr P , whose 60th birthday was in the summer came to "live" in the UK from another EU country for a few months around September, then went home, is and will always receive Winter Fuel Allowance The question is, does Mr J jump on a cheap Brian-air flight to spend the qualifying days in September each year in the UK so he can cheat the system and claim the allowance or say "C'est la vie" No prizes for guessing which one's me Joshua