ventodue
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Posts posted by ventodue
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[quote user="Jimbo"]When my house insurance came up for renewal … I wrote to the French insurer in February that I would not be renewing with them. I gave them under one month’s (notice) [/quote]
See my post above. You will be ok IF you did so within 20 days of the date of the renewal notice. Did you write to them by lettre recommandée?
[quote user="Jimbo"]Can they really demand the whole year's premium, including legal cover?[/quote]
Potentially, yes.
[quote user="Jimbo"]My neighbour informed me that they require three months notice.[/quote]
He’s wrong. See my post above.
[quote user="Jimbo"]...but I didn't have a clue what was required.[/quote]
Hmmm. Sorry to say it, but you do know the adage, 'Ignorance is no defence'?
[quote user="Jimbo"]The reminders kept coming, then the final demands[/quote]
Sorry (again), but I gotta ask: and what did you do in response?
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French policies renew automatically; so cancelling a policy, even at renewal time, must be done in a prescribed manner (cancelling outside renewal time can only happen in certain circumstances). Unfortunately, I suspect you haven't followed the correct procedure.
Type 'assurance + habitation + résiliation' into Google and I think you'll find the answers you want, for example from this French Government website. Go http://vosdroits.service-public.fr/particuliers/F19083.xhtml
But it's a bit complicated, so:
1. The basic situation is that you must cancel by sending a lettre recommandée, preferably with accusé de réception, 2 months before the renewal date. If you don't, you will be liable for the full year's premium.
However, this was modified by the loi Chatel under which:
2. In theory, the insurance company should send you a letter reminding you of this right to cancel. (This letter should be sent not more than 3 months before the renewal date, and not less than 15 days before the start of the 2 month period). However, in practice, the insurance companies don't send this 'reminder' letter. Instead they just send you a renewal letter ...
3. And, under the loi Chatel, you then have 20 days from the date of this renewal letter to cancel - as always, by lettre recommandée, preferably with accusé de réception.
4. If you don't get a renewal letter, then you can cancel at any time without penalties by sending them a lettre recommandée etc.
HTH
Craig
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If they're the refillable 'bouteille' type (even the litttle ones), you can take 'em back to a Campingaz 'point de vente' où "Elles seront reprises gratuitement, sans condition" [:D].
http://www.campingaz.com/FR/p-26789-recyclage-des-bouteilles.aspx
For the non-refillable 'cartouche' type, I don't think there's any recycling scheme. Most advice seem to vent or burn off the gas, and then take the empty cylinder to be recycled as metal at the dump.
Venting the gas doesn't seem environmentally responsible, but I guess it was always going to get burnt anyways. I s'pose you could always use 'em to make a few brews instead of using the kettle - assuming you've still got the burner, that is ..
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[quote user="mint"] Is it true that remplacement as in the replacement part (whatever it is) is feminine and is therefore la remplacement ... [/quote]
No. I think you're getting yourself confused here, Mint. If you were to try to use remplacement in the sense of 'a replacement part', it's being used as an adjective and would therefore take the gender of the noun it's describing. And since that noun is most likely to be pièce, which is feminine, it too would be feminine. BUT ...
You can't use remplacement like this anyway because, in French, it's a noun not an adjective! However, what you could say is a pièce de replacement - NOTE: no first 'm' in replacement. But much better anyways would be une pièce détachée or une pièce de rechange. Because replacement really means a substitute part/thing, not a replacement part/thing (I hope you're following this ... [6]).
[quote user="mint"] ... the ACT of replacing something is masculine and is le replacement.[/quote]
Yes .. and no. It IS masculine, but it's reMplacement.Aïe, aïe, aïe .....
P.s Sorry if reading this isn't too clear. I've put the French words in italics in my draft, but this italicisation doesn't appear in the posted message. Don't know why ...
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[quote user="woolybanana"]Any other ideas anyone?[/quote]
Reduce les cotisations sur l'employeur? Which, if you've ever wondered, look like this (source: CCI Paris Ile-de-France). As they say, 'Trop de taxes, tue la taxe ...'
To say nothing of all the administrative burden that goes with all this - and all the other administrative burdens imposed on employers.
But of course this would be a direct attack on the Socialist dream ...
Nature des contributions Taux Base de calcul mensuelle Recouvrement Part employeur Sécurité sociale (1) contribution solidarité autonomie 0,30 % Salaire total URSSAF assurance maladie 12,80 % salaire total URSSAF assurance vieillesse plafonnée 8,45 % de 0 à 3 129 € URSSAF assurance vieillesse déplafonnée 1,75 % Salaire total URSSAF allocations familiales 5,25 % salaire total URSSAF accidents du travail Variable (2) salaire total URSSAF aide au logement 0,10 % de 0 à 3 129 € URSSAF supplément entreprise de 20 salariés et plus (FNAL)(3) 0.40% de 0 à 3 129 € URSSAF 0,50 % au-delà de 3 129 € Assurance chômage Cotisation chômage (4) 4% de 0 à 12 516 € URSSAF Fonds de garantie des salaires 0,30 % de 0 à 12 516 € URSSAF Retraite complémentaire (5) AGFF Cadres et non cadres tranche 1 1,20 % de 0 à 3 129 € AGIRC/ARR Cadres et non cadres tranche 2 1,30 % de 3 129 à 9 387 € ARRCO APEC (cadres seulement) 0,036 % de 0 à 12 516 € AGIRC Non-cadres tranche 1 4,58 % de 0 à 3 129 € ARRCO Non-cadres tranche 2 12,08 % de 3 129 à 9 387 € ARRCO Cadres tranche A 4,58 % de 0 à 3 129 € ARRCO tranche B 12,68 % de 3 129 € à 12 516 € AGIRC tranche C (20,43 %) répartition libre AGIRC CET 0,22 % de 0 à 25 032 € AGIRC assurance décès 1,50 % de 0 à 3 129 € AGIRC Formation professionnelle Entreprise de moins de 10 salariés (6) 0,55 % Masse salariale OPCA ou trésor public De 10 à moins de 20 salariés 1,05 % Masse salariale OPCA et sous conditions limitatives : formations des salariés de l'entreprise Entreprise de 20 salariés ou plus (7) 1,60 % Masse salariale OPCA et sous conditions limitatives : formations des salariés de l'entreprise Entreprise avec CDD (dit CIF-CDD) 1% salaire CDD OPCA ou trésor public Autres taxes et participations Taxe d'apprentissage (8) 0,50 % Masse salariale Organisme collecteur Contribution au développement de l'apprentissage (8) 0,18% Masse salariale Organisme collecteur Contribution supplémentaire à l'apprentissage (entreprises de 250 salariés et plus, sous conditions) (8) 0,10 % Masse salariale Organisme collecteur 4,25 % de 0 à 7664 € Service des impôts des entreprises Taxe sur les salaires (9) 8,50 % de 7664 à 15 306 € 13,60 % de 15 306 € à 151 200 € 20% au delà de 151 200€ Versement transport (entreprises de plus de 9 salariés) (10) variable salaire total URSSAF Participation à l'effort de construction (entreprises de 20 salariés et plus) (11) 0,45 % Masse salariale Organisme collecteur ou, sous conditions, investissements directs -
Thanks for the update - appreciated. Sounds like a regretable, but understandable, cock-up, typical of rural living. (And not just French rural living - have known similar cases in Worcestershire [:-))]). And congratulations of arriving at the explanation.
But here's a thought: see if you can inspire Farmer T. to plant a dozen young walnuts somewhere. You could sell him the idea as being a way to commemorate his daughter's wedding, perhaps?
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[quote user="Araucaria"] Do either of you have any views on caniveaux? [/quote]
My main view is that it's not a job you want to have to do twice! [:@]. But I also understand that neither do you want something that might be suitable for the rebuilding of Marseille docks ... [:-))]
Have a look at the Aco site here - should give you an idea of the quality of product that you need - e.g. their 'Self' range, perhaps?
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[quote user="Araucaria"]<snip> I feel I ought to provide for a bit of expansion between the sections ... I'm not sure if that actually is what I need - but does anyone know what product I should use in concrete?[/quote]
Essentially, what you're trying to do is to allow the slabs to move independently of each other* - and move they will, be it by contraction, expansion or settlement. So you want something that can take up that movement. Now you can buy specially-designed plastic profiles, like this ...
http://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/produits/joint-de-dilatation-80-mm-x-5-m-e163240
...which are ok, but are possibly a bit more expensive than necessary for what you’re doing.
Fortunately, a few strips of fibre board, cut to size and left in place, will also do the job [:D].
* Have a look here, if you like, where there is a not-all-bad explanation of what you're doing and why [:)]
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[quote user="dave21478"] If I want cover I have to reduce the security level of the lock, or at least fit their rubbish alongside how I currently secure it, just for show. [/quote]
Agree, Dave - I can't see how that kind of rim lock is going to do much in your case. As I guess you know, those are intended for wooden entrance doors. You commonly find them fitted to many older properties, albeit normally in threes. IME, they're not so easy to force, btw - there's a proper deadlock mechanism inside. (Well, there is, provided you don't do as Pommier's post and buy a Chinese knock-off at Bricomerde for €3 ... [Www])
But I hope you're not saying that a padlock is gonna give you a proper level of security, are you? From your description, it seems that whoever made your door(s) in the first place failed to allow for the installation of a proper lock. Which was common enuf a few years back; but given the number of farm break-ins happening at the mo' in France, I can't see how any insurance company is going to be particularly sympathetic, should the worst happen ...[:-))]
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[quote user="idun"]I agree ET, which is sort of what I thought I had said.[/quote]
As Eurotrash and Idun,
This story is no more than (yet another) example of the opposing ways
In France, before being allowed to practice almost any trade or occupation, you are both expected and required to go thru a certain number of formalised learning stages - in so doing, you will be encadré’d, credité’d, agreé’d and brevetté’d [:D]. This might seem almost mediaeval to us Brits, akin to a throwback to the ancient craft guilds. But here, to do otherwise is seen as concurrence déloyale.
In the
Our friend the mountain bike instructor has simply tried to apply the British approach to a French situation. Which might seem only reasonable, from a British perspective; but a wiser man might have decided to swim with the tide …
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Am I the only one to be surprised that anyone would think that a hasp and staple + padlock was adequate security, be it in France, the UK or anywhere else ...? AND this in a property that isn't permanently occupied? J'hallucine ...
Why should any insurance company compensate for the failure of someone to properly secure their possessions?
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From a legal perspective, the dog would be considered a "chien errant ou en état de divagation".
Now, if your neighbour wants to 'Get Something Done', he needs to inform his Maire, who has a legal responsibility to ... 'Get Something Done' [:)] (under article L. 2212-2 du Code général des collectivités territoriales, apparently. And it never hurts to be able to quote the article in such cases ... ).
And if the Maire doesn't do something, then "La responsabilité de la commune peut être engagée ..." [:-))]
More here, the Association des Maires de France [:D]:
http://www.amf.asso.fr/document/index.asp?DOC_N_ID=8240&TYPE_ACTU
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Also: today, 21 July, the landing of SS troops on the plateau du Vercors marking the start of the end of la République Libre du Vercors.
"La répression allemande est brutale. Les soldats exécutent des blessés dans la Grotte de La Luire transformée en hôpital, déportent infirmières et médecins, fusillent des hommes à La Chapelle-en-Vercors, pillent et détruisent les fermes et les villages sur leur passage. Le bilan humain est lourd, 200 civils et 600 maquisards sont morts, 40 sont déportés."
Still a controversial episode in French history. Whose fault?
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[quote user="PaulT"]Then Pat I was very, very lucky - they have the dangly legs.[/quote]
@ Paul and Pat:
Dangly legs = a Paper Wasp, most probably Polistes gallicus. Not the same (altho' related) as Common Wasp, Vespula vulgaris. Relatively common in France, not so in UK.
The good news about these guys is that they're not very aggresive or intrusive - you have to do something really quite radical/silly to get stung. The bad news is that the sting hurts like bu88ery ... [:'(]
More info here, for example: https://theresagreen2.wordpress.com/tag/wasps-with-dangling-legs/
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[quote user="Quillan"]I was wondering if this report etc was done before the OP bought the place ....[/quote]
I had the same thought, Quillan. According to the link from the département du Seine-Maritime that I posted earlier, certain of these surveys (300 of which have been done) date back to 1995.*
Also, I wonder about a possible mis-interpretation by the famous 'estate agent' of the effect of this survey. Because, according to the Seine-Maritime site, these surveys are done to assist communities with the "révision de leur document d’urbanisme". In other words, they are primarily a development control tool, not a mechanism for the 'blanket' banning of individual building projects. Here are two supporting quotes:
"La loi relative à la prévention des risques technologiques et naturels et à la réparation des dommages prévoit que les communes ou leurs groupements compétents en matière de documents d’urbanisme élaborent, en tant que de besoin, des cartes délimitant les sites où sont situées des cavités souterraines et des marnières susceptibles de provoquer l’effondrement du sol (article L 563-6 du code de l’environnement).
And:
"4) Son utilisation
Le document est ensuite adressé aux services compétents en urbanisme et en prévention des risques. Il est ensuite intégré au document d’urbanisme avec les périmètres de risque définis selon l’origine de l’indice."
So it's possible that there may be a certain amount of 'jumping to conclusions' going on ... In any event - and as many others have advised ! - it would certainly be worth investigating further.
* The primary establing legislation is later, however: 30 July 2003 (http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/affichTexte.docidTexte=JORFTEXT000000604335&dateTexte=_)
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[quote user="Alan Zoff"]I'm surprised the OP is being given a fair bit of stick over this. He made it clear that he was making lots of enquiries ..[/quote]
Really, Alan? The only person he says he has talked to is his estate agent. (And we all know what their opinions are worth [6]...) He concedes he hasn't spoken to the neighbours, and then throws out, " Is there anything that we can do to challenge the ban and the 'survey' findings?". And that's the request that people have responded to.
[quote user="Alan Zoff"] It's certainly not a position in which I would want to find myself and I hope it works out for them.[/quote]
Certainly. But I hope you will agree that it wouldn't have hurt to have done some basic background research before throwing out terms like 'draconian', 'arbitrary', 'lazy' - and "I'm staggered" and "We feel very aggrieved".
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While I can understand the OP's concern, I also find it remarkable that in less than 2 minutes of research on Tinternet I can discover more about the background to this than the OP seems to know [:-))].
http://www.seine-maritime.equipement.gouv.fr/le-recensement-d-indices-de-a2454.html
So, feeling 'very aggrieved by the whole situation particularly as we were not informed of any survey or prohibition having been placed'; and being 'staggered that such a draconian measure can be applied to individual's properties, with all the implications for future enjoyment and resale values, based on ancient line drawings made mainly by people who are long dead etc etc.' does seem somewhat misplaced [8-)] [kiss].
Btw, similar pieces of research, which have the laudable purpose of assisting development decisions, are also normal in the UK. Two examples I am aware of are old mine workings in Derbyshire and swallow holes in Hertfordshire.
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[quote user="Sprogster"] <snip> I was told that asbestos was used extensively in French house construction until 1996 ...[/quote]
You were told right! [:)]. Asbestos was banned in France by the décret no 96-1133 du 24 décembre 1996.
[quote user="Sprogster"]Apparently, if undisturbed it presents no health risk, but its existence is flagged in house surveys so that future owners are aware and can forewarn tradesman who may work on the house.[/quote]
And (basically) correct again [:)]!
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Excellent - good news and thanks for reporting back.
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To get back to chateaubriant's original questions:
[quote user="chateaubriant"]1. Would the asbestos have been picked up in the French sellers survey? [/quote]
Yes, in theory (at least). Here's a résumé, in plain French [:)] of what should happen these days*::
"Diagnostic amiante : obligatoire en cas de vente ou de démolition
En cas de vente d'une habitation dont le permis de construire a été délivré avant le 1er juillet 1997:
i) Le propriétaire/vendeur doit disposer d'un diagnostic amiante au plus tard au moment de la signature de la promesse de vente;
ii) Cette obligation vaut pour les maisons individuelles, comme pour les appartements."
* The founding legislation is Décret n° 2011-629 du 3 juin 2011.
But bear in mind what Paul said: diagnosing the presence of asbestos is not always simple and, as in the UK, many so-called experts don't have the necessary knowledge. So anything that looks like asbestos sheeting will be called, 'asbestos sheeting' [8-)].
[quote user="chateaubriant"] 2. Could it have be left as is or does it need removing?[/quote]
Yes, it should be left; and no, it does not need removing. Left alone, asbestos sheeting is not dangerous. It only becomes so (and then only slightly ..) when it is moved. What happens is that fibres- and it's the fibres that are dangerous - can become loose when sheets are moved or broken up.
Do, however, be aware that, when or if its removal does become necessary (nothing lasts for ever ...), then this should be done - that is, if done legally - by specialists. And we all know what specialists like to charge ...[:-))]
HTH
Craig
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[quote user="PaulT"] <snip> ...so I take it that news of asbestos related diseases have not yet reached dept 31![/quote]
Not so far from the truth there, Paul. The whole issue of asbestos - its historic use, its handling today and the on-going reponsibility for any compensation payments to people made ill by it; and for the environmental clean-up around the mines and factories, is a controversial and still unresolved problem here in France.
The background to this is the fact that France was both a major global producer and user of asbestos (amiante) for many years. For example, between 1930 and 1965 the mine and factory at Canari in Corsica was the biggest in Europe. Abandoned for 50 years, the road and the beaches around were regularly covered with asbestos dust and particles left over from the old operation. The site's 5-year 'restoration' has recently finished, at a cost of 'at least ...' €11 million. (Except they've just found it's leaking again ...)
Go (for example):
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+1 to Eurotrash's advice. Spot on. Forget texts, e-mails, letters - phone the bugger up, just like you would in the UK. Until you talk to him, you've no idea why the job's not been done - blimey, as we used to say in the trade, "His mother might have died ..."
Sure, you'll have to be on his case. But you're still a long way from any Chambre des Métiers stuff ... [:)]
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[quote user="Loiseau"]there has recently been a new rule that everyone has to have their tank inspected by the gloriously-named SPANC organisation. [/quote]
How time flies, Angela ... [:)]
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[quote user="idun"]Lovely Saligo Bay who used to post on here lived in or near Montpellier and I remember her saying that she was often cold in winter. [/quote]
Yep, you can't venture too far away from the littoral. It can get pretty cold when you get into the arrière-pays - after all, Larzac isn't THAT far away!
[quote user="idun"]I could always just about cope with normal very hot summers in France, we used to get 27 to 30°C ... [/quote]32°C forecast here for this coming week ...
P.s Of course the wonder that is the Tinternet brings us all sort of maps for maximum, minimum or average temperatures; amounts of rain, amounts of sunshine, days of wind, fog, snow, frost ...whatever. Here's a selection, for example:
Help! I changed my house insurer and now I'm being sued!
in French Legal Issues
Posted
[quote user="Jimbo"]It seems a contradiction that, if you are obliged to give two months notice, you only see the quote for the next year's premium one month (or less) before renewal. [/quote]
Ok, just to try to clear this up (I did say it's complicated, and in a way that only the fierce application of French logic can complicate things. Hey, it's a 'cultural thing').
1. Yes, your basic right is to be able to cancel the policy giving at least 2 months notice before the expiry date.
2. However, how many people think to do this in time? So Luc Chatel added a little rider to this basic right: the insurance company now has to remind you of this right. When they don't do this (which they won't, and everyone knows they won't), you then have 20 days to cancel from the date of the renewal letter. This right, btw, WILL be written somewhere in small type on the back of the letter.
Btw, on the proposed Hamon modification: Don't hold your breath. I read in Les Echos at the week-end that the insurance industry is campaigning for this to be put back to the second half of 2015. And given that Hamon is no longer a member of the government ...
[quote user="Jimbo"]And the moral of the story...if you are about to insure your French property...for goodness sake don't touch French insurance companies. [/quote]
A tad harsh, Jimbo. However, "Don't touch certain French insurance companies, especially one whose name begins with A", I would agree with!