David

[quote user="ali-cat"] Hello All. Just received our first Avis D'Impot for 2006. Yay! - Proof of residence for when we need it; Yay! - Nothing to pay this time as it only covers 5 months and most of our income is taxed in the UK. But what do I do with it now?  There is a declaration at the bottom to be signed and dated that states that the revenues declared are all revenues taxable In France; and another space to state the annual total revenues orginating abroad and not taxeable in France.  Do I need to fill this in for Civil Service Pension and Incapacity Benefit taxed in the UK (both of which were declared on the tax return) and once signed and dated - is the form to be returned? Mr Cat    [/quote] Hello Mr Cat, I understand that Incapacity Benefit should be paid without UK tax deduction, and then be declared as a gross amount on the French tax form for French tax to be paid. I am in receipt of Incapacity Benefit, and I was firmly told that this was taxable in France. Hope this helps, David

Hoddy "My other half is seriously considering producing a watch that shows just this. Would there be a market do you think? " Yes, there is a big market which is already covered, I have the same problem so I have a Seiko day and date, an Avia day and date and a Casio day, date and year.  I am getting so ancient that when my watch battery runs out, I have no idea of day or date, thus the three watches.  All quite cheap by the way. David

Bugbear, fully agree - perhaps I should add low density traffic on roads making driving a pleasure. Pads, good point about poll tax.  (I thought that poll tax was abolished when Maggie was thrown out - has Labour introduced it again?) Is all this talk of being forced to return to UK (in newspapers) just hysteria, or is there a good financial reason to return to UK? In any event it would be a good discussion as to the best place to return to.  Cornwall seems a good idea, but what part of Cornwall Pads, as I understood that Cornwall natives did not like outsiders (grockles, emmets?). David

Considering that many people are now thinking that they may be forced to return to the UK due to the new health regulations, I started wondering where to go, providing that anywhere in the UK was acceptable. Can anyone recommend any area of UK that would provide a lifestyle most closely resembling the lifestyle in France that we came over here for? For example, for starters, some factors are cheap housing, good warm weather (at least in most summers), low or zero crime, politeness and friendliness of local neighbours, no litter, well behaved children, good local produce in supermarkets, etc, etc. Some would want urban areas and some would want rural areas. Any ideas? David

Our friends have found bats in their barn.  They would not be worried, but they are roosting above the car parking space, and also the potato storage space, and their droppings are covering both car and potatoes.  They are also worried about urine damage to the car and potatoes. They have asked me if bats are protected in France, or if it allowed to move them to another roosting area. I said that I did not know the answer, but I would ask on this forum. Can anyone advise if bats are protected in France (I know they are protected in UK), and if it is allowed to move them.  If it is allowed to move them, what would be the best method without harming them? Many thanks, David

Reluctantly I suspect that you are correct RH.  This morning I met my friend, a large hard German of the same age as me (early sixties) who was reluctantly ordered by his wife to take her to Germany for the birth of a grandchild. He also did not like the idea of squalling brats, but he has returned with lots of photos which he coos and gagas over.  Humph. Anyway, thanks to londoneye I am making arrangements to take wife to UK for not only Christmas, but also for the birth in early November.  Yuk!  I have told wife who seems quietly pleased.  Traitor! Anyway, I seem to be earning housepoints. What is it about these little lumps of squalling flesh that can turn a hard German man into a quiverring cooing, gagaing lump? Toung in cheek, but many thanks to londoneye who put me on the right track, and enabled me to understand the signals being sent by the OH. David

Thanks Jonzjob, We have now come back to our home in Deux-Sevres, but next time we are down I will research wooden doors.  I am not sure, but there may be a problem with that as we live in a co-proprietor site, and any changes have to be approved by the comittee.  This takes up to a year as they only consider changes at the AGM in July. We have been trying for two years to get permission to glass in a covered porch, but with no result to date.  We would also like to add a conservatory, but we are told this will "be impossible/take many years/be very difficult", so we have abandoned that.  We tried without success to get permission for a satellite dish, eventually we just put it up and we are now waiting for the flak. Thanks for your kind suggestion, I really will research it and try to persuade the President of the Syndic. David  

Big Mac, Thanks for the suggestion, but I am not sure what you mean by "prepare the door, etch prime".  I also have to do the surrounding metal panels as the opening is not standard size. Thanks, David.

Thanks pawsie and londoneye.  What wonderful posts, which have encouraged me to start making the arrangements.  There must be something special about grandmothers and grandchildren.  I know that as a child I loved my grandmother. Personally I am not too keen on squalling smellie brats, I feel that having gone through two children, enough is enough.  The OH makes the same noises, but from your posts perhaps she is just humouring me? So - make arrangements to spend Christmas with son, his wife and the new borne.  Must be hotel as daughter in law has already invited her mother, father, brother, and sister to stay in the house.  The entire daughter in law's family!  I really could not cope with staying in their house, despite my son inviting us to stay with them after I raised the posibility of going over for Christmas.  I am running out of excuses for insisting on an hotel! I really thought that I had done enough by offering to go over in early November when the smellie brat ( first grandchild) is due, but from your posts it seems that OH may have other ideas? Now off to search the net for hotels. Many thanks, I chickened out of doing this as a surprise, so I floated the idea to OH who seemed to be quite pleased!!!!!  Just wanted a comfy hotel and a taxi for Christmas day to and from the hotel.  Also good catering at the hotel, so all aspects covered!! Many thanks, David

Have you thought of a volkswagen passat estate?  We have a 2.0 litre diesel sport, and it is wonderful.  Fast, lots of toys, comfortable and lots of boot space. David

Many thanks Ab, I have now found a zinc phosphate primer and I will touch up the rusted areas to hold them for the winter. When I am next over in the UK I will buy the two pack epoxy primer and two pack polyurethane for a full job next spring. Many thanks, David

What a lovely post londoneye, many thanks indeed. Taking your advice, I am now trying to book an hotel in south east London for Christmas so that we can spend Christmas with our two children and one brand new grandchild. Many thanks again. David

What a lovely thought chocccie, I will certainly do that. Many thanks indeed, David

Thanks very much Ab, very helpful indeed.  Unfortunately my last op didn't go too well, so I will be in a wheelchair for a little while yet. As we are now running out of time before we go home, I think I will touch up the small areas using the paints you recommend, and next year do the whole door.  I have now found that the frame, which is also made of two metals, and the panels inset into the frame, are also starting to flake off in small places. So a touch up job for the winter, followed by a large job next spring. Many thanks again, David

Thanks everyone for your very helpful advice.  I suspected there might be a problem, so I will do as you say over the weekend and let you know how it went. Many thanks, David

Thanks Bugbear, but I don't think I can manage that this year. Thanks Vicar, very helpful, however, my Franch is not that good.  The idea about car paints seems good. If I used two different primers for each type of metal, could I use one top coat for the whole door?  I am trying to keep things simple as I am presently in a wheelchair. Many thanks, David

The OH has dropped some heavy handed hints, which finally penetrated my thick skull, that she would like a break from cooking this Christmas. I would be very grateful if anyone could suggest places where I could get some ideas for Christmas hotel, holiday or activity packages suitable for two in their early sixties, and with me mostly in a wheel chair.  If anyone has any specific holiday suggestions that would be great. We live in north Deux-Sevres, and we would not like it to be too posh or expensive. Also the OH is allergic to shell fish, so no places specialising in seafood.  This may be a bit difficult in France as we understand that the French eat shell fish as a special treat for Christmas, in a similar fashion to the Brits eating turkey in the UK. Thanks in anticipation from a worried hubby who needs to earn some brownie points.  To the ladies out there - what do long suffering wives want for Christmas?  Where would you like to go, or what would you like to do? David

At our holiday home in Port Leucate on the Med coast, our front door faces south and is exposed to sun and sea salt.  The door is quite new, but in small places the paint is starting to peel off. My problem is that the door seems to be made of two types of metal.  The main panels seem to be a ferrous metal with red rust appearing, but the trims and small panels seem to be non ferrous (they are non magnetic) and are showing white rust in places. Can anyone advise the name of a single primer and top coat that will cover both types of metal, or must I use separate paints for each type of metal?  Quite a pain using four tins of paint, two primers and two top coats, and wasting most of it. Ideally I would like an all in one paint that would cover both types of metal, thus meaning that I only have to buy one tin of paint. Many thanks in advance, David.

Several times now, while on the internet, my computer has frozen and I get a window opening from PC Pitstop stating that my machine has registry problems, and offering to fix them. So far I have refused the offer, closed the window and rebooted the machine, after which all seems to work fine. I would be grateful for your advice as to whether I should allow PC Pitstop to scan my machine, and if they are safe, reputable and secure. Many thanks, David

SD, You could of course have simply said England or English if you wanted a generic term. I was trying to clarify matters for those people who may not know the difference between English and Scottish law, for example vendors, both French and English, who are asked to accept a clause suspensive. You stated Quote Yes, you can always ask for a clause suspensive, but it's unlikely that such an open ended arrangement would be agreeable to a seller, given that he'd be obliged to turn away more substantive offers whilst waiting for your nebulous house sale to materialise.  I certainly wouldn't offer one to a UK buyer in those circumstances. Unquote. Your comment refers to English law, and I suggest should have stated "offer one to an English buyer ...".  Under Scottish law the matter is very different, and it seems to me, that a clause suspensive for a Scottish house sale could be attractive to a seller who would not entertain a clause suspensive for an English house sale. As I said, I was reluctant to enter an apparently dead thread, but I wished to correct innaccurate information for the benefit of future readers. David

[quote user="Sunday Driver"]   My simple point in response to the original poster's enquiry was that a UK house sale was not a 'done deal' until the contracts were signed and exchanged.  Any 'offer' accepted before that has no legal standing and can be withdrawn right up until the moment that the contracts are signed by both parties.  That is the fundamental risk faced by the OP in their situation and the simple essence of this thread.   [/quote] I enter this thread with reluctance, particularly as it appears to be dead.  However, for the benefit of future readers of this thread I must clarify one aspect of "UK" house selling law on which you are all wrong, and which may confuse future "UK" sellers. I quote the above from Sunday Driver as an example.  This statement is not correct.  While it may be correct for England and Wales, (and it is essentially correct for the OP who referred to England) the system in Scotland is entirely different and more akin to France.  In Scotland any offer is made through solicitors and is fully legally binding.  Thus in Scotland the house sale is a "done deal" when the offer is made and accepted.  There are get outs, but these are based on unsatisfactory legal documents such as searches. In this thread, all references to the UK actually refer to English law thus, for this thread only, the term "UK" should be taken to mean "England and Wales". I have said this before on this forum, but it falls on deaf ears.  The systems in England and Scotland are totally different, thus all references to house sales should clearly say which country is under discussion, and the term "UK" should not be used. David

Having recently changed my UK driving licence for a French licence, I was rather concerned about the following newspaper advice. French News August 2007. Page 61, Motoring and Travel by Brian McCulloch. Radars, the reality. Points taken. Quote Most French licences have 12 points, except those issued within the last two years which have only six.  Three points are lost for each speeding offence. .............. Unquote. I do not think that this is correct, but I would be grateful for the advice of this forum.  I would be rather upset if changing to a new French licence has cost me six points, especially as this forum did not warn me of this. I would also ber grateful for advice as to the accuracy of the rest of the article.  For example I wonder if the section "Binoculars" is correct in stating that offenders are pulled over there and then for processing, as I have seen Gendarms using these devices without any other Gendarms, such as motor bikes, being visible in the area. David

I am running windows XP SP2 and IE7 through an Orange 1mb livebox connection. I cannot get Google, BBC, Daily Telegraph, Ask, Radio Times, and some others, but I can get Orange, this site and some others without any delay. Is this an Al Qaeda attack on UK news and info sites after the failed car bomb attack in London? David

Gluestick, Does your post refer to Angloinfo or Living France? If Living France then I would agree with you. David   Edit - my quote did not work.  I was referring to the following post - "This is simply the best forum for factual answers and sheer breadth of experience and knowledge. It does seem as if many members gravitated here after unpleasant experiences elsewhere. And yes, I have had the same experiences with moderators/administrators arbitrarily deleting posts: and being, thereafter, deaf to reason! However, to be fair, the sites are totally commercial and now franchised and since they are free, well it's up to the owners to call the shots as they see fit."

[quote user="nicktrollope"] [But all this is irrelevant to the OP, who wants to know how to challenge a speed camera; I'd suggest that you throw down your driving glove, kick it in the bo**ocks then run.... [/quote] I used to that to the bullies at school when I was young and fit, and could run run run.  Kicking the backside rather than the bo**ocks gave a good head start.  However, I learnt not to do it before school lunch (lunches were good in those days) as the bullies just waited outside the refectory.  Funny thing, by next day the bullies had usually forgotten who they were chasing the day before (a bit dim), so I learnt to challenge just before going home. These days even the camera could catch me, so how about you throw down your driving glove, kick it in the bo**ocks being careful not to overbalance on the crutches, throw a glass of vin rouge at it, blast it with a few pleasantries such as "may your film always be overdeveloped, and may your power supply fry you in the next thunderstorm"  then snootily turn your back and resume passage. Seriously, I have still not received any letters, so it looks as if it was not me who was flashed.  Excellent thought.  I am fascinated by the technical lnowledge on this forum, and I am enjoying learning how speed cameras work.  You never know when this may be useful. Thanks all, David