Panda

If you look in the education threads you will see lots of info that will help. Personally I would never have dreamt of moving over without a clear intention of learning the language to such an extent that you can help with homework and interact with friends. It's tough for kids in french school and he will need you to understand, to help him and to fight his corenr when necessary. I have made my thoughts known on here in the education and moving threads, I have returned to the UK due to my opinion of the French rural education system so for me it's large town or not at all, but that's just my opinion! If you go to a large town or city you can attend Uni and study French, that way you will be able to help and won't get cut off. You will be surprised at how quickly you can pick up a language when you study 24 hours a week. Those who study 1 or 2 hours a week are wasting their time, again just my opinion. Last point, your son will never become French!

[quote user="Martinwatkins"]@ velcorin -  thank you for your very informed explanation.   Seems to fit in with what I've been saying,  maybe unit prices are lower in France because as you say people here haven't being paying the "true" costs.  [/quote] Now I'm really confused, I see Velocorin statng there will be a huge increases in prices in France via EdF (to pay for the decom of power stations) and that in the past domestic users have subsidised industry making the prices high not low. How does that fit in with what you've been saying

Oh how sad he looks, it breaks my heart to think of him stuck there, my old cocker boy is now 15 and runs and runs, this chap has years in him and does not deserve to be held captive like that.  I wish I was still in France and could help.   

Prices for electricity have always been pretty high in France so perhaps Clare is right that it has stayed high whilst the UK has caught up and overtaken, I remember that from my move in 2003, price of oil was really low though in France then but now of course that has more than doubled.  It's all swings and roundabouts, it's about the same all round when gains and losses in both directions

[quote user="jon"] I was reading somewhere...The French Property News!!!!! actually ...that France was best placed  to excit the finacial storm.3 PAGE article..... Properties are selling.....at least they are in my area Gironde. [/quote] Agreeing with Scooby, I think that FPN are clearly trying to keep people buying the magazine and the houses, this is simply wishful thinking sadly.  My friend has still not sold a single property in now more than a year, it is not rosy in immobillier land.  I wish it was for all of our sakes!  They are hardly likely to write the property market is up the spout and France are as badly placed as every country to get out of this mess now are they!

Yes indeed.  I guess it could be quite ironic that those who chose to get out of the rat race for a quiet life in france could still be working into their 80's. I have to say I didn't think about the consquence of retirement as a major factor when considering moving to France but the thought soon occured and it was something that was a factor in my decision to move back to the UK although I had made some propety investments the current state of the property market makes you think thrice about relying on that for the future. Thanks for the good wishes S17, all is well so far!

It is normal to proceed in this way and you normally can state the date at which the mortgage has to be fully agreed, from memory for me this was 30 days from date of compromis.  The application is time limited too as DD wrote above. One thing that troubles me slightly on your behalf is the valuation you mention., this is not normal practice for a straight french mortgage.  This is something the hybrid english/french banks do and in my experience their valuations have been madly incorrect it being they don't have a wealth of surveyors in one area so send someone in from miles away without a clue of local prices.  The nightmare I had as a buyer was with UCB (they are in some way connected to Abbey in the UK), I had the same nightmare when selling to a Brit who used them and it took 2 months to get a mortgage offer out of them and the buyer had to jump through loads of hoops and produce just about their life story to get the money, this was way before things got tight in the mortage world and so now I imagine it's even worse. I pulled out with them [UCB] and went down the high street and was offered a mortgage on the spot by CIC so my advice find out who the lender is and try and enforce some tight timelines for getting the actual mortage offer, otherwise you are in limbo waiting to find out. At the end of the day though you have someone who wants your house, this is rare so best not to put them off toooo much by being too awkward, who knows when the next one will turn up, could be a very long time in the current market.

I have found it quite surprising the number of brits who have moved over to France without considering pension. There are lots of parents with young children in the Charente for example who are scraping by with gites or other just enough to survive income. How will they manage later when they did not make enough contributions to the UK and as they are not fully employed in France will not make the required payments to have a French pension. Do they really not consider this as an issue?

quote user Jo my monthly gas and electric dd payments in UK have just come up for renewal, Gas has increased from £40 per month to £130 per month, Electric from £35 per month to £65 per month. Not even going there with the increase in Council tax ...... Personally, can't wait to make the visits to France permanent! Expensive groceries or not! Jo if you think your electricity or gas bill will be much less in France not to mention water you may have a surprise coming, for me tax d'hab plus tax fonciere came to around 1200 euro so agin not that different to council tax.

[quote user="Petit Romarin"]Thanks Panda. Hope all is going well for you.[/quote] Thanks, all good so far! My tenants pay the water bill too.

Good luck Mooky, I know exactly where you are coming from and going to! It takes a bit of getting used to here in the UK but I have no regrets, either going to France or returning to the UK and I'm sure things will go well for you too. IT's the anniversary of my first month back today and my son is settled and loves his school, I am happy to be still working from home with the odd day in the office and I have made a low offer on a house and it's been accepted, so far so good. Hope you manage to get on here occasionally and update your situation. Panda x

Hello If you have spearate meters to the property you should change them to the name of the tenant.  Those that don't generally are on a shared meter system. Panda

When I was studying french as a foreign language at Uni in France the teacher took the pee non stop out of the accents of the students and had us prononcing all sorts of very difficult phrases, it broke the ice and we had a great time.  There were circa 14 different nationalities in the class (Japanese, Thai, Brazillian to name a few), I was the only Brit and so the accents were very, very different. He always 'picked'on me to read a passage to the rest of the class because of my 'cute (yuk)' gloucestershire/french accent!  I never took offence and we remain good friends as I was nearer his age than most of the other students who were of course around 18. There's always room for humour....

Hello All Didn't realise this thread had reappearded, I am now back in the UK. Son has started school and so far loves it, it's a nice introduction as of course everyone is in holiday mode. I've started back at work and that's a weird feeling but knowing I will get a payslip at the end of the month is the nice part. I hated being self employed, the uncertainty doesn't suit me. So far so good, the thought of just dropping in for a coffee with family is the best part. I'm already planning my first trip to France as a holiday maker though, and I can't wait!

Lovely kittens and exactly the same looking mum as the one who adopted me and had her kittens.  I advertised on AI and found homes for all so there is hope, spread the net as far as you can and I'm sure homes will turn up. They are all adorable!

Hello All I'm now back in the UK so will be able to give my view on this in the future.  I have already said before I feel that the lack of creative thinking for example to write an essay or a poem not just learn one week in week out I feel is a big problem in France.  Lack of IT was also a big issue for me. My son will be assessed next week on his ability to integrate with his peers in the english system, this will be tough for him after 6 years in French school.  Panda

[quote user="Gyro"]If you book a ryanair flight. 1) They ask if you want to be checked in online or not, if not or you forget you will pay at the airport. 2) To check in online: you can up to 4 days beforehand to 4hrs before departure. 3)You can also pay for a bag up to 15Kg either online when you book or at the airport if its last minute (paying extra tho). But why bother paying for a bag when you can take 10Kgs in hand luggage? hope this helps [/quote] I believe that you can check in up to 15 days beforehand not 4 as quoted above, in fact I know this to be the case as I've just done it!

[quote user="Stan Streason"] The OP asked for advice and got opinions in spades.  They need to work out what kind of people they are.  Optimistic, flexible, hard working, resiliant, clever etc etc and they should be ok.  "Life owes me a living" types, probably not.  In my view, their success or otherwise will probably be more down to their own skills and attitudes, planning and fortitude than outside factors.  [/quote] I would like to think I am all of those things (optimistic, flexible, hardworking) but it wasn't enough for me.  As you say it can depend on many factors and for me it was the state of the french education, if you don't have kids this of course won't be a consideration.  Funding for euipment and apathy amongst teachers being the main problemsI have encountered. Out of interest did you meet anyone working if so what did they do?  Panda

Howe funny opposite here, mum is tabby and short haired, dad is black with long hair.

I would also be interested in answers to this as I want to carry on with my french and my sons. Anyone got any ideas?

It's no surprise to me that the man you knew would drown them Odile sadly, the cat charity here wanted me to take my litter ot the vets and have them put down as soon as they were born. It realy upset me and I've proved them wrong by rehoming all of them. How could they? [IMG]http://i688.photobucket.com/albums/vv246/bebekittens/IMGP1559blacky.jpg[/IMG]

Oh how awful!  I have had to rehome cats too, I had a cat adopt me and have her kittens, I have rehomed all of the kittens but no one wants to take on an older cat it would seem.  I have a friend who is taking mine until her passport comes through then I'll come back and take her with me, could you not do the same?  I'm sure if you advertised for a temp home you might have more luck.  

Hi Jon Seems we share a problem!  I have an adopted cat and kittens who've moved in.  The mum will move the kittens soon, they like to leave behind the scent of the birth and so she may move out, more likely she will move them somewhere else within the house where B&B are served! Mine are just about to fledge (7 weeks old), they have been great entertainment and all are rehomed now! Panda

Yes, same in the Charente in France and I seem to have an aleergic reaction to it! Acres are planted up with the stuff.

Hello Mooky Can't help on your question although agree AI is a good place to put things, I am going back too and I'm not taking any furniture at all, it's so liberating don't you think?  I have had to lumber some good friends with things which is a shame but I expect to have my house back as a holiday home one day (rented at the moment) so I will use the stuff eventually. Good luck with your move! Panda