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Cooling off period - When does it REALLY begin?


Etoile
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I have attempted to find the answer to the above question on the site but find myself more confused than ever. We are new to the forum and are about to sign our Compromis de Vente for a property in South West France. My basic question is at what point the seven day cooling off period begins. The notaire has sent us the compromis by email and asked us to sign it, append the inventory for the property, and send it back. I understand from various posts that the seven days then begins from when the notaire actually receives the document back.

However, there is also the opinion that I must sign a compromis sent to me by registered post from France and already signed by the vendor, and that the seven day period commences when I receive and sign for this, OR when it is received back by the notaire.

I would be grateful if someone can give me the definitive answer to this. I do not wish to sound arrogant but I am not seeking opinions, as the forum is already awash with them, but it would be good to know the legal position here. Also when the deposit is payable, I believe this is at the END of the seven day period.

Many thanks in advance for all those helpful replies!

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i also meant to add!!![Www] our paperwork arrived with the vendors signature via registered post, it was also returned registered. we paid our deposit three days after the date WE signed. this was to ensure the money was inplace when it was required, as the bank told us it could take 3 days for the money to be received the other end especially as there was a weekend involved. this happened in early sept and the date for the final signing has now been set for the middle of dec.[:D]
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Thanks, the most helpful answer yet. The 'Notaires de France' website is helpful, but even there it talks about seven days from the receipt of the contract, but for the life of my I cannot work out whether they mean receipt by the purchaser or by the notaire!!
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[quote user="Etoile"]Thanks, the most helpful answer yet. The 'Notaires de France' website is helpful, but even there it talks about seven days from the receipt of the contract, but for the life of my I cannot work out whether they mean receipt by the purchaser or by the notaire!![/quote]

Edit: Chrisb is correct, I have edited out the duff info[:$]

From the notaires website in english.

Cooling-off period

A cooling-off period is allowed when the preliminary contract must be

established as the authentic deed. The contract must not be immediately

signed by the parties. The notary must send the deed to the purchaser

which has seven days period to think and indicate if he gives up the

purchase.
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Well we signed at the Estate Agents office for the Compromis for both the sale of our current house and the purchase of our new one - in both instances the purchaser and seller were both there!!

However, the 7 day 'cooling-off' period doesn't start UNTIL you have subsequently received a copy of said Compromis by registered post.

Chris

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In our case, both parties signed the compromis at the agents office.  We received our copy three weeks later together with the fresh technical reports, and our cooling off period started from that moment.

At the time of signing, we were asked about the 10% deposit, but when we mentioned we'd have to arrange for funds to be transferred from the UK to the notaire, the agent and seller said that's OK, forget the deposit.....

 

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