Advice Needed Please

[Ianj11]

I am currently in the process of buying a barn for conversion in Silfiac near Pontivy.

I am at the stage where my 10% deposit is required.

With myself & my partner both being non french speaking we are having trouble understanding what we are actually signing for.

As a condition of the sale we have stated with notaire we require a certificate de urbanism and that an outbuilding outside be removed before sale.

The notaire has said yes these will be done but should i be doing anything to safeguard this.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks Ian

[Idealfrance]

You need to make sure that you have a clause (condition suspensive) in the sales agreement (compromis de vente or soussaing) specifiying that the obtention of a "Certificat d'Urbanisme Operationnel Positif" is a condition of the sale.

Be careful, there are 2 types of CU, and neither has to be positive. The CU operationnel means that you will have specified the project you intend to do (ie. barn conversion) and if it's positive you should have the right to do this - subject to planning permission at a later stage.

If you're financing, then you need a get-out clause in there for non-obtention of a loan - this should be a legal requirement anyway.

You will be signing a sales agreement (compromis de vente or soussaing) at this stage and every condition and detail of the sale needs to be included on it. Once it's signed and the 7 day (calendar, not working) has passed you won't realistically be able to change it. The final deed is based on the sales agreement.

Make sure your cheque goes to the notaire's sequestre account and that you get a receipt for it.

You should also, if at all possible, get the vendor to use a géometre to measure out the land you'll be buying precisely (bornage) and draw up a plan of the land. This'll make planning permission easier at a later stage and also protect you in case of dispute over boundaries. The cadastral plans are notoriously inaccurate.

You might want to put a condition in for getting permission to install a waste water treatment system (demande d'assainissment) if you are not near any mains sewers. You won't get planning permission if you can't put in a fosse séptique.

Good luck!

Ben Symons
http://www.idealfrance.com

[Ianj11]

Hi Ben

Many thanks for the information, i will heed your advise and contact the Immobilier before signing.

Thanks Ian

[Will]

I would just add that if your French is not up to understanding what you are signing, the agent immobilier should provide an English translation for you.

[Dick Smith]

And our notaire was very careful to translate everything, even discussing translations to make sure we all meant the same thing. Mind you, the vendor just sat there like a pile of prunes...

[dandaz]

Hi

 

I never got asked for a deposit and my immobilier could`nt speak a word of English and I could`nt speak a word of French we communicated via e mail and I had to change his French to English [internet site]and vice sa versa....

 

I signed loads of stuff that was in French ,still don`t know what it is....

 

Mick

[Michael]

[quote]Hi I never got asked for a deposit and my immobilier could`nt speak a word of English and I could`nt speak a word of French we communicated via e mail and I had to change his French to English [in...[/quote]

Mr dandaz. I wish to inform you that you are now signed up for the british battallion of the french foreign legion stationed in chad your rail tickets inthe post .camp commandant.

[dandaz]

hi

 

Or the local public toilets...

 

Mick