Fuel oil costs?

[Carolski]

Help please!!!

Having just put in an offer for an old 3 bedroom Ferme in Charente maritime and had it accepted, we are about to enter the 7 day cooling off period, when we asked the owners today to give us a break down of their yearly heating costs. They have a 20 year old fuel oil boiler (heating only) and electric immersion for hot water. Their bills work out to 2000 litres per year at 0.4euro's per litre (800 euro's) and elec at 480 euro's per year! Help, this is not including wood for the fire or the gas bottle for the cooking. We intend to be living in the property permenantly.We were horrified at this cost as we were led to believe it would be cheaper in France (this price is double what we pay in the UK) plus the climate in Charente Maritime is so much warmer. Please can someone tell me if these figures are typical for this region and type of property? ASAP as we are into the 7 day cooling off period.

Many thanks

Carole

[zeb]

Please can
>someone tell me if these
>figures are typical for this
>region and type of property?
>ASAP as we are into
>the 7 day cooling off
>period.
>
Hi Carole - it really depends on how well insulated the house is and how efficient the boiler. I'd get the boiler changed (so that the water is heated by oil rather than electricity (which is expensive) as I'm sure that 20 years is about the maximum shelf life for a boiler!

We have floor area of 153 sq mtrs - plumber worked out the volume but can't remember it - and part of the house is not well insulated yet. We used about 1500 ltrs of oil last year (it was a long cold winter here in the Charente) which cost 603 euros (incl of TVA), our electricity is 30 euros a month, bottled gas for cooking (2 of us) 80 euro per annum, woodburner wood was 170 euros for 6 cubic metres which was more than enough.

Total for heat, light and cooking - 1213 euros.

Hope this helps........helen

[Iceni]

As we are both old enough to remember the last fuel crisis and getting to the point when we will have to live on a pension we decided to renovate the barn with this in mind. The area we are now living in (40/45 sq metres) will eventually be let out but the work has been done to a standard which makes it a good place to live for 2 years + while the work is going on and then also as a place to live in during the winter when the barn is finished.

With oil having broken the $42 a barrel barrier yet again we are also rethinking what we will use as the main heating in the barn. We are very near a wood yard and wood is very cheap here so perhaps it will be wood.

Hopefully heating costs (well oil) will reduce soon but if not, if you have a self contained area within your property (or a suitable gite), making that 'winter quarters' and closing down the rest of the property if this is possible could save a huge amount on winter heating costs.

Di
http://www.iceni-it.co.uk

[GRT17]

LAST EDITED ON 18-Jul-04 AT 12:20 PM (BST)

.We were horrified at this
>cost as we were led
>to believe it would be
>cheaper in France (this price
>is double what we pay
>in the UK) plus the
>climate in Charente Maritime is
>so much warmer

Well be warned, it can be quite miserable and rainy in the winter months and certainly cold at night during Jan, Feb, even into March sometimes.

Re. gas bottle: A French friend of ours uses gas for all her cooking and says she changes the gas bottle every couple of months. We don't live in our house 12/12 but the house is mostly occupied from March to October, we use gas for the gas rings but not the oven and the bottle lastS 12 - 18 months depending on how much cooking is done.
Heating: can't help much with this because we only use the wood burning stove (and sometimes the open fire) usually need to light the stove every evening for March visits. If I lived there 12/12 I would want some efficient CH as well.

Good Luck, bon courage
Gill

[Washy]

Just had a flyer in the post box, offering wood for heating at summer rates. Not sure what these rates are but it seems most woodcutters charge less in the summer, when they need the work. Obvious really? It wasn't to me, anyway we are going to partake of this offer if the price really is cheaper, worth bearing in mind, to buy your wood in the summer to be cheaper.

[chirpy]

surely your saving on uk rates v french habitation and fonciere may make up the diference in budget.uss electric for heating at off-peak charge(creuse)and put timer plug to heat water you need -say 4 hours during night and top up if necessary at midday=if yiou have dishwasher use at same time ALSOTHE washing machine.buy insulation and double glaze as these may have a tax rebate unless stopped in your area.refer to your tax office.
you can also pay tax to France instead ofUK ,.DEPENDING ON YOUR FAMILY SIZE INCOME ETC. IT MAY BE 300 per annum less for example.ask your local office for an estimate and if cheaper then change.I CHANGED AND HAVE HAD REBATE FROM UK AND NOW PAY LOCALLY.ALSO YOU CAN PAY IN ARREARS. 2003 IS NOT DUE UNTIL 2004SEPTEMBER AND PART IN NOVEMBER.SO BANK YOUR ESTIMATED TAX -GET INTEREST ON IT AND PAY IT LATER.
HOPE THIS HELPS.