Advice on Letting an Apartment in Loire Region

[Denny61]

Dear All

This is my second attempt to post only just signed up for the discussion forum

and my first post seemed to disappear into the ether ?

Any way my wife and I decided to invest in a buy to let property in France back

in 2005, the property was an Off-Plan Development with a guranteed 3 year

tenancy.

This was fine but after the first 3 years we have struggled to let the property

on a regular basis and has been empty for just over 12 months now.

The property is located in the town of Vallet about a half hours drive from the

city of Nantes, it is a top floor flat with really nice views across vinyards.

We were told by the original developer that top floor flats were preferred by

French tenants.

The apartment is currently listed for let with an Immobilier based in Nantes

and on a recent vist by my wife and I we were told that they really specialised

on Nantes properties but offered to delegate it to a local letting agent in

Vallet. That was about 6 weeks ago and as yet we have not received any

information on the new agents and emails to the immobiler go un answered.

We feel we are being fobbed off by the Immobiler and would like to relist the apartment

with another agent as soon as possible but we are not sure how to go about it.

We would even consider selling the property but prices appear to be down at the

moment and we would probably bot get our original investment back.

Any advice on the best way forward would be welcome.

Many Thanks in advance

Denis

[Pickles]

Firstly, look at the contract that you have with the agent who is supposed to be managing it for you - assuming that they are managing it and are not just tasked with finding a tenant. In the contract you will probably discover that it automatically renews unless you give at least two month's notice in writing (LRAR) in advance of the renewal date - which would normally be the anniversary of the start date. If the renewal date is coming up, get the notice in in plenty of time. Go and visit the town and look at the other agents who manage lettings. Interview a couple and sign up with one. If the renewal date has passed or is a long way in the distance, go and have a face-to-face chat with the agent and find out WHY the property is empty. Is the price too high? Is there not much demand?

Regards

Pickles