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" I'm broke" Confesses long term locateur


Plee
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The husband half of our winter let has just popped round to say that after paying three months he doesn't have any more money, has no prospects and has nowhere to go ! I feel sorry for him, but they have dumped their life problems on us and it doesn't feel too good. Any advice on how to ease them on their way. We have summer bookings !

                                                                                                                   Pete

 

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1. Stop feeling sorry for him, he is about to steal from you

2. Prepare for a long and expensive battle to get them out (especially if they have children)

3. Search the archives

4. Take legal advice

5. Phone whoever provided references and see if you can obtain any more info or at the very least try to make them feel guilty.

John

not

 

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That's potentially a very difficult situation Plee,

There is lots of information regarding the legal aspects on here, but only you are in possession of all the facts, therefore only you can deal with it.

My advise, for what it's worth,  is to be firm but fair and act now as delay will not make it any easier.

Good Luck

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Go and see the people at your local ANIL office.

Go and see a notaire gratuit, your Mairie should have the dates of these appointments.

Get these people to go and see the Mairie to get council housing.............

AND you go to the Mairie and tell them why this is a good thing as you will be losing out on holiday makers who will be spending money in the region.

 

 

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Just wondered, are these locateurs french nationals or foreigners because it will make a difference to whether they can get HLM and aid or not. There are have been several posts lately on other franglo forums where people have let properties and then the renters have either absconded owing lots or refused to shift.
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Wow !

Thankyou for the deluge of responses.

I think I like the firm but fair approach. They are (2) English and there has been an element of mis-representation, in that they must have been aware that they didn't have sufficient funds and I was led to believe that they were looking for a house to buy! They say that the bad internet connection (true) at the house has hampered their trading etcetera and so they've made less money than expected. What I can't fathom at the moment is whether their attempts to find work (not in France) are sincere or whether they intend to really string us a along. At the moment I think the former, and as some of you have pointed out I can't do anything until March anyway. So softly, softly. I do the smiling and the wife does the growling. Softly at the moment, but when she's off the leash.....!!

                                                                                                               Pete

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Plee

Go with the Rottweiler's instinct; you're being conned.

Get rid of them a s a p and forget anything to do with protection of tenancy until March is out. If it starts to get nasty I'd bet a pound to a pinch of whatever that they're as illegal as hell over here so they're not going to start shouting foul even if they do know anything about French law.

If you are still tempted to give them the benefit of the doubt (and I certainly wouldn't) then ask them, as a sign of good faith to hand over something like a passport or vehicle registration documents until such time as they can settle their debts. I bet you won't see them for dust.[6]

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Shame on you cynical lot. Have any of you ever been down on your luck? It can happen to anyone and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, I personally would try and help these people and not 'cry havoc and release the dogs of war'!

Go to your Mairie with the folks concerned and they will likely help out with suggestions and ideas.

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Well at least the "let's all go down the Mairie together and sort it out" should let Plee know pretty quickly what's going to happen in the longer term.

I'd just like to be one of the summer renters and then be told "Sorry mate, but you can't come as we've got squatters" and then have to start rushing round to re-book my hols.

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OK, they're Brits, what difference does that make - quite a lot I think.  So are they registered for work in France if they're now living here?  I know that they have to the requisite number of tax days in France to be domiciled here but what exactly do they do?  Surely if they're here house hunting they must have some equity somewhere or they wouldn't be able to just buy here and they may have a UK property still so they are likely to have some money stashed away somewhere or some equity.  The Internet connection is trying to make you feel guilty - it's not your responsibility at all is it?  Have they told you before that the Internet connection problem is breaking their business plans down?

If they didn't have the money to rent in the first place, they shouldn't be here.  And yes, I have been down on my luck in the past but got a grip as soon as I could and changed it.

I think the advice that you've been given is right - walk softly and carry a big stick or have a wife who's ready to be unleashed but get rid of them asap.

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Kick them out the first day that they are in arrears of rent, they are not French nationals, they don't have children and are in a situation of their own making, They are not entitled to free accomodation from you or anyone else in this country.

Unless they are very savvy (and possibly have done this before) they will not be able to get any legal recourse in a foreign country.

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What I don't understand from previous discussions is that it seems that

The OP cannot evict his these people during winter months for not paying

BUT

Utility companies can cut off their supplies to this property and charge the OP when he wants them reconnected.

Is it really a case of the law supporting big business and the little man can go hang or have I got it wrong?

 

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Between the Devil and Miss Jones and knowing what I do I suggest you offer them just enough cash to pack up and get back to the UK where they can stay with friends or relatives and make a new start. Do not hand it over till their car and goods are packed and the house clear and they have signed a letter saying they wish to end the tenancy.

If they a genuine they will probably jump at the oppourtunity and you will have done them some good.

If not you at least know where they are coming from.

Worse still if they are total con artists you will have shifted the problem elsewhere

 

 

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I had thought of that too AR. Let's face it Speedferries aren't too expensive. Not that any of us should have to do that should we. 

I had to kick someone out once, long story, but I did help them as much as I could, I just couldn't have them living off us any more.

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Well, thankyou. I'm mindful of your overwhelming advice , minus one dissenter, To hit'em with both barrels etc. and given the economics of the situation I have no difficulty seeing your point of view. We live in adjoining communes, one friendly and supportive, employs my wife, and the other icy cold and indifferent and lacking in grey matter. Unfortunately the rented house is in the latter one. At the moment we're going with the flow and in my opinion, if we are sympathetic, it will sort out, but we do have in mind a variety of illegal ideas to make life as nearly impossible as we can .Trouble is they are just a pair of lifes bumblers, not very capable and difficult to dislike.Very easy to intimidate etc so I think its a question of, How did Al Capone put it ? "I'm gunna make you an offer you can't refuse."  If anyone has experiece of being a gangster, I'd welcome a few pointers.

                                                             Pete

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Yes, life is full of surprises, not least why a pair of fifty year olds can't get it together to pay their way ! They  could well be reading this thread and if so they will , I hope, feel very embarassed. They are not a part of the French system in any way, and reading through your postings I  feel much more in the driving seat than I did. In fact what has emerged is their vulnerability.                                                                                                          

Picking up Beryl's point, which is a bit off topic. Yes ,the law favours the institutions over the slaves, but in this case, I think the law is about the promulgated myth that The French are all a big caring family ( with a caring big brother of course!) , a Myth which has some elements of truth I find, but we're getting way off topic.

Thanks again , and I'll keep you posted, and if you have any more ideas along the lines of Anton's I'd like to hear them.  Pete

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The first thing is to ask yourself who's name are the bills going to come to? if  your own get hold of the verious concerns ie edf, your, rates dept insurance ect and make sure they know whos living in the property and whos using the services, if  the bills in your name its you these service people are dealing with and you they want payment off.

The advice ref going to the mairie is good advice thats what these people are here for ,to know whats going on in the dept , they will ask your tennants questions, lots of questions.

I.d also have a good long think ref the customer who think they have a holiday booked and  think alls well when infact they may not have a holiday.

at least give them time to sort themself's out it no fault of their doing.

and next time you take long term lets, think about insurance ref this ever happening again.

good luck I hope by the end of the year all this mess is sorted out for both you and the renters. and thanks for sharing this with us all it helps no end to see just what can go wrong and how to deal with these situations.

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