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Property Diagnostic Tests


RayS
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Hi

I know that when selling my French property I need to provide the Notaire with up to date diasgnostic tests for various things - termites, asbestos, energy use, lead and now also the electrical installation (since Jan 1st?)

Does anyone know how long these tests remain valid - 3 months, a year or what? Also does the validity differ for each different parametre. Local costs (Midi Pyrenees) for the test seem to be about 600-700 Euros not including the latest electrical test. Does anyone know how much that is likely to be too?

Cheers

Ray

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Hi Ray, welcome to the forum.

I don't think you need to do the tests until you have found a buyer, so the question of length of validity only comes in if the sale falls through.  However, this is only my opinion from a buying point of view, as I have never sold a property in France[:)]

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In our neck of the woods, they seem to have a shelf life of 3 years, but it does depend on whether work has been carried out in the meantime. The electrical installation test is only for systems in place for more than 15 years. Cost-wise for all the tests, anything from 500€ to 1200€. Certainly my advice woulkd be not to get the tests done until you are ready to sign a compromis - the tests must be included for the purchasers' perusal. The company we use can normally get the tests done within 48 hours and they email us the results.

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Do we also need to test the Gaz installation - we have gas central heating which is about 10 years old?

Thanks for the advice to wait until the house is sold, we are very close to that stage and if selling privately we are going to have to arrange all this ourselves. I called in at a "Diagnostics" place this morning who said for example the GAZ has to be tested too and also the electrics although 95% are only two years old. Maybe all I need is a certificate from the electrician who did the work?

Does anyone have a link to a definitive official site which clearly states what does/does not need to be done, as there is a lot of room to be taken for a ride here!

Regards

Ray

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The termite diagnosis (if needed, depending on area) is valid for only six months.

Official info on all necessary tests can be found here... (there is also loads of stuff on Legifrance, but it's split into many sections and is flippin' hard going).

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[quote user="Boiling a frog"]

http://www.expert-diagnostic.fr/diagnostics-obligatoires.php

 

Gives you all the info

[/quote]

Great site Boiling a Frog thanks for the tip.

The answers to my question are:

Asbestos - a definitive Yes or No

Termites - certificate is valid for 6 months

Lead (in paint) - definitive if No, 1 year if Yes

Energy - certificate valid for 10 years

Natural risks - valid for 6 months

Electric - valid 3 years (only necessary if older than 15 years)

Gas - valid for 3 years (only necessary if older than 15 years)

Thanks all

Ray

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  • 4 months later...
I would like to ask Judie for advice.    We are in the process of selling our house, and the tests are being done in two days time.  Shortly after this we will have to sign the compromis.   The buyer will have one month before he finally agrees to the sale  (as he is putting in a clause allowing him to pull out if he does not get planning permission).    Will he have to agree to the orignal sale price once the compromis is signed or can he still try to negotiate the price, if he is not satisfied with the results of the tests?    I would very much appreciate some advice.  
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Hi Lilly,

I've never known a client pull out as a result of the mandatory tests, but I would be very careful about signing your compromis before your purchaser. Are you all signing together with a clause suspensif for his benefit in respect of PP? You will be completely tied to selling to him if you sign first (no cooling off period for the seller). Better he signs before you or you sign together. Then the question of price doesn't come into question. Please email me if you need further clarification.

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Thank you Judie.    We will make sure we don't sign the compromis first.  That has clarified things for me.  I am presuming that once we have all signed there is no question of the buyer trying to reduce the price for treatment needed for example, for termites that might be discovered by the test? 
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According to the termite map of france seine maritime ie dept 76 has an infestation rate of between 25 and 50% and according to the french government it lies in "normandy" unless it has been moved recently.
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[quote user="danny"]According to the termite map of france seine maritime ie dept 76 has an infestation rate of between 25 and 50% and according to the french government it lies in "normandy" unless it has been moved recently.[/quote]

 

I'm sorry I wasn't clear enough with my response.

 

In the part of Basse Normandie where I live and work, we do not have termites. Thus there is no neccessity for a termite report, as any local Notaire will confirm.

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[quote user="Iceni"][quote user="Judie"]

[quote user="danny"]if termites are discovered their will be no contract.[/quote]

 

We don't have termites in Normandie.

[/quote]

Thus speaketh an estate agent. [:D]

John

[/quote]

I was trying to explain why I had never had a refusal to buy on diagnostics alone. I count myself as an extremely professional estate agent. Not quite sure what you are implying John.

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Generally, the diagnostic tests only need to be undertaken (and paid for) once a buyer has been found and would usually be carried out within a period of a few days just prior to the signing of the preliminary binding agreement (compromis or the like).

Thus, the question of the duration of their validity is not usually perceived to be relevant in a French context.

Post edited by the moderators. Please do not advertise or post your personal details, products or services on the message boards. Any advertising without permission will be removed.

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Just to follow up on my earlier posting, when you have found a buyer (and it not really necessary before that) you will need to provide the various mandatory diagnostic reports prior to the signature of any preliminary agreement, these include

 -         Loi Carrez : statutory calculation of the square metrage of the apartment or house if submitted to the rules of co-ownership : validity = permanent unless you were to have made transformations such as wall removal etc

-         Natural and Technological Risks : validity = 6 months

-         Termites : validity = 6 months

-         Lead in the paintwork for certain older properties  : validity = 1 year if the mandatory report shows the presence of lead and permanent if the report shows no presence of lead.

-         Asbestos: no limitation of time for the validity of the mandatory report.

-         Energy Performance : validity = 10 years

-         Electricity (for electrical installations more than 15 years old) : validity = 3 years

-         Gas (for gas installations more than 15 years old): validity.= 3 years

In general terms, the cost of the full mandatory reports depends essentially on the square metrage of the property and you should always ask for quotes from two or three different agencies.

Please note that these mandatory reports need to be provided before the signature of any preliminary agreement as if not the vendor risks being sued for “action en garantie des vices cachés”.

Corinne - French Notary

 

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[quote user="Judie"]

Hi Lilly,

I've never known a client pull out as a result of the mandatory tests, but I would be very careful about signing your compromis before your purchaser. Are you all signing together with a clause suspensif for his benefit in respect of PP? You will be completely tied to selling to him if you sign first (no cooling off period for the seller). Better he signs before you or you sign together. Then the question of price doesn't come into question. Please email me if you need further clarification.

[/quote]

I have. The French buyer of an English house pulled out when I quoted them 8K€ to fix the english wiring in said house. It had spectacularly "failed" the diagnostic.

 

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