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Fosse report


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Does anyone know how long it takes to get a fosse report done when you are selling a house?

I was able to get the diagnostic reports done very quickly but the fosse report is done separately (so I now understand) I have had to sign a form for the agent and they now tell me it could take weeks! up to six weeks is that true!

Has anyone got any experience of the process and how long it took?

Our fosse was new in 2008 and completely complies with all regs.
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Hope you had SPANC overseeing the installation. They should have issued a report that would help.

We are currently in legal battle with our french installer who said it was compliant but installed a 5EH tank and not a 6EH tank. Installation was in 2016. This was found by a routine SPANC inspection last November. Funny thing but the installers (recommended to us) are saying it was compliant at the time so are willing to defy the November SPANC inspection.

On the positive side for you it appears that the rest of our hamlet is not in compliance

NB we had installed a large terrace at the rear and so thought it a good idea at the time to change the fosse to one that complied.
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[quote user="richard51"]Hope you had SPANC overseeing the installation. They should have issued a report that would help.

We are currently in legal battle with our french installer who said it was compliant but installed a 5EH tank and not a 6EH tank. Installation was in 2016. This was found by a routine SPANC inspection last November. Funny thing but the installers (recommended to us) are saying it was compliant at the time so are willing to defy the November SPANC inspection.

On the positive side for you it appears that the rest of our hamlet is not in compliance

NB we had installed a large terrace at the rear and so thought it a good idea at the time to change the fosse to one that complied.[/quote]

Thank goodness it was, I have both SPANC and the Marie approval.

I know the law came in to have the report when the house is sold but as I understand it that if it complied when it was installed we shouldn't have any problems, my problem is getting the report done as quickly as poss before my buyer gets cold feet!?

BTW what's the difference between 5EH and 6EH?

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Doesn't matter, Jacqui Too, whether the fosse complied at the time of installation.  The normes change all the time, practically on a yearly basis, hence the requirement to have a fosse report on sale of a property.

If the fosse is relatively new and properly done, it is unlikely that it would have to be replaced completely.  There might be small items like the ventilation pipe or the float (we had a float as we had a pump as well), or even the cover.  Minor and not expensive to sort out.

Anyway, the lack of a report at this early stage of the sale should not slow down progress.  You simply have a clause on the compromis to say "subject to fosse inspection".  After all, the notaire's part takes about 3 months, so plenty of time to get the inspection and report done.  Of course, it is then up to your buyers whether they want to proceed, renegotiate the price, whatever, once they have had sight of the report.

BTW, I wouldn't leave it all to the agent.  If it were me, I'd make enquiries myself and see if I couldn't hurry things along.  It might or might not work but my own experience has been that most officials are reasonable and can be persuaded to act if requested to do so on a personal visit.

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[quote user="mint"]
Doesn't matter, Jacqui Too, whether the fosse complied at the time of installation.  The normes change all the time, practically on a yearly basis, hence the requirement to have a fosse report on sale of a property.

If the fosse is relatively new and properly done, it is unlikely that it would have to be replaced completely.  There might be small items like the ventilation pipe or the float (we had a float as we had a pump as well), or even the cover.  Minor and not expensive to sort out.

Anyway, the lack of a report at this early stage of the sale should not slow down progress.  You simply have a clause on the compromis to say "subject to fosse inspection".  After all, the notaire's part takes about 3 months, so plenty of time to get the inspection and report done.  Of course, it is then up to your buyers whether they want to proceed, renegotiate the price, whatever, once they have had sight of the report.

BTW, I wouldn't leave it all to the agent.  If it were me, I'd make enquiries myself and see if I couldn't hurry things along.  It might or might not work but my own experience has been that most officials are reasonable and can be persuaded to act if requested to do so on a personal visit.

[/quote]

??Oh!

I don't understand why the agents didn't say to get that report in the bag early on, we knew we didn't need the other reports (no need for EPC) until a buyer had been found when it takes so long to get one.

The bill will be payable to Tresor Public, so I take it it will be a public body that inspects it! probably why it may take 6 weeks. Private companies would probably take a 1/4 of that time to get it done!!

Thanks ?
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Well Jacqui: at least your house really does have a fosse.

A family bought a house in our village and the SPANC report, done just before they agreed to buy but as part of inspecting all houses in the village, forms part of the sale documents. The selling agent (English) explained the whole sales document to them (they had very little French) and said the fosse was OK.

Actually the SPANC inspection was done when the previous owner was in the UK and the report includes what appear to be plans for the fosse (possibly the planning permission).  The actual report on the fosse clearly says (cannot remember the exact French words) "not seen".

This is not a surprise as it is clear that the fosse does not in fact exist...

Grey water appears to go down the garden and no-one has yet found where toilet water goes.

Sadly it is a few years ago now so no chance of redress as the problem has only just been identified.

A lesson learnt.

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[quote user="Jacqui Too "]We have never had it inspected?since it was put in, but as it only used for approx 6 weeks a year it hasn't needed emptying.

I have asked the notaire if it is possible to carry on with a clause, not had a reply yet![/quote]

Notaire say 'non' ???
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Jacqui, if you want to contact the notaire, you need to do it by phone.  Either speak to him or his secretary.  My notaire told me perfectly brazenly that he NEVER read his emails[6]

So, if you didn't ring, do so at once and make sure you get an answer (even if it's not the answer you'd like)

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[quote user="mint"]
Jacqui, if you want to contact the notaire, you need to do it by phone.  Either speak to him or his secretary.  My notaire told me perfectly brazenly that he NEVER read his emails[6]

So, if you didn't ring, do so at once and make sure you get an answer (even if it's not the answer you'd like)

[/quote]

I think I'm very fortunate my Notaire and her associate both email me back within a few hours of any email I send them and the cherry on the cake is they do it all in English!!

She (notaire) is obviously one of the 'new' school and her office is in Excideuil.

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The office of the Notaire we usually use is about 50 metres from our house, but I usually 'phone before going there.

She and her associate also have offices in another town nearby, where I dealt with them for a sale for a family member before I used them myself.

My emails there were answered immediately by their secretary.

I previously had Notaires who didn't reply to emails, so stopped using them.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Just a quick update on our experience.

It took just 16 days from requesting the inspection and receiving the report via email, I am quite impressed as I feared the worst and it be 4-6 weeks!

The cost is €120 paid on receipt of invoice.

All fine except they recommended it be emptied and cleaned!

Thanks, to everyone who commented.
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