problems

[Ike]

To be brief. Arrived in France last year to set up plant nursery. English builder did renovations. Because of bad work, we would not pay all of his very high bills. Got threatening calls and visits. Eventually partner and I beaten up by builder. Police came. Not interested, did nothing. He started to damage the house and stealing property. Told Police, still did nothing. Became impossible to leave house as we would find damage on our return. Eventually, Procureur made all four of us (builder and girlfriend, me and my, also male, partner - you decide if this is relevant) sign an attestation that all intimidation and violence would stop. It did not. Attacked again this week.Mail stolen so that phones cut off as we do not receive bills. Bank informed by him that we are going into liquidation so they pressurize us. Nobody does anything. Enlgish, so-called, friends, all back away - frightened or not bothered. French believe him - il est tres gentil etc. etc. And we, after all are, as he put it, only two paranoid poofs. What to do? Mayor keeps saying he will do something and doesn't. Police do nothing. Station often closed. Took them 45 mins. to get to us last time. Plenty of time to kill us! Suggestions please!

[JohnM]

Sorry, can't help on the problem, but before anyone asks for a name and shame, be very careful about publishing too many details. At the moment no English Builders can claim that their reputation has been damaged by this posting as there a loads of English Builders in France and resonable people know that the vast majority are decent honourable people. However, if you say that you are in Something-ville and there are three English Builders in Something-ville, if they all think they've lost business because you said where you are, the two decent guys might be able to make a claim against you. I base this thought on the fact that this is an English site and you / he are all English, so guess English Law applies.

Legal warning done, I am sorry to hear that you've got these problems.

John (99 usually, but 73 sometimes and always in my dreams)

[Miki]

Hi,

Sorry to hear of all your problems. Am I right in suspecting that you may have let this get too far and allowed the bulder do all the work and then tell him, sorry not good enough?

If not and you are very much the aggrieved party, you have to make a porte plant to the police, if that doesn't work and it appears the police are not interested for some reason, then you will simply have to give some stick back. Yes, the police here are a little macho and feel that gays will not have anything valid to qualify for investigation. Awful as that sounds, it is quite true.

You have to fight back and don't even think about telling me because you are gay you can't do that. I have witnessed some classic "crunch" matches when a couple of pratts have picked on Gays and come seriously unstuck, so get back at him. If your story is straight(scuse the poor pun)then hit back and frighten the offender, he ain't so tough, surely two of you, the right moment, well I am sure you don't need it all spelt out.

Just make sure you are in the right and the story you have posted is genuine. I know the French police can be iffy but with violence and damage, they can often come down pretty hard on the offenders, if they see it as so. Just that being what you are, the police seem to be backing off.

Good luck

Miki

[Washy]

I am so sorry you and yours are having so much hassle makes the problems my US friends in previous posting so trivial.

I am thinking hard as to how you could have some recourse to action against them. Do they often return to the UK? Do they still have some building committments in the UK? Maybe they still have a businesss in the UK? In which case I am sure you could take some action via the British police/system.

The French police should do more as this is so much more than just threats. Are they legitimate builders in France with a Siret number? If so then a complaint to the Chambre de Metiers might be a possible course of action. Although I realise that any sort of action you may try to take could result in more hassle for you two.

Have you visited the Gendarmes to make a Porte Plainte against them? I think you should do this. I have one out against our Mayor - much too long a story to go into again here......but it allows you to state your case, and make your complaint with a written statement. This is signed by you and sent to the Prefecture for consideration. If they do not consider it worth taking further you will be told. However if they decide to investigate they will. In any case if a person/company has a Porte Plainte against them by anyone for anything, if they do cause any more trouble to you or other people then all things are dug up and taken into consideration.

We were receiving similar threats from the mayor's son, (because we had taken out a Porte Plainte against his Dad) including shots fired across the tops of the tents of family camping on our land. So when the next day he, (the son) tried to drive my husband off the road with his tractor and scraped the side of our Land Rover, we went back to the police and made a Porte Plainte against him for his threats and, in the words of the very kind policeman who took our statement, "attempted murder" !! ( A bit severe, but there was a mountainous sheer drop the other side.....), since then we have had no further trouble. We have not heard whether either case is being persued or not, so maybe as it was the Mayor the PPs have been stuffed in a drawer and not forwarded to the Prefecture, but I have my receipt so if we get any further trouble I shall remind the Gendarmes.

Maybe this is all you would need to do, make the Porte Plainte, if you go to the Gendarmes and ask to make one they cannot refuse, getting something down in writing, then you always have something to hold on to in case there is any further trouble, and if there is go and make another PP, then they must investigate. If they do not and you have more trouble then go to them, remind them about the PP and then say you would like to hear what the Prefecture had to say about the original PP.

I do stand to be corrected on the actual process of PPs but this is what happened to us two years ago and it worked very well for us. We were even stopped in the village and congratulated for having stood up to the mayor and his family and have earned a certain amount of respect in the village since this event.

I do agree with the previous reply you had about not mentioning where you live. Maybe reply in private if you want to check any information or pick my brain further.

I do wish you both the very best of luck.

[JohnM]

I'm probably going to sound like a boring stick in the mud about legal things, but I have a funny feeling that suggesting a criminal act could be considered to be on a par with inciting one. If you do that in a pub to a mate, then who knows about it and who can prove it, but on a public web site with a 100's of readers, I think it's a different matter. That said, all I ask is that you think for a moment and then ignore me if you so wish, all I want to do is stop people getting into inadvertant trouble, if you know the facts (opinions in this case) you can make your own minds up.

John (99 usually, but 73 sometimes and always in my dreams)

[A_Redman]

> Eventually, Procureur made all four of us (builder and girlfriend, me and my, also male, partner - you decide if this is relevant) sign an attestation that all intimidation
and violence would stop.

If you signed an attestation contact the procureur (I am sure that is not the correct word but it is so close to the correct word that has driven the right word out of my vocablary) and attest that he has broken the terms of the injunction.
Have a look at the bills for seret numbers, check that these are correct and have been used for the correct trade (there are links on this site for doing so) If they are correct speak to the local chambre de metiers and ask for arbitration. If they are false denounce him to the local tax office.

Suggest you also ask forum users who have had difficulties with builders to Email you with the names and addresses and descriptions of the English builders they have problems with. The late Barry Bucknell used to present a programm an excellent DIY show on BBC TV. There used to be a number of postings about a called builder who shared similar initials.

[Holidayhomes]

I have just read your posting and am appalled, but not, I'm afraid, surprised. I am working on a consumer programme about the experiences of British people buying property in France and Spain.

Whilst for a great many, moving to abroad is the dream come true that they envisaged, for others it seems that unforseen pitfalls, legal loopholes, rogue traders or just plain ignorance can turn the dream into a nightmare they'd rather forget - and a very expensive one at that. Against a backdrop of what life abroad can and should be like, BBC1 intends to reveal the problems, legal misunderstandings, cultural issues and cons that plague so many British buyers. We will be looking at case studies, with informed, professional information, advice and opinion from legal experts and those who work in the property business.


I am looking to get in touch with anyone who feels cheated by the property business, be it builder, developer, lawyer, agent .... or anyone who wishes they had fully understood the system. We hope that by alerting the general public to the reality of possible hurdles and problem issues,they can to some extent be avoided in the future. It is a sad fact that unfortunate incidents are not that uncommon and often surprisingly similar. By uncovering rogue traders and providing an accurate and realistic illustrated account of buying abroad, property purchase in France and Spain need not be such a gamble.

Please give me, Charlotte , a call on 0208 5639393 or email [email protected]

Impartial legal experts can give proffessional advice about your case, and we have found that there is nothing like publicity to silence bullies...

[Nottelling]

if you are not up to defending yourselves or fighting like with like and doing a bit of damage to his property then go down to you local hunting shop and they should sell guns that fire rubber bullets, you are allowed to shoot someone with these guns to defend yourself. have a camcorder handy too which would be usefull in proving any threats you may have.

what area are you in out of interest

mike