RE: French solicitor

[Wendyandbob]

You are right, but If you can find a truly bilingual notaire that also acts in your best interests and does not merely process the conveyance, please let us know then!

Kind regards

Wendy

[American]

Thank you

 

I have been looking for a good French Solicitor.  Some times I do not understand Bob’s replies.  I am afraid there are very few flexible Notaries.  I wanted to insert a Suspensive Clause into the Compromis de Vente, stating that the sale is conditional upon satisfactory survey/inspection results.  After telling one Notary that each inspection costs approximately 600 euros, he suggested that I take an Architect with me while I house hunt.  With these attitudes, I think it would be much better to have a French advocate communicating with the Notary.

[Nickd]

This is one of the older chestnuts that turn up from time to time on this forum.

As someone who saved a considerable sum of money by employing an extremely competant UK based French bilingual solicitor (PM me if you want details), I am always concerned by the extraordinary faith some people have in the Notaire when purchasing a property. His primary responsibility is to the French authorities, not to you as the purchaser. I have my own experience of the benefits of using my own lawyer, plus knowledge of two people who have come disastrously unstuck by not getting good advice before purchasing. One of these purchased a barn conversion that turned out to have no planning permission and was threatened with demolition. The other bought a property to convert outbuildings for gites, only to discover that planning permission will never be granted for this project.

Unless you are a very competant French speaker and fully understand all the nuances of the property buying process over here, good advice from a bilingual solicitor is essential, despite what all those who got away without it may say. I for one am glad that I didn't risk it.. 

Nick  

[Jc]

I used a French-speaking English solicitor to read thro' the contracts before I signed;he arranged " Power of Attorney"for the final signature and arranged transfer of the funds so I did not have to go back till I took delivery-this consisted of me giving the vendor a draft for the final 5% and accepting the keys after the vendor,the agent and us had done a joint inspection of the property.I paid a 5% deposit when I first saw the property-the Notaire accepted as deposit an English cheque written in Francs.Neither he nor my bank seemed to have any problems with this.The small fee charged by the solicitor was well worth it.I found this better than paying to have pages of deeds/contracts translated when much of the paperwork repeats itself over and over again.