Devis/Invoice-the same

[Choochoo]

Bonjour tout le monde

We have just had our slate roof renovated by a French artisan,a very nice job and a reasonable price for eight days work. He gave us a Devis,which we agreed before work started and he started work on the day he said he would (that shocked you didnt it!-shocked us when he turned up on the day he said he would at 07.30 and we were still in bed!) Anyway the question is this,the work finished over 4 weeks ago and so far no final invoice. Do we get one or is the Devis also the invoice and we should send him a cheque?

Thanks for any advice

Joyeux Noel

John & Sue (50) (wish we were!)

[Will]

A lot of French businesses are rather slow with their paperwork. I'm sure that when he gets round to it he'll send you the invoice - or facture in French.

Normal procedure is that you sign the devis, agreeing to the work, and when all is complete you get the facture. Both should be detailed documents setting out the work proposed and actually carried out, they should show the tradesman's details, including his registration/TVA number, plus your name and the address where the work was done. They are important documents that you should keep. You will need them if you need to offset the cost of the work against capital gains tax should you sell the house and you will also need them in the unlikely event of making a claim against the insurance-backed 10-year guarantee that French tradesmen are expected to provide.

[Val_2]

Also if you have not completed one already, you will need to fill in an attestation de Travaux concerning the details of the property and this then covers the artisan for the lower rate of TVA charged and is kept by him for tax inspections. An invoice can take a while to come through and is different to a Devis, usually with a number and details of the amounts laid out in boxes with relevent codes for TVA charged. You could always call on him is you wish to get it paid up.