Pickles Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 It looks like we may have a buyer for our apartment (still early days but looking serious), so we are now wondering about eventually getting rid of the contents. Not much point bringing things back because it was a holiday home and we already have a house full here.We tried using LBC the other year when initially reducing the amount of stuff that we had: our experiences were that given the low values involved, the messing-around that was entailed was hardly worth the effort (people making arrangements to come round then not turning up, people trying to negotiate prices over the phone without having seen the items first, people buying a fridge/freezer for 30€ then expecting us to deliver it, etc etc). Given that we were/are "on holiday" with limited time, we would rather not spend that time waiting around for messers to turn up.We looked at depot-vente, but the experience of friends who went down that route was offputting (together with what we saw when we visited the two local major players): items were initially over-estimated in price, collection (even when close by) was chargeable up front or we were expected to deliver ourselves, "frais de this and that" (including a fee to write a cheque!) meant that the final amount realised was just not worth the effort involved.The majority of our stuff is little-used but >10 years old. We are offering items to friends for free but still expect to be left with some heavy/bulky items. Our current thoughts are Emmaus, who we know will collect, and possibly Secours Populaire (but we don't know enough about them yet). Any other ideas? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Emmaus are your best bet but you will have to arrange for a date and time for them to pick up. However, they do send enough strong chaps to carry the heavy stuff so your backs shouldnt be too damaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nectarine Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Perhaps a one-day open house sale, advertised locally. Prices on things so there is no dispute. Might get rid of a lot quickly and then Emmaus, as woolly says Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Is it going to be a holiday home for the buyers of your appartment? If so, might they be interested in all or some of the contents? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 [quote user="Pommier"]Is it going to be a holiday home for the buyers of your appartment? If so, might they be interested in all or some of the contents?[/quote]No, it's a city centre apartment. We expected to sell to someone who would be living in it full-time, as do nearly all of the other occupiers in the residence, and that is what is transpiring. The person already has a lifetime's worth of furniture, or so we believe, and thus we don't expect them to want or need ours, although we have made the offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 [quote user="nectarine"]Perhaps a one-day open house sale, advertised locally. Prices on things so there is no dispute. Might get rid of a lot quickly and then Emmaus, as woolly says[/quote]Hmmmm ... don't you need some prefectoral authorisation to do things like that? (I know what the answer to that is: just do it and look innocent if asked!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 An English couple here in the Ariège did that a couple of months ago. I couldn't go but asked a friend of mine who used to look after the place for them if she could see if there was anything left at the end that I might be able to use.There was nothing left! That seems to suggest that this works well... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Is it a student town/city? If so, the facs on the campus have announcements/ads etc in the main entrance area for all sorts of things from rentals/co-locations/transport and things for sale someone might need if moving to study etc. Mindful though not to make things too expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 [quote user="Val_2"]Is it a student town/city? [/quote]VERY!: Montpellier[quote user="Val_2"]If so, the facs on the campus have announcements/ads etc in the main entrance area for all sorts of things from rentals/co-locations/transport and things for sale someone might need if moving to study etc. Mindful though not to make things too expensive.[/quote]Thanks! Hadn't thought of that. I will ask around about how to advertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Leboncoin? Worth a shot!You might find some crazy woman like me who buys your furniture and then looks at a site like anyvan and arrange for it to be picked up[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 [quote user="mint"]Leboncoin? Worth a shot!You might find some crazy woman like me who buys your furniture and then looks at a site like anyvan and arrange for it to be picked up[:-))][/quote]My comments about LeBonCoin are referenced in my message as LBC. We had so much mucking around when we put stuff on LeBonCoin the other year that I dread the thought of dealing with the sale of large, bulky and heavy items via LBC. Found plenty of crazy women but unlike you these had expectations of John Lewis service when paying flea-market prices. We don't expect to get very much at all for the stuff (the back stop is zero from Emmaus), but I'm not wasting a whole day for the sake of 30€ for example. And then be asked to deliver! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Good luck with it all, Pickles!Would be good for Emmaus to get it, if you can't find any buyers or even takers[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 What is crime like in Montpelier? Could you not go out and leave the door open :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 [quote user="PaulT"]What is crime like in Montpelier? Could you not go out and leave the door open :)[/quote]I'd prefer that the doors, windows, flooring and bath fittings remain in place at the end of the process ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I sent you a pm.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pickles Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 [quote user="NormanH"]I sent you a pm..[/quote]Indeed! I have sent you a list by email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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