rabbit Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Hi - I purchased a house near Limoges a couple of months ago. The Barn adjoining the house has a large quantity of personal possessions left there by the occupier who lived there over twelve months ago and prior to the person I purchased the property from. Attempts have been made to get in touch with him but although he makes promises to collect he has not yet removed his possessions. How can I get him to do this or alternatively dispose of the items myself with out getting into trouble under french law. Has anyone had this problem before and if so how was it resolvedThankyou Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumGirl Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 Anything that was on the property when you purchased the house belongs to you, as far as I know, unless it was stated otherwise in the paperwork.We had a fair amount of stuff left by the previous owner, which we did give to her, mostly because she also has another property next door. However, after a while, it became a bit awkward and everyone told us to no longer do it because we were being taken advantage of. Sometimes, it's worth it to keep peace; but if you need the space cleared then just get rid of it!PG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Riff-Raff Element Posted April 19, 2006 Share Posted April 19, 2006 When we moved into this house we found that the previous owner had leftthousands of empty bottles in the celler. Amongst them where onlytwelve full bottles containing what appeared to be moonshine. He alsoleft an old tilly lamp. Being of an inquisitive mien, I placed one intothe other, pumped it up, and lit the wick. I was lucky to escape theresulting fireball with only minor scorching (I had had the foresightto attempt this little experiment outside) and a couple of small cutsfrom flying glass. We palmed the rest off onto surprisingly gratefulneighbours. God knows what they did with it: cleaned stains off vitiousenammals or poisoned cockroaches with it, I suppose.Even now, when I have little to do, I load up the trailer with a coupleof hundred bottles from the celler and toddle down to the décheterie tothrow them into the enormous bac that they have there for glass. Thisgives my chum "Stig" (not his real name, but he really does not looklike a "Claude", which is his real name) ample opportunity to makeribald comments about my drinking habits to just about anyone who ispassing.Anyway, I think PG is right - it is yours, whether you like it or not.If you are concerned, pop down to your local gendarmerie (they like it so much when someone walks through the door of their own volition) and ask them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maureen Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 The day you signed the Acte de Vente to buy your house, it, and it's contents became yours. Full stop.maureen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeb Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Yep, as Maureen says, it's all yours, you lucky thing!!We had to hire a skip (benne) from Cotradim to clear our place. The only thing the owners took (or sold) was the woodpile which had miraculously disappeared between the compromis and the vente! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Llantony Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I heard that French vendors can be pretty mean - taking light bulbs and even grotty old toilet seats! So when we bought we had a last look round with the estate agent. It's really worth doing so at least you know exactly what's been left - welcome or unwelcome.The vendor had asked for a large sum for 'the things in the fireplace' including a heavy cast iron back plate. He obviously couldn't carry it. He generously pointed out an old hoover he'd left - no tools and so old we couldn't get bags for it.Maz (82) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maureen Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I always used to think that the french habit of taking the light bulbs was OTT, but....if you look at french light fittings, they don't have here a ceiling rose as we do, and often when taking down the 'chandeleer' to move the whole lot comes with it. I felt terrible when we moved recently to have left the bare wires, but that was just how it was!As for vendors saying that they will leave something behind for a substantial sum, my reply is," Oh, don't worry we'll get rid of it for you". That usualy ends up with them taking it, or leaving it for nothing. You win some and you loss some..............maureen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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