English inAccident on Visiting House

[Tonyf]

On the French Radio this afternoon, a case at Rennes Tribunal where a english intermediaire agency (the radio station's description) has been ordered to pay a 30k€ fine after an english client was was injured on a property viewing.  The Immobilier who sanctioned the visit but was not present was also fined 50k€ and is having his Carte Professionelle (verte) restricted.

Just food for thought for all those who come over.  Insure yourself well and check out that your agent because some of these houses out here are dangerous places what with machinery and dodgy floors etc.

I don't think 'intermediares' need a carte professionelle but just be careful out there.

 

[letrangere]

Tony, absolutely.  We weren't looking to buy a ruin but an agent insisted we stopped and looked at a couple of places that she herself was wildly enthusiastic about.  Other half couldn't be bothered getting out of the car but I followed her in purely out of politeness.  But when I saw the state of the place I cautiously made my way out just before a whacking great piece of masonry fell from the ceiling.  She emerges dusting herself down, picking bits of plaster out of her hair totally non-plussed almost as if it happens daily, which perhaps it does!  In addition to the top up insurance, it might be useful to pack a workman type hard hat when you go house hunting.  M

[Tonyf]

I think what I was trying to say is to make sure your agent, be he/she french or english based, has insurance to show you around some of these 'building sites and ruins'.

Simply ask the agency or the agent themselves for details (number/prefecture) of their carte professionelle.  If you don't then you won't have a leg to stand on (sic) if an accident happens.

[Piprob]

How disappointing to see that, despite the ruling last week that quoshed an astonishing claim against a couple whose dinner party guest killed whilst drunk, France is prey to the same legal nonsense that will ruin society if it is not checked. How have people come to believe that every accident, mistake, problem, hardship, difficulty they encounter in their life is somebody else's fault and that somebody should pay?

 

[Tonyf]

With respect piprob, I think you have missed the point.

Also this is not a 'compo' case, it's French Criminal proceedings.

The ruling in relation to the couple and the drink driver is somewhat different in that they could hardly be expected to cntrol the actions of a 'drunken guest' who chose to drive.

Compare this with a person who solicits a visit from a potential client.  The client is probably under the impression that his host is a professional estate agent.  The estate agent gives the job of showing the client around to his english runner, who does not have a carte professionelle, is uninsured (probably clandestine to boot) and an accident happens.

It's like me running a taxi firm and giving a job to my son (20 years of age, no driving licence but knows how to drive) who is uninsured and crashes the vehicle, causing injury.

Personally, I think this is the tip of the iceberg and that the authorities are going to clamp down.

Again, just a word of warning for potential visitors.

[Val_2]

A few times over the years we have had requests from possible future clients regarding visiting properties they are interested in purchasing here for them because they cannot come to France themselves and apart from one time, every single notaire absolutely refused to let us visit without one of his staff or him/herself because under french law you cannot visit a property which has not been finally sold to the person you represent. We didn't argue but the clients were cross and couldn't see the problem which in our opinion is perfectly normal especially inthe case of dangerous old ruins. One agent in Callac did give us some keys to a property but it was so overgrown,dark and dangerous looking we didn't bother and took her keys back. Obviously agents and their associates are worlds apart from notaire sales.