Moving Advice

Some readers and clients have asked if I could clarify the requirements when a property is sold in order for the contract to become legally binding. So, here goes..., well first of all the agents involved in the sale, or a notaire will draft a "compromis de vente". Strictly speaking, before this can be signed, the buyer should have a copy of the specialist reports (Etat parisataire) in respect of woodwork, asbestos and lead.

Quite often therefore, there is an unavoidable delay whilst these specialist reports are obtained. Both the buyer and vendor then sign the compromis de vente and you almost have a legal contract! Depending at this stage whether the buyer is still here in France or back in the UK, both parties are now served with copies of the contract. If by this time the buyer has returned to the UK, a fairly lengthy delay is possible as the document needs to be sent by recorded delivery to each party, (and the post in the UK is notoriously slow). The day after the buyer receives the documents a 7 day cooling-off period starts, at the end of which the contract is binding and a deposit, (normally 10%), becomes payable. It can therefore be as much as 3 weeks after you have agreed to buy, that the contract becomes valid. This makes life very difficult if, as is normally the case, there are multiple agencies involved in the potential sale. Do therefore be prepared to sign and receive your cooling off notice whilst you are still in France as this can save a lot of problems. Don’t expect your purchase to include ‘contents and fixtures’ as you may in the UK. These items are rarely included in France.

Insurance is a necessary evil that we have to endure for a wide range of matters, and France is no different to the UK. But insurance in France is also different, so it is always important to understand what you have.

Many house-owners here ‘inherit’ the previous policy from the previous owner as that is the easiest option. However, stop to ask yourself, does this policy give me the cover I need, does it give me good value for money, and what happens when I need to make a claim?

Buildings insurance in France is calculated on a number of rooms basis, as opposed to rebuilding value which is the normal practice in Britain. Generally, insurance for buildings is cheaper here, but watch out for clauses about the contents value being limited if locks are not up to a specified standard, and shutters must be secured if fitted.

Motor insurance is roughly the same cost, but you do need to complete and accident report form immediately after an accident, and get it countersigned by the other party. Not an easy experience sometimes!

People take out various other insurances here through ourselves, probably the most common being Title Insurance, to cover unexpected problems with deeds, boundaries etc. France does not have the same problems as have been reported in Spain recently, but as a one off cost, this makes excellent ‘peace of mind’ insurance for most buyers.

Parents with children in schools in France will also need to insure the children whilst at school. This is easily done at minimal cost.

The other major facility that we offer is the ‘top-up’ insurance policy for the French health care system. To qualify, you do need to have registered with the CMU (French health system) and have received a National insurance number, plus a Carte Vitale. You can then cover the family for the excess that is not covered by the health service, including dental and optical care, plus prescription costs.

For those readers who travel back and forth between the area and the UK, do note that some changes have been made recently regarding transportation of pets. Pets travelling between European Union member states must have an official EU Pets Passport from the 1st October. This date marks the official launch date of the system that will allow pets and their owners to travel easily between member states.

Under the new rules, pets only require identification, an EU pet passport and a rabies vaccination. However, there are additional import requirements, which need to be recorded in the EU pet passport, for animals re-entering the United Kingdom, so be warned! As an example, the tick and tapeworm treatment will need to be recorded in the pet’s EU passport.

The EU regulations also require that electronic scanners that are able to read implanted microchips be placed at all ports of entry to EU countries.

In the UK the new passport will replace the existing PETS 1 certificate and will be accepted for entry to the UK from other member states and from other qualifying countries. It will also replace the PETS 5 and other documents currently required to enter EU countries. Existing certificate holders will have them replaced by a passport once it expires.

Finally can I suggest a real Lifeline - a friend of ours, Val Gascoyne, who lives in the Charente has just produced a book called “Poitou-Charentes Lifeline”. This is an essential read, containing a wealth of information for residents, homeowners and visitors to the area. It will certainly save you a lot of time, trouble and money, and is recommended to all of our clients!