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25/04/2008, 9:00 Carolski Joined on 23/08/2004 Posts 83 Inspection prior to acte de vente? When we bought our house here in France 4 years ago, we never checked it out just prior to signing the acte de vente. We are now just about to sign the acte de vente before returning to the UK.We have a very officious estate agent who has been pretty difficult. We have complied w ith everything she has asked even down to having the boiler serviced, chimney swept and fosse sceptic emptied. We have papers to confirm all of this. I recieved a telephone call today from them to say that they are coming round the morning of the signing (2pm) to check the house out!!! I was quite surprised as we never did this 4 years agowhen we bought the place and certainly not in the UK.  My question is this: Are they entitled to do this? Not that we have anything to hide at all but we have reason not to trust them as they have done some pretty underhand stuff these past few months.    Report

25/04/2008, 9:11 Jacqui Too Joined on 23/08/2004 Shropshire / Dordogne 24 Posts 616 Re: Inspection prior to acte de vente?  Carolski wrote:  My question is this: Are they entitled to do this? Not that we have anything to hide at all but we have reason not to trust them as they have done some pretty underhand stuff these past few months. Of course they are entitled to have a last Minuit check, we certainly did and I would do it again as well. You may be trusting, but its to late when you get the keys and find out things are not as they should be, at least this way you don't have to sign if things are not right!! Jackie At least with a spell-checker I can appear somewhat educated!    Report

25/04/2008, 9:51 sweet 17 Joined on 05/08/2006 charente maritime Posts 2,045 Re: Inspection prior to acte de vente? Jacqui Too is right.  Trusting is one thing but there is just too much money and potential aggro involved not to do something so simple as an inspection on signing day.    Report

25/04/2008, 9:58 Ron Avery Joined on 29/11/2004 Aveyron 12 Posts 3,098 Re: Inspection prior to acte de vente? I think Carol is actually selling not buying.  A lot has changed in that last four years, there are so many inspections and reports (like lead, termites,  asbestos, size of fosse) now necessary that were not four years ago, and more to come next year, Whereas in the past it was all done informally, that is not the case anymore.  I suspect that the OP's agent has had a few problems in the past with after sale comebacks and wants to make sure all is in order before the money changes hands. Ron in the Avey-ron    Report

25/04/2008, 10:01 andyh4 Joined on 15/06/2005 Frankfurt and Ardèche Posts 845 Re: Inspection prior to acte de vente? It should realy be just to check that everything is in order and that you haven't removed the kitchen sink, radiators and plumbing.  (Oh yes, I have heard of such things). Andy    Report

25/04/2008, 10:10 sweet 17 Joined on 05/08/2006 charente maritime Posts 2,045 Re: Inspection prior to acte de vente? Some friends of ours bought a house where they went so far as to drain the oil tank!  Not that the OP would do such a thing, of course.    Report

25/04/2008, 10:51 Ron Avery Joined on 29/11/2004 Aveyron 12 Posts 3,098 Re: Inspection prior to acte de vente? A lot of the French would though, and have in the past.  When the Notaire said the house must be emptied it was, no fuel, firewood, light fittings, bulbs, plants etc Before Claire comes along and clouts me that is an outrageuos slur on the majority of the French, some UK sellers have also done the same thing. Ron in the Avey-ron    Report

25/04/2008, 11:01 Clair Joined on 23/08/2004 ------- Forum Moderator ------- Lot Posts 6,253 Re: Inspection prior to acte de vente?  Ron Avery wrote: A lot of the French would though, and have in the past.  When the Notaire said the house must be emptied it was, no fuel, firewood, light fittings, bulbs, plants etc Before Claire comes along and clouts me that is an outrageuos slur on the majority of the French, some UK sellers have also done the same thing. It happened to me too (empty fuel tank)... Clair, a Real Virtual French Person La vérité est si obscurcie en ce temps et le mensonge si établi, qu'à moins d'aimer la vérité, on ne saurait la reconnaître. (Blaise Pascal)    Report

25/04/2008, 20:41 Llantony Joined on 23/08/2004 Nottingham & Lauzerte (82) Posts 205 Re: Inspection prior to acte de vente? Well, we bought our little French house 5 years ago and before we went to the notaire, the estate agent came with us for a last look.  We'd heard of people taking everything including the toilet seat!  In fact, the first thing we bought was a toilet seat as the existing one was disgusting.  He left the horrible rusty fluorescent lights, & the sink and quite honestly there wasn't anything else worth having!    Report

25/04/2008, 22:12 LyndaandRichard Joined on 01/05/2005 Posts 763 Re: Inspection prior to acte de vente? Heh, the first time we saw our house, ever, was after the acte de vente, when we finally had the keys in our hands! Although this is not recommended, we were totally happy with our purchase, and it turned out better than we expected. Your Property in France    Report

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