The "Fosse Septique"

It was the "fosse septique" that did it, that caused the delay. After further talks with our estate agent, it appears there was a problem they did not want to bother us with. So a tip may be, if there are any problems, please let your estate agent be aware that you WANT to know, so that you dont feel like "nothing" is happening. As we are managing this from Australia where the distance both time wise and geographically adds certain other stresses, we like to be in the loop.

There is a new law in France, that any old house now sold must have a septic tank (fosse septique). As I said in my earlier blog, there was no toilet in the house, so presumably everyone 1'd & 2'd outside. A beaurocrat decided we did not have enough land on which the house stands, so we couldnt have a fosse septique, and therefore .... no house. Our argument being... we always knew that, hence put pipes under the pathway, through the barn and onto the land at away from the house, which has AMPLE room for a tank. Isnt that logical ??? Non, non, non, non.

We finally won that battle. We go from the house, under the pathway, through the barn and onto the piece of land which has ample room. We just had to sign a piece of paper that said that we would not sell the house and the land separately ( which we coudnt anyway).We got a good price on the fosse, and work can start once the papers are signed.

There may be many old houses in France now which will be allowed to rot away because of this law.

Next battle. John was going over to the UK and then going to France. The estate agent rang up and said if he was there on the 10th August, he could sign the papers and the house would be ours. Yippeee. France was where he was going to be anyway. Catch: As we have a mortgage in joint names, I would have to be there too for the signing. Non, non, non. FINALLY, the lawyers agreed that if I had a lawyer here witness the form and John brought it with him, he could act on my behalf. With only 2 days to go before his departure, that was a bit touch and go, but he is now on his way to the UK, with said papers in his bag.

The next installment might say something like. WE GOT THE HOUSE .... now what!!