The Overseas Guides Company helps readers with their questions about buying and living in France. If you need a question answering, email france@overseasguidescompany.com

 

My partner and I recently purchased a small house in the Dordogne. Once we had received the keys, we met with our builder (who had been recommended by the agent) to discuss our renovation plans. He had previously been shown the property by the agent and had drawn up a quote, which we duly signed and submitted to the bank. However, since our meeting with him on 1st February we have tried unsuccessfully to speak with him. We have left messages asking him to phone us and I sent him a letter (by fax) last Thursday to try and arrange a mutually convenient time to speak about work might commence. I realise he is probably busy, but I am concerned that we are being ignored. Is this standard practice with French builders (he is actually Dutch!) or should I go back to the agent who recommended him in the first place?

Resident expat and author of FranceBuyingGuide.com Alexis Goldberg responds: “This is certainly not the norm for builders generally in France, although admittedly they sometimes don’t come when they say they will, although in our experience, they do always get the job done. Once you have signed and accepted his quote, he is duty bound to carry out your work as set out for the price quoted.

“I assume he is a registered artisan in France with a SIRET number, since you say he was recommended by your property agent. I think you should definitely go back to your agent and tell him/her that you are worried about his lack of response. Presumably he has done work for other people through the agency and they should know that this has happened. Of course, it could be that he is busy but if you have not heard from him after several weeks, my advice would be not to waste time and get the agency to contact him. Don’t hesitate to come back to me if you have any other questions or concerns.”

You can find more information about legal considerations when having work done on a French property by clicking here.

For details of properties for sale in the Dordogne, or all property for sale in France, visit the French listings on Rightmove Overseas. One way to save money when buying in France, or moving there, is to use a currency specialist when transferring your pounds into euros to complete the purchase of your property. For more information on this, contact Smart Currency Exchange.

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in France, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘France Property Buying Guide’