It usually hits France, including southern France, in February: They call it “Le Grand Froid”. Temperatures suddenly fall, and the skiers rub their hands with joy as they look towards the Alpes or the Pyrénées. There is always a chance … Read More
> Maybe it was a coincidence but The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors put out this press release just 3 days before halloween: Unusual happenings, such as hauntings or reported crimes, can dramatically affect the saleability of a property, according … Read More
Press release issued 30 June 2011 by The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors For many people, buying a home is one of the biggest decisions they will ever make. However, by failing to commission a survey before purchase, homebuyers across … Read More
>It was back to Aquitaine last week (the western part of France that was for many years owned by the British) to carry out a pre-purchase survey in the department of Landes. Much of Landes is low-lying, and marshy, so … Read More
Oh dear … or as they say in these parts Ooh la la, la la la la la la ! Once again we seem to have hit the season for virus warnings. This morning I was one of over 50 … Read More
>No blog posts for 6 months ! That’s because I was kept very busy through the autumn of 2010, travelling to all points of the compass to carry out pre-purchase surveys for property buyers across the southern half of France. … Read More
>Unlike the word Doctor, or solicitor, there is no restriction on the word Surveyor. Anyone can call themself a Surveyor ! However, Chartered Surveyors, i. e. members of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) are qualified by examination and … Read More
>I’m not too sure whether I need a survey. Is it really necessary ? A pre-purchase survey is not exactly necessary but is probably advisable. Carried out by a properly qualified and experienced surveyor it will identify any problem areas, … Read More
> I’ve lost count of the number of times I have heard it said: “Oh, people don’t have surveys in France.” Well they certainly do, and anyone telling you otherwise should probably know better. It is true the French themselves … Read More
> Its not just old houses that have problems. Next week I have appointments to inspect two newly built houses, one on the deparment of Aude and one in Gard, where problems in the construction are known to exist. In … Read More
>This pretty village in the department of Aveyron is one of the stops on the pilgrim route of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. The house I have been asked to survey here nestles within the shadow of the castle – built as a royal … Read More
>My latest survey, last week, was of a quaint house directly overlooking the portcullis tower of this ancient fortified village – originally a stronghold of the Knights Templar. I learned that the present portculls, a full-size reproduction of the original, … Read More
