When you’ve found a property that you like, you should not only make a close inspection of its condition, even if it’s a fairly new building, but also ensure that ‘what you see is what you get’.
In many rural areas, boundaries aren’t always clearly drawn – often because title deeds haven’t been changed to match recent changes in local topography, e.g. the growth or clearance of woodland. If you’re shown a property with a large amount of land included, the vendor or agent may wave his arms and declare airily: ‘This is all yours; it’s included in the price’. The truth may be rather more complicated!
There are various ways you can carry out an inspection, and which one you choose will depend largely on whether the property is a ruin in need of complete restoration, partly or totally renovated, or a modern home.
You should ensure that a property over ten years old is structurally sound, as it will no longer be covered by a warranty (warranties are transferable if a property is sold within ten years of construction). Although France is noted for its high building standards, you should never assume that a building is sound, as even relatively new buildings can have serious faults (although this is rare).
Although a vendor must certify that a property is free from ‘hidden defects’, this provides little assurance, as he can usually plead ignorance and it’s usually difficult or expensive to prove otherwise if a defect is discovered after purchase.
Doing Your Own Checks
There are a number of checks you can carry out yourself, including the following. For further details, see Renovating & Maintaining Your French Home
Visit the local town hall and check the development plan (plan local d’urbanisme) of the land on which the property stands. To obtain details of the local development plan, you can complete a form (available from the town hall) called renseignements d’urbanisme, which will tell you whether the property you wish to buy is subject to a droit de préemption urbain or the loi d’alignement or is situated in a ‘restricted development zone’ (zone d’aménagement différé or ZAD) or an area due to become a ZAD or a regional conservation area (zone de préemption ‘espaces naturels sensibles des départements’). A completed form must be accompanied by three copies of a scale plan (1:5,000 to 1:25,000) of the property and surrounding area and three copies of a scale plan (1:500 to 1:5,000) of the plot.
While you’re at the town hall, ask if the property is in a termite-contaminated zone; they’re obliged to let you consult any documents pertaining to contamination in the commune. If the property is in a contaminated zone, the vendor is obliged to pay for a termite survey within three months of the sale.
Also at the town hall, ask for details of any areas that are liable to flooding (zones inondables) and, if the property is in or near one, ask to see the local flood prevention plan (plan de prévention des risques d’inondation/PPRI), which is now required by law, and check that it’s adequate. Boards (batardeaux) across the doors of neighbouring properties or signs nearby including the words inondable or submersible should be a warning to you! You can also check local weather patterns and historical data on the websites of Météo-France (http://www.meteofrance.com) and at the local préfecture. In this connection, note that since June 2006 an additional ‘search’ must be carried out for each property sold: called an Etat des risques naturels et technologiques, it’s a land survey carried out by the local authority that states what natural hazards have been recorded in the area, including forest fires, and you should be provided with a copy, although you may not receive it until after you’ve signed a preliminary contract and a negative report may not entitle you to withdraw from the purchase!
Ask the vendor or agent to see a copy of the title deeds, which should contain a copy of the relevant section of the local land registry plan (un extrait du plan/relevé cadastral); better still, visit the local office of le cadastre to obtain a copy and use it to check the boundaries of the property. This is a check that will be made by the notaire handling the sale, but it’s worth anticipating any doubts or disputes by checking at this stage. Land in France is divided into plots or ‘parcels’ (une parcelle), which are marked on the cadastral plan, with each plot numbered (and in some cases named); an accompanying register lists the owner of each plot. It’s possible that the land you’re buying consists of more than one plot and you may need to negotiate the purchase with several owners! If the boundaries of the property you’ve been shown don’t correspond to the plan, you will need to consult a géomètre-expert.
While considering boundaries, check the condition of any walls, fences or hedges and find out who they belong to and therefore who is responsible for their upkeep.
Check whether there are any rights of way or use (e.g. hunting or fishing) on the land you plan to buy. If a right of way impinges on the property, check whether it can be moved, which is sometimes possible, although it may cost €1,500 or more.
If the current owner allows a farmer to use his land (e.g. to graze animals), this can create a tenancy in law, which lasts for a minimum of nine years.
If you’re planning to make extensions or alterations (e.g. the addition of a swimming pool or stables) that may require planning permission, you should make enquiries whether such permission is likely to be granted.
When it comes to examining the building itself, check the outside first, where they may be signs of damage and decay, such as bulging or cracked walls, damp, missing roof tiles and rusty or insecure gutters and drainpipes, dry or wet-rot in beams and other woodwork, and doors and windows that no longer hinge, lock or fit properly. Plants growing up or against walls can cause damp, and the roots of trees or shrubs close to a building can damage foundations (look for telltale cracks). Use binoculars to inspect the roof and a torch to investigate the loft, noting any cracks or damp patches using a camera and notepad. If you see a damp patch on the outside, check whether it runs right through the wall when you go inside.
In the case of a property that has been restored, if work has been carried out by registered local builders, ask to see the bills, as all building work in France is guaranteed for ten years (garantie décennale). If the current (or a previous) owner did the work himself, it’s essential to consult an expert.
If the property has a swimming pool, check that planning permission was granted for its construction, as it isn’t unusual for owners to construct pools without permission, in which case you could be obliged to demolish it or fill it in. Check also the type of pool structure, which is rarely specified in purchase documents, and its condition, that the filtration and other cleaning systems work as they should. If you know little or nothing about swimming pools, it’s worthwhile getting an expert to make the checks for you. The small cost of an inspection should be set against the potentially astronomical cost of repairing an unsound pool and, if repairs are required, these may be paid for by the vendor or covered by a reduction in the price of the property. Make sure that a pool has an approved safety system, especially if you plan to let the property; if there isn’t a safety system, take into account the cost of installation. More generally, consider the location of the pool, the local climate and your inclinations, and ask yourself (honestly) how often you’re likely to use it and whether its maintenance will be more trouble and expense than it’s worth.
If the property doesn’t have electricity or mains water, check the nearest connection point and the cost of extending the service to the property, as it can be very expensive in remote rural areas. If a property has a well or septic tank, you should ask for a rapport de contrôle, drawn up by an official inspector; if the system hasn’t been inspected (systematic inspections were initiated only in 2005 and it may be several years before all installations have been checked), have it tested.
Test the electrical system, plumbing, mains water, hot water boiler and central heating systems as applicable. Don’t take someone’s word that these work, but check for yourself and, at the same time, find out how these systems work.
Check the cost of heating the property (ask to see old bills for electricity, gas, heating oil, etc.) and ask how it’s insulated. An ‘energy efficiency report’ is now compulsory for most property sales in France, and you should receive a copy of this in due course, but it’s wise to check for yourself.
Check also whether the property is due to be connected to mains drainage, if it isn’t already.
Check the quality of the water in the area of the property; for example, is it hard or soft and what is the nitrate content? This can be done yourself, using a testing kit, or you can take a sample to the Laboratoire Municipal et Régional d’Analyses for your area.
Locate the stop cock for the mains water supply, if there is one, and test the pressure (preferably in summer during a dry spell). Ask where the meter is and check it.
If a building has a ‘ventilation space’ (vide sanitaire) beneath the ground floor, check that this hasn’t become blocked by plants or been filled with debris; if it has, this could have caused ground-level wooden floors to rot and damp to rise up walls.
In an area that’s liable to flooding, storms and subsidence, it’s wise to check an old property after heavy rainfall, when any leaks should come to light.
If you buy a waterside property, you should ensure that it has been designed with floods in mind, e.g. with electrical installations above flood level and solid tiled floors.
If the soil consists of clay (argile), the ground surrounding a house can ‘shrink’ after a long dry period. Large trees can create the same effect by drawing water out of the soil. This shrinkage can cause cracks in walls and, in extreme cases, subsidence. Shrinkage is a problem in around 33 departments, including Dordogne, and detailed maps showing ‘danger areas’ should be available in 2006; ask at your local town hall or the departmental préfecture. If there’s a chance that a house is built on ‘shrinkable clay’, check with the Direction Départementale de l’Equipement (DDE).
Find out if there are any airfields nearby – public or private; you don’t want your rural idyll spoiled by droning light aircraft or, worse, buzzing microlights.
Check the local crime rate by asking neighbours and contacting the nearest gendarmerie in order to assess whether any existing security measures, such as shutters and locks, are likely to be adequate or whether you will need to install additional systems, such as an alarm or window bars, which will affect not only your budget but also the appearance of your property. Take into account that neighbours may be reluctant to tell you if burglary and vandalism is prevalent, and the local police may have different standards of comparison from your own!
It’s strongly recommended that, if possible, you visit your prospective home at least once in winter; not only do many house prices drop substantially when the tourist season ends, but media images rarely hint at how cold and daunting January can be, even in the south of France. Such a visit may also reveal problems that weren’t apparent at another time (e.g. that the DIY shop you were banking on for materials and tools is closed until the spring, which can be the case in remote areas). Winter visits also let you decide on your accommodation during work time, if the house is uninhabitable.
Although you can make such obvious checks yourself, the cost of a professional inspection is a small price to pay for the peace of mind it affords. In any case, some lenders insist on a ‘survey’ before approving a loan, although in France this usually consists of a perfunctory valuation to confirm that a property is worth the purchase price.
Tips: If you would have a survey carried out if you were buying the same property in your home country, you should have one done in France.
