suzie thanks we are enjoying it here its different but still french in a way, our kids still go to french school so thats not changed im sure you will move on and get some peace again in a new home good luck to you for the future

Hi EB

I do speak French, have learnt a lot since living in a small village. Also, with all the problems I have had to as often it has been me who has dealt with the various bodies initially. I'm still learning though!
The neighbours below are not both from the area, she is from the Champagne area originally. Also they voted against the mayor, so are not favoured by him. In fact his assistant (in front of the mayor) gave us the name of the opposition candidate to contact to make aware the problems with our neighbours. The scutty woman below was a member of his party.
I decided it wasn't a good idea, thought they were maybe involving us politically.
We are hopefully moving south next year but I still want to move asap. If it means we have to rent for peace of mind then I am prepared to. Have only been home 30mins and they are banging doors etc. I understand why some neighbour disputes end badly!
We are off south for the long weekend, hooray!

Hi all

Still no progress! We are waiting for Alliance to call a coproprieté meeting. The bank account was finally transferred to them in December. They apparently are busy with all other copro meetings.
Finally we have decided to take them to court. We are in the process of taking out an insurance for legal cover etc. Next week we have a meeting with an avocat.
Van still smoking nearly every day, patio looks like a dump. We have been trying to sell since July and no luck. My partner now ready to try and rent out. The property prices have dropped and also not really the best time of year to attract buyers. Not sure we'll manage to rent either!!
Very tired and stressed with all this, damaging my life here.
Hope it's a Happy New year for all of you. How are things going for you Karlo?

Latest update as guess what? problem still not resolved!
Avocat recommended we try to resolve with the managing agency. If no joy to go back to him.
The managing agency held a meeting on March 14th. They explained how they function and listened to problems/complaints. Subsequently they asked for problems in writing. They also mentioned a meeting to be held in July and they would request provisional payments from all.
We have emailed, called numerous times and no communication from them except a letter from them with a complaint against us! On a windy day one of my pots on the window ledge fell onto their patio (light small pot). I had placed pots as well as window boxes trying to hide mess below. The letter stated a window box had fallen, neighbours lying again! Also idiot collected the soil and left on my doormat (nearly stepped on it in the morning).
It's possible the agency have written them a letter as the van hasn't smoked since early June. We still have a problem with the patio looking like a dump, van blocking the garden (hasn't moved for more than 3 months) and parking issues. They have 4 vehicles and dominate the parking.
We have had lots of visits trying to sell the flat, but everyone is horrified by the exterior behind. One woman loved the flat but was honest enough to state that the reason she wasn't making an offer was due to our neighbours, mess, lack of respect etc. We asked her to put this in writing and she has.
I have asked others to do the same but they won't!!
We went back to the advice centre (missed them before they closed in August) and we have now written again to the agency and sent a registered (recommandé) letter. This has been sat a week in La Poste, to be picked up.
Another visit due for 15th, no chance of selling and no chance of agency acting.
They have sent us a letter and invoice for payment due, invoices and their fees. We're not paying anything yet!
We are now instructing an agency to advertise to rent out from 2013 (our only option) The guy is super, honest and extremely helpful, very rare in our dealings. We will then go back to the avocat, ask for the garden to be transferred to us. This will help us to sell at a later date and also upset our neighbours as they have taken it over and it's a mess. We will install sheds and fence off and ensure access from the driveway.
We may also still take them to court, loss of money not being able to sell.
This is not sure as they have had huissiers visiting them( they always hide)
Their gas has been cut and the meter taken out. Somehow, they are hanging in, both not working, so not sure how??? good benefits in France?
It could take a long time til they're kicked out, but think it will happen.
We are definitely moving out, the stress has been too much. I hope to NEVER be in this situation again.
Thinking of inviting some of the neighbours to see behind, try and shame them. Not sure they would be bothered though.
Hoping this story will soon have a happy ending, long overdue.

Good luck to PatrB who sent me a private mail and prompted me to write an update. You may have a long battle as us and another member Karlo, read his problems, but I hope not!

Thanks for the update although its not looking good.

Hello all

At last we are moving! I have never been so happy to move, packing is a pleasure!!!
We are renting the flat out via the super estate agent. He is my hero in all this. Moving 27 December, don't yet know where to or what date we are moving south but hey I don't care at the mo. We have offers from friends here to put us up so won't need the large cardboard box I put to one side!
We may still have a battle on our hands with the managing agency, they have not responded to our registered letter. Also drain blocked, sewage overflow and they have asked us to get a quote. What are we paying them for??? We have done, but nothing yet, not sure they will do anything.
Will be hard to find another agency but may have to and we have to go back to the advice bods next week.
It will be easier to manage these problems with a distance between us + scuttys.
2013 is going to be a happier year for us.

Thanks to all who have given me advice + support!

Glad to hear things are improving I know from experience things like this can really get you down.

Sorry guys another update!
Can you believe the couple cancelled the contract!!! they visited the property in the day and didn't like what they saw, mess behind and parking probs. They had pushed to move before the end of the year and signed the contract.
Now back to finding tenants again, visit today and Saturday. I'm going to ask Father Christmas for tenants!
At last had a meeting with managing agency here, woman pushing for early Jan meeting with all the owners. They will write to scuttys re mess, apparently they can't do much more. We've waited all this time to hear that!
Hope other areas of France are not the same, here is a nightmare for communication, assistance and action, very apathetic.
Will this nightmare ever end??? 5 years going into year 6.

So sorry to hear this. Good luck ASAP

thanks Wetwang! hoping our luck will change.

photos of problems! think may have to post on facebook to 'friends' of scuttys?

Hi SuzieB,
I just found this thread and I must say I feel for you. We have had neighbour problems in the past, it ended up in fisticuffs and a court-case. In the end, we sold up and moved away. And that was in a house! In the dim and distant past, I have also lived in apartments (never again!) and had noise from above, scraping wooden chairs across a tiled floor, playing music and treating us to his guitar-playing and singing until 2am. This is a bigger problem than you might think, a lot of people have this noise problem in villages all over France.
We ended up moving into a detached little house with well-defined fenced boundaries and off-road parking set in a semi-rural area. It was as much by chance as by design that we ended up there but WHAT A CHANGE! I couldn't believe the peace and quiet, and the convenience of being able to drive in off the road, no problems with parking. I have never slept so well!
If your finances allow it, a detached property is a god-send.
I hope you get a tenant some, you are making the right decision in moving. Life is too short to stay there and waste your years fighting the situation.
All the best, keep us informed about progress,
Mike.

Hi Mike

Thanks for your support!
We can not buy at this point, we have 2 flats. The other is near St Etienne and is now rented out due to the tax law on second properties. We had hoped to sell both flats and buy a house. The flat here was on the market 15 months and always the same reason for not selling, the neighbours.
Even now trying to rent is posing a problem for the same reasons! We may have found a couple but waiting to hear. There are others but either not financially stable or not characters we really want as tenants.
Will try and stay positive, but not easy. If we end up going to court we will hammer them!!!

2013 has to be a better year for us.

Good News!

We won't open a bottle of bubbly just yet, but today the agent called and confirmed the couple want to rent the flat.
They will probably sign the contract in the New Year now, as they're not from the area. He's in the army, great will hopefully keep the scuttys under control!
Trying to stop myself jumping up + down for joy, 'don't count your chickens' etc I did get overexcited earlier in the day, think normal in the circumstances?
Father Christmas has given me my Christmas wish, thank you, merci....

Will update when we def have the contract signed and a date for moving. Think it will be 1 Feb or maybe a week earlier.

Happy Christmas + Happy New Year to all

Best of luck Suzie. I will keep my fingers crossed.