Fosse talk

[hughnique]

Not the best time, at the festive season, to bring up the subject of septique tanks etc. but an associate local to me has put his property on the market, thought he had sold, then a surveyor pitches up and tells him that his fosse, installed 6 years ago doesn't conform as the waste from the washing machine should not be going into the new system, but instead in to the ditch out the front of the house, he also says that under present legislation we are supposed to have the system inspected every 3 years and get a certificate of conformity. Sounds like a bit of a scam to me, anyone else heard of this.

[Wilbro]

Never heard of that. COC every three years? I don't think so. A try on for a price reduction?

[Polarengineer]

This should be in the joke section. Surveyor set on his bike and shoved.

[MAD87]

When we last had a fosse (6 years ago), it had to be emptied every 4 years. The emptier would give a certificate of inspection + any recommendations.
That in itself was a nonsense as a properly working fossee shouldn't need emptying.

[RobertArthur]

Question for this surveyor: Would you be so kind as to explain to me why the new regs in France describe it as a fosse septique toutes eaux?

A so called bac à graises (grey water, also washing machine) is still allowed.

Present legislation: inspection every 10 years.

Is there an official report from the local/regional SPANC?

[hughnique]

I haven't a clue what sort of fosse he had installed but it was by a professional outfit, I think the agent knows he is desperate to sell, and this bloke is like Marmite, most people, me included, despise him somewhat, he is always on some sort of fiddle, whether it be claiming WFA in his son's address, likewise with his driving licence, creeping back to the UK for surgery on the NHS, he has been here 20 years. However it is sad to see someone ripped of by a crafty estate agent, but he wound her up from the initial meeting, she told him think 125K, oh no no no I want it put up at 165K, eventually taking a hit and agreeing for 125K. I think a case of come uppance

[RobertArthur]

About the confusion (or scaremongering?), inspection every 3 years? The validity of an inspection report by the SPANC - when selling - is three years. It should be on the table chez monsieur le notaire when signing l'acte authentique.

According to the service-public here in France:

Le diagnostic doit dater de moins de 3 ans au moment de la signature de la promesse de vente ou de l'acte de vente.

[hughnique]

Thank you Robert the last link is very informative, reading between the lines I know he had the diagnostic carried out and that is where the question of the fosse came up, and the fact that he had to have another inspection, which if I am correct must have been carried out within 3 years prior to the sale. Think this is where the confusion is coming from, however this nonsense about the washing machine waste seems very bizarre. I am just curious as I know should I wish to sell I would be in exactly the same position.

[RobertArthur]

Hughnique, reading between the lines, Part II. Caesar was right after all: ' Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres.' There are hardliners, softliners and the tribes living between these two territories.

Interpretation of laws and guidelines, more reading stuff.

[hughnique]

Latest from his notaire is that he has confirmed the WMC should discharge somewhere other than the fosse, and he has been requested to obtain an estimate of the cost of it, which he answered by telling them to get stuffed. He has already dropped the price by 40K€, I just wonder if this is some sort of scam by the notaire and estate agent, they know he is desperate to sell, and although the property is pretty grim, there is quite a lot of buildable land attached to it, who knows.