We are purchasing hence the dilema, are we in for £10K more, the property had another French buyer who "apparently" was not worried. It's such a great place what will be will be. We have though arranged a chap to look at a new install so we at least know it is possible. I do wonder though what they expect some people to do if they have no space.
I must add that ours was a conforming fosse until we added a 2 room extension, they recommended that we put a bigger fosse in even though there was still only 2 people living in the house and it would stay at two with the new owners.
I know of a lot of people who are selling their house and are paying for a new fosse to be put in for the new owners thinking that they have to do it by law. It is not a legal requirement for the seller to correct a non conforming fosse, now if your buyers refuse to buy unless you do then that is a different thing.
Thanks Michael, the vendor and agent are both saying the same but they do have a vested interest, hence my interest. My inclination is to upgrade one of the two fosse (in cellars) plus add a graisse de bac but leave doing the filter bed, it is just so difficult to do. What on earth are people doing where they have second homes (cant use power) and they just have a court yard ?
Mike, i have just gone through all of this with the sale of our second home, SPANC are just a government advisory service and have no power's to force anybody to do anything, if you do not follow their advise after 12 months they will ask you to pay a penalty of i think 60 euros but they cannot force you to change your fosse.
So you can spend shed loads of money on a new fosse or pay 60 euros a year, you can guess which route i went with and also the buyers of our house made the same decision.
You do have to ask SPANC/whatever local bit it is for advice on type of fosse. It is not legal anymore to reject even grey water in the ditches. You do have to submit your project to SPANC and they will inspect it! Unless you are in a lucky? bit that does not care about its environment.
You do have a year after completing the sale but as long as you follow the 'Ask SPANC' route they may be flexible.
Good luck.
P.S. My EPARCO system costed 5 years ago 10000 Euros (5000 litres good for a 5 people household, minimum size anyway)
Thanks Irene, I know each job varies roughly how much was it to do, how bad a state was yours in, its a bit of a mine field with so much conflicting info, even the SPANC report is inconsistent, what to do ?
Cheers
Mike