Please don't mention the name of the installer or company.
Thanks
James
His name isn't Paul by any chance?
What or who is AI? I'd lioke to avoid them.
Thanks.
I agree with most of the above - going to court would at best produce a Pyrrhic victory. Far better to call in a reliable and qualified chap to explain what if anything needs to be done to make it safe and useable.
In general the French condemn anything that isn't French - so despite your concern, you might find there's nothing actually wrong with your wood-burner ! I'd get a second opinion.
Actually Mark the myth is itself partly a myth. Looking through the terms of an insurance policy is necessary. Ours most certainly does have it in, but it does not stipulate annually as one often hears. So, having said that, it seems to be a myth created by insurers that people think is law and nobody is discouraging that.
Graham, we use a sweep who most certainly is qualified to say whether an installation is or is not OK. He is a trained installer, does repairs, relining, reconditioning, lining chimneys and so on. He has an office in which he keeps all his documents to show what training he has had. He also says that if we need a ramoneur urgently and he is not available to thoroughly check any other one's qualifications, etc. Having said that, he says that Scandinavian stoves knock spots off French ones and totally admires our reconditioned Rayburn. But sure, there are stoves and stoves.
karen,
Sorry to hear you have been ripped off by a UK "contractor"
Let the Gendarmes deal with the threats but regarding the woodburner to what extent has it been classed as unsuitable? There are several things he could have done incorrecctly, some of which may not be too expensive to sort out so would be far easier & cheaper than taking this man through the courts.
We have just had a new Godin Insert installed - it works superbly & uses 50% of the amount of wood the old one consumed so no need to buy a UK product! - The French have a longer history of using them compared to the UK.
Are you sure that the installation is no good?
I do not think that a chimney sweep is any more qualified to judge an installation than I am as a garagiste.
Also, are you sure that your insurance is nullified because you do not have a certificate? The requirement for one would be a specific in your household policy as, contrary to the information given on some ex-pat web sites, it is not law. It is also a bit silly - if your house burned down then there is a good chance that your "certificate" would burn too, leaving you with nothing to show that you have had your chimney swept.
My sister was unlucky enough to have a chimney fire a few years ago & told her mayor that she felt that her insurance was invalid as she had not had the chimney swept for 3 years only to be told that it was a "French Myth", not discouraged by the fire service. Sure enough, her insurance paid out in full. At no time was she asked to produce a "certificat de ramonage" - by anyone! Check with your agent for the terms.
This is not to say that it is not a good idea, because it does make for good housekeeping, but I would get a second opinion from a stove installer rather than rely on the word of an unqualified chimney sweep!
Hang on a minute! Karen, you say your ramoner has condemed the installation - but you don't specify which part? A wood burner is just that, a wood burner, but where the installations can fail is almost always confined to the chimney flue and insulation surrounding the passage through to the outlet/roof. Suggest you get a quote to have it put into conformity? Better spend the money on this instead a taking the guy to court - which will not only be costly, but highly likely to be a stressful waste of time and effort! Please note the French are past masters of maunfacturing wood burning stoves - not the Brits, and your local Bricomarché or Leroy Merlin will have a variety in stock - up in Normandy last year, pressed steel and perfectly conform stoves were being sold for as little as Euros 400!! Good Luck
Vetting? Mostly hiding criticism or complaints where advertisers are concerned.
Poss their idea of relevant vetting is checking the amount he spends on advertising.
Bit like that Michael Caine (or poss s.o else) joke - "I wasn't going to do the film until I read the paycheck"
Best of luck - sure all will go fine
Thank you everyone for your advice, we will get going next week and contact these recommended organisations!
Veronique, I completely agree. He not only advertises on AI, but also Rootstock Ads and Connexion. We sent documentation to the MD of AI, showing aggressive emails from the said "trader", but he replied stating that as far as he is concerned AI carry out all relevant vetting!! Ho hum!
Happy new year. xx
Direction Générale de la Répression des Fraudes:
http://www.economie.gouv.fr/dgccrf/Liste-des-directions-regionales-...
This should bring you to the page with all the regional sites, scroll down for Aquitaine and you have all the information you need to contact them. I think they would deal with your case since it is clearly fraud for someone registered for live performance arts to be installing woodburners (esp as he may not be buying them legally, they aren't conforme etc etc etc)
The way AI functions is a great mystery - they allow scammers to advertise and remove warnings from people who have been scammed. Extraordinary.
As you already know it would have to go the french way but it's always possible that you may not have to do the legwork. If he's doing work he's not registered to do then there must be someone you can report him to who may take up the cudgels on your behalf - poss an idea to start with the local Chambre de Commerce or Métiers or whatever it is - for advice at least?
Agree sometimes it is best to just accept it was a bad job and move on...been there and done that already. Painful as it is...these things can be drawn out and stressful.
Otherwise do you have assurance juridique with your home policy? They can sometimes help?
Be careful doing the name and shame thing as you don't want the supplier to come back at you for libel - you can of course share your customer experience and hint heavily so that others can be cautious and if people want to private message you for your 'customer experience' then of course you can volunteer to share the finer details...
Simon is probably right. It costs so much to get to court that any compensation becomes only symbolic.
I seem to remember somebody else bringing this topic up and chummy there in Bergerac ought to have the sense to get out of town toute suite before the heavy hand of the law reaches for his collar. Technic Cheminees in St Capraise will redo it for you and if you explain the whole story will at least be sympathetic. Sadly, that is about the best you might get.
Oh yes, he is an AI advertiser and they will not run comments against him, indeed have deleted them and not allowed others up in the past. Quite honestly, they deserve to be run out of town with him.
Sorry to hear about your predicament.
Personnely I would not bother and scratch it up to a lesson learnt.
going to court will only cost you money, which could be spent on getting the job done to a correct standard.
perhaps the better solution is to name and shame the installer via local media and social media sites.
I think I read the topic on AI, as you say no surprise it was deleted from there.