Over the years as a subscriber I have benefited from the recommendations and warnings of other subscribers. I would not go as far as to state that their willingness to share both their good and painful experiences displays the Dunkirk spirit . But, armed with their experiences is helping me negotiate the opportunities and minefields that are part of french property ownership. Would other subscribers be interested in building up an extensive pool of experiences.
For example I offer two recent experiences:
I recent bought a chauffe eau on special offer at Leclerc Brico 33220 Port-Sainte-Foy-et-Ponchapt, They could not have been more helpful. It was advertised but not on display and they fetched one from the warehouse. They checked whether I needed a vital fitting and finally provided some useful information about their range of sanibroyeurs (macerators). This was conducted in franglais with a helpfulness that I have seldom encountered in thirty years visiting France.
Sadly, I have not found the same helpfulness from the chamber of notaires based in Sauveterre-de-Guyenne with a branch at Monsegur. They were able to “publish” my property purchase within four weeks of signing, brilliant. I had overpaid, It was when I visited the chambers six months (after purchase) later that I learnt that I had overpaid. There had been no communication from the chambers, no statement of account. My RIB in a specific format was required to make the repayment, no quarrel with that. But, it took the chambers four communications to specify the exact format required (almost). Each time I gave them the additional information requested , each time they said “non, c’est insuffis”. They have studiously ignored my requests for confirmation that my papers would be available for collection. They have studiously ignored my request for interest on the overpayment for the five months.
Good customer service is rewarded with repeat business, I shun services where the service is poor to non-existent. Word of mouth is the most powerful form of advertising, and it is free.