Hi de hi peeps. Hope you all well and enjoying the fact that summer has come back. Well, down by the Med it has – sunny, clear skies and 27 degrees at the moment.
After period of nearly two years with our house and property on the market we thought we were in the home stretch when we were asked to be at our local Notaire’s office yesterday. We assumed that the meeting would be to set the date for the signing of l’acte de vente.
But we were blindsided by the buyer requesting a change to the agreement we signed with them in April this year. Rather than pay us the full amount, they offered to part pay a sum on the signing of l’acte de vente in December and then give them four months to come up with the balance of the funds.
Since signing the agreement, the property has been sliced into three parts by the buyer. The house is in the middle of the property, plot one is at the front house and plot three is at the back of the house. The division of the land has been approved by the local Mairie and the respective pegs have been put in place laying out the location of the three plots. Which, I have to say has been rather disturbing watching what we created over a ten-year period being sliced and diced in front of our eyes. We assumed that that would happen after we had departed.
We have been led to believe that Plot 1 & 2 have been presold but not paid for yet as we are still the owners of the property. The house itself will not be placed on the market until they complete work on the facade of the house after we have departed.
My question is: Has anyone on this experienced site been in the situation where they have been offered a partial payment and then have had to wait for the balance of the fund’s months down the track? From what we were told yesterday, we understand that any funds for the balance due are received by the Notaire and we are given priority re any payment?
We look forward to hearing back from ya all 
All the best – Steve & Phill
I think you know what you should do: tell them to take a hike. But I imagine - at this stage - you’re wondering if by any chance this proposal might not end in disaster for you.
Really, there isn’t. Sorry. Hang in there and refuse. If I understand your post correctly, they’ve more at stake than you do.
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Thank you for your response Porridge. We have just finished a telephone call from our Notaire who said that we would be “taking a big risk” by accepting their offer. So, he is going write a letter to them stating that the agreement signed in April is the one that we are sticking to. He also mentioned that the offers on Plots 1 & 2 are “very good offers” and if it all falls through, he would assist us, if we wish, with the sale of each of the plots directly or contact people he knows in the industry who could well be willing to buy the whole plot at the agreed price. We have dealt with him for the last 10 years and he has always been there to back us up 
Cheers - S&P
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If you only signed a compromis in April how the hell are they working on what is still your land! Did you agree to them being able to use it before the Acte deVente?
And delayed payment is seriously dodgy to me at this late stage. Does the compromis have an end date by when the Acte must be signed? Normally about 3 months.
I wouldn’t do it
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Hi Jane. We have learned rather quickly how naive we are when it comes to selling a property in France. We just went along with the process thinking what must be done must be done to complete the sale and get the dosh in the bank.
As per the agreement we signed in April, they have until 30 November to get themselves sorted regarding a completion date. Once past that date we are, once again, free agents.
See my response to Porridge for an fuller update
That was my first thought too! No way are they entitled to start marking things out and getting planning permission before they actually own the land! The mairie should be telling them to get on their vèlo as well.
And expecting you to wait for your money until after they’ve got deposits for the split-off plots is not only outrageously cheeky but shows they don’t really have the money to buy your property.
I totally sympathise with your situation, but your notaire is entirely right to advise you to stick to the letter of the deal already signed, IMHO.
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I’m with the others, I wouldn’t touch their shoddy little deal with a bargepole. The nerve!
Hi Chris. Our local Maire is well know to bend the rules when an “envelope” is involved. He has been in jail for corruption a couple of times!
We now feel we are in a very strong position, with the backing of our Notaire, so we should be able to get some sleep tonight
Cheers - S&P
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Hi Jennifer. And we will not be doing so
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Is this a company potentially buying your property?
Good for you. As our UK lawyer said when our first buyer was doing absolutely nothing to progress the paperwork, ‘A buyer who isn’t performing is worse than no buyer’.
Hi Mat. It is four independant agents that are working together - each one 24 years old.
Hi Jennifer. Children who thought they could pull the wool over the eyes of two very intelligent people in their early 60’s!
Good luck with that, lol. Maybe they think foreigners are gullible.
Horrified.
At least the notaire sounds fair and sensible.
So they hoped to fund their purchase of plot 2, whether they really want to sell or not, by selling plots 1 & 3. As the notaire has kind of said, you could turn the tables on them by doing those sales yourself now. I’d photograph and video all the markings now, it will save you time later if when you stick to the April agreement , they get in a huff and remember to literally pull up their stakes and go.
Would it be too much to hope the April agreement was in writing and included a cash deposit they’ve paid that you get to keep if they break it?
Easy for me to say I know but I’m with janejones I’d never have let them or anyone working for them set foot in the place until acte de vente actually signed.
One thing I would say though - yup same as everybody else here make them stick to the April agreement to the cent and to the day. Don’t give them an inch because they’re trying to pull a fast one and with the aid of the notaire, you’ve just about caught it. However do it charmingly.
As you still have to sort out afterwards in the town run by the maire, and the notaire will also have to continue their professional life in the area and you never know who is friends etc, with who. So be totally firm but be extremely charming (or “helpless” or “unable” if you can’t pull that off), and discreet and as pleasant as possible to all involved, at least until you’ve extricated yourself.
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Hi Karen. We are going to get a call from the lovely English speaking Notaire who works at the same office to ensure that we have totally understood what the French Notaire said to Phill yesterday. And then a letter will be sent to the buyer stating that we are sticking to the original agreement signed in April. So, it back to it being a waiting game once again! Cheers - S&P
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Is it allowed to restart viewings of your property or are you bound by the compromis that you signed?
Bound by the compromis until 30 November…
That’s a shame. It’s a lot stricter than the UK then.