When Does Monsoon Season End?

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LotBoy47
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When Does Monsoon Season End?

Post by LotBoy47 »

Can’t remember October/November being this wet last year. Good job we got all the moss off the house roof and fixed the leaking living room chimney.

Might have to buy a wetsuit to rake the fallen leaves at this rate.
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

I'm just so grateful for all this rain! I was beginning to lose shrubs and trees over summer because it's been so dry. Our neighbouring farmer planted rape in early autumn and watered it well in, even so about a quarter of the field did not germinate. All the reservoirs around here are still only just beginning to get back to levels of 2-3 years ago. In the local paper put out by the department they are talking about financial support for farmers who suffered so badly through this summer's secheresse.
I'm so impressed with the way farmers round here harvest their water. One of our local reservoirs was built by a conglomerate of 30 farmers some years ago. It's now the only reason our neighbour has managed to keep at least most of his rape through the drought.
We have an underground water tank and water butts and I wish I had more. It's the only way I manage to continue to water our large pots around the gite and the swimming pool. Thank heavens for this rain! The butts and tank are full to overflowing for the first time since April.
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

Mixed feelings on this. I'm grateful for the rain because local rivers, streams and ponds were dry when I've never seen them so in 25 years here. With the ban on refilling swimming pools Summer visitors were affected and, hopefully, this rain will top up reservoirs and avoid that next year.

On the down side - our roofs are still in 'disrepair' from a hailstorm. Our gites are probably a 'write off' with all this rain causing damage we cannot afford to fix thanks to the insurance agent and company who thought they were in the business of collecting premiums and not in the business of insuring risk. Just saying!
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

Gillian sorry to hear about the problems with your insurance company. I thought it was straightforward - declaration from the local mayor that yes, there were hailstones on that day, then payout.
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

Sadly not so simple. They don't dispute the hailstones or that the roofs are damaged. But, it is a huge claim so they started looking for reasons not to pay - loopholes.

The agent had split our property into two: house and outbuildings and gites and outbuildings. He then declared us as 'retired' on a proposal form we never saw or signed.

The expert/assessor got all the outbuildings muddled up so didn't attribute the right buildings to the right policy. We never saw the expert's report until we got a lawyer and it took her six months and arguing with head office to get it. We then saw all the mistakes he'd made.

They paid out some for the house roof but disputed the 'new for old'/sans vestute. They paid nothing on the gites/outbuildings policy because the expert saw OH's woodworking tools and a machine and deemed those to represent 'professional use' even though he is an electrician. So, there's the excuse to pay nothing on that policy.

We have argued and proved that the tools are for his woodworking hobby and to make furniture for our home and that the machine was built in 1930 but they refuse to budge. It went to a tribunal.

The tribunal further muddled things by confusing which roofs were which on which policy. We appealed.

The appeal tribunal decided that a 1930 machine was suitable for a 2019 artisan.

I'd like to give their secretary a 1930 typewriter and see how she gets on with it.

Similarly, the ramifications of this are mind-blowing. If a lawyer/notaire has a law book on his bookshelf at home does that make his home 'professional use'. If a hairdresser has hairbrushes, a hairdryer and some shampoo etc. in her home does that make it 'professional use'. I have a sewing machine but I don't make my living as a seamstress. So, any man who has a few screwdrivers, saws, drills etc. can be accused of making his living as an artisan? Think about it. Be very careful what you keep at home ………………….
Dusty
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Post by Dusty »

Gillian, that sounds a real nightmare, I am so sorry to hear the problems you have had. We seem to have got off lightly (so far) although our smaller gites had water coming through the roof where the wind had blown the water up under the tiles (new, replaced last year). Luckily our guests had left the previous weekend so they weren't affected.
Good luck.
SPJ
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Post by SPJ »

Oh Gillian, that is terrible!
farley
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Post by farley »

Gillian I'm lost for words! This really is ghastly. My hubby is a retired Artisan, we keep a functioning workshop to repair and maintain our property. I am at a loss as to how that could affect our insurance policy.
So very sorry for your predicament.
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

Farley: My advice is that in the event you make a claim (especially a large one) that your insurers could (will) use the presence of a workshop and tools as evidence of professional use you have not declared to them.

My OH had a workshop and tools for repairs to our home and to make furniture as a hobby. The fact he was an artisan, albeit an electrician, cut no ice. The expert deemed the workshop and tools as professional.

If you have to make a claim and the expert visits he can say your workshop and tools are professional as your husband was an artisan. How do you prove that is not the case? The expert can prove you have the workshop and tools and can prove your husband worked as an artisan. How do you prove your husband doesn't still do a little bit of work 'on the black', as 'favours' to friends?

It has taken us years and thousands of Euros to get our case heard and we failed. We lost our gite income and it was all a very unpleasant experience. Refunding money to disgruntled guests whose holiday is cancelled at short notice is not pleasant. Many didn't believe us and made a 'drive past' to check. Passers-by often stand and stare and point when they walk past our home. I have lost almost all interest in more than the basic housework and gardening. Everything we have done over 20 years is ruined and the buildings are now in worse condition than when we bought the place ……………..

And, all because we had a 90 year old woodworking machine and OH is an electrician.
Circé
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Post by Circé »

What an awful tale! Sadly so often insurance doesn't seem worth the paper it is written on, in France or in the UK.
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

Indeed it is not!

The whole sorry situation has also left me bitter and angry and cynical. I have no faith in any politician, big business, banks, insurance companies nor the legal/justice system.

It's every man for himself and no-one gives a hoot for joe public who just wants to make a quiet, honest, modest living for himself and his family.

Have you ever read your home insurance contract? Have you ever tried to understand it? In English or French they are not written for a layman to understand.

A lawyer friend of ours insists on reading the whole contract the car hire company at the airport ask him to sign. He makes the line of people and the staff wait while he does it and everyone thinks he is mad. He insists but will admit that there is no point really because if he objected to a clause he couldn't negotiate or cross it out: agree and sign or go elsewhere.
LotBoy47
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Post by LotBoy47 »

That’s appalling Gillian!

May I ask which insurance agent is responsible for this mess?
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

You may ask, of course. But, I don't think it would be fair to 'name and shame' him here in public and as it happens he is now deceased. He was quite well known amongst the local English community as he spoke good English.

His death caused an added complication and delay to the whole legal process because we were advised to join him into the action against the insurance company in case they claimed he was responsible for the 'misinformation'. The agent's professional insurance then had to be involved. The agent then passed away and we were advised that all the proceedings would have to stop until his 'estate' (basically his family who lived abroad) were brought up to speed and had the chance to defend the case. This would have taken a further year and, inevitably, a load more money so we were advised to drop him from the action.

My first 'nerves' about what he had sold us was the day after the incident when I contacted him. I explained the damage and said that the insitu guests were having to leave and would need a refund and that we may have to cancel others and provide refunds. "Will our insurance cover these refunds?" I asked. "Probably." was the reply. PROBABLY!
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Gillian I have nothing constructive to add to this thread but I wanted to offer my sympathies for the nightmare you have/are going through. I can't begin to imagine the stress and anguish this has caused you.

In a way I can empathise with your cynicism as 2 years ago I found out our private pensions had been scammed. Of course I only found this out when the company, who were supposed to be managing the investments, went bust. 80% got wiped out and like you I now find it very hard to trust any company.

The problem of course is that they are bigger than us. And they deliberately make understanding issues like insurance and pensions extremely difficult, to the point that you are reliant on them to guide you.

I am so sorry that you have been treated this way. Despicable!

Mouse
x
GillianF
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Post by GillianF »

Mouse: Thank you for your kind thoughts and words. I sympathise with your situation re pensions.

As you say, The Big Boys have it all their own way and there never seems anything "we" can do about it.

An old boss once told me "Never think the politicians or Government are there for you. They are not." He was right and I think we could add a whole load of other 'professions' to the list now too.
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