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Proposal to make homeowners pay back state renovation aid if they sell within ten years
The amount repayable drops for every year the owners remain in the home
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I moved to France and became owner of a reclamation and salvage yard
When Nick Powell, 55, came to France at the tender age of 20, it was to help with a building project on a house close to Poitiers
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I have enjoyed every one of my five French chateaux renovations
Geoffrey Kenyon-May, 82, moved to France in 1975 and has since enjoyed a rollercoaster life renovating five chateaux and one watermill
Are non-RGE workers not legally registered?
I have been advised to only use renovation professionals who are ‘RGE’ registered – does this mean other workers are not legally registered? T.B.
Non-RGE workers can be legally registered but there are several advantages to having work carried out by RGE artisans.
For example, if you are applying for certain tax breaks or government assistance on materials to improve your home’s energy efficiency, the work must be carried out by correctly registered workers and this is guaranteed by the RGE label.
Regardless of whether you are applying for aid, the RGE label, which stands for Reconnu Garant de l’Environnement, is a guarantee of professional, technical and financial capacities for quality work. To be registered, professionals must comply with a range of administrative and legal obligations, including in terms of insurance with the 10-year guarantee.
RGE-registered artisans are not difficult to find. There are nearly 60,000 currently working across the country. The label last four years before needing to be renewed and there are frequent checks.
There is a caveat. RGE certification covers a range of specific jobs. For example, a professional may be certified to fit a heat pump but not necessarily a condensing boiler. An RGE-registered artisan will be able to show you what they are ‘qualified’ to work on.
Question answered by Sarah Bright-Thomas of Bright Avocats
Tel: 05 61 57 90 86 -www.brightavocats.com contact@brightavocats.com
If you have a legal query send it tonews@connexionfrance.com