Long Term Let required from Sept 2012

[ronali]

We are looking to rent a property around the St Lo, Bayeux area (14) from Sept., 2012. Preferably a 3 or 4 bedroom house/longere with garage (double maybe) and workshop storage area with good, efficient heating / heat retention and room to park a motorhome.

We are a retired couple, non-smokers, with a small Labrador (well-behaved) and we'd be thinking of a let for at least 12 months if not 2-3 years.

If you can help, or recommend a place/friend, please let us know.
Thank you and regards to all.
ronali

[Ali]

Hi ronali

Try these two for a start - look under 'location'

www.cabinet-faudais.com/

www.explorimmo.com/annonces/agences-immobilieres/agence-immobiliere-bayeux.shtml

Or for a google search use the keywords 'agence immobilier' followed by the town name.

Also leboncoin.fr has rental properties

You are probably far more likely to get realistic rental prices from nationals than ex-pats along with the correct paperwork and contracts etc. The laws generally are on the side of the tennant rather than the landlord.

If you think I can help then keep this thread going and we can all swap ideas.

[ronali]

Thank you for your response and the info given.

I have checked the 2 links and, even though they are good, they produced nothing in the area of interest to us. I will continue to monitor these sites of course.

I wonder why, when doing a Google search, these sites did not seem to appear; strange.

Thanks for the Top Tip regarding 'who' to rent from. The only problem with this is that the French-owned places seem to be more basic and less in-keeping with expectations - generally speaking of course.

It would be good to keep this thread going although I get the impression that most of your subscribers are Brittany based or maybe in areas other than where our interest lies.

Thanks for your help thus far and regards to all.
ronali

[Em]

Have you tried estate agents websites for the area? Not the english speaking ones.
First thing to note is that french kitchens in general are not like english ones, eg not fitted. So when you look at an older house you will have as standard a kitchen sink, maybe a work surface over a small cupboard. If you look at a newer build it will have a fully fitted kitchen with most modcons, higher rent more modcons.
Also fees here for renting are high expect to pay any thing from €500-1000 to the estate agent or notaire for the paper work non refundable, and a months rent in advance as deposite and the first months rent on the day you move in. You will have to prove you have the means to pay the rent, eg wage or pension paid into a French bank account, at the moment you need to have an income in general of 3 times the amount of rent at least to be considered by an estate agent. You have to provide a whole heap of paper work.
Good luck with house hunting.

[ronali]

Thank you Em. It all sounds complicated but probably less so than buying I expect.

We will visit a few immobilliers in the area of interest to see what they have.

You are right about kitchens; how basic many of them are. It's a bit like going back in time.

Thanks again and regards
ronali