questions questions
questions questions
Hi i am now in the market for buying my first holiday let, but one thing is troubling me, and that is i only intend to spend six months of the year in france, so are a bit worried about security, am i right to be wary , it will be in the countryside , i have been to see a few properties recently and were surprised to see working alarms on rural cottages, many thanks lindyloo
Hi Lindyloo
Its always good to be wary and i guess it depends where in France but generally most rural areas are very safe. I have a friend who has a place in a quiet village not too far from here and its left for long periods no problems to date. He does inform the Mairie if its going to be vacant for a long period.
You could set up a simple webcam alarm systems & good locks are a must.
What area are you looking to buy? there are no alarmed rural homes that i know of around here.
Good luck with your search.
Its always good to be wary and i guess it depends where in France but generally most rural areas are very safe. I have a friend who has a place in a quiet village not too far from here and its left for long periods no problems to date. He does inform the Mairie if its going to be vacant for a long period.
You could set up a simple webcam alarm systems & good locks are a must.
What area are you looking to buy? there are no alarmed rural homes that i know of around here.
Good luck with your search.
Hi Bassman
looking around the Lauzerte (quercy) area about a 30 mile radius, absolutely love it so pretty, the estate agent tried to disarm the alarm without drawing attention to it, but she forgot there were lots of notices warning you , when i asked her about it she admitted it had been broken in to, but i suppose it happens everywhere but it could become a problem if your not over in France all the time
thank you for your reply i appreciate it
anymore info would be great
looking around the Lauzerte (quercy) area about a 30 mile radius, absolutely love it so pretty, the estate agent tried to disarm the alarm without drawing attention to it, but she forgot there were lots of notices warning you , when i asked her about it she admitted it had been broken in to, but i suppose it happens everywhere but it could become a problem if your not over in France all the time
thank you for your reply i appreciate it
anymore info would be great
Yes burglaries from second homes happen, and in our 25 year experience of managing a raft of properties in SW France we have found that:
- If a place is burgled once, the thieves will come back again (because you'll have replaced the TV etc with a new one!)
- Locks on barns & sheds rarely meet insurance companies' requirements so all valuables (bikes, pool pump, chainsaw etc) should be stored in the main house for long absences whenever possble
- Remote properties are more likely targets, but village houses are not immune
- If a place is burgled once, the thieves will come back again (because you'll have replaced the TV etc with a new one!)
- Locks on barns & sheds rarely meet insurance companies' requirements so all valuables (bikes, pool pump, chainsaw etc) should be stored in the main house for long absences whenever possble
- Remote properties are more likely targets, but village houses are not immune
Hi Lindyloo,
Looks like you will be down in our neck of the woods then. great choice! - we are 18km from Lauzerte at the moment. As Circe said, burglaries "can" happen occasionally but you just need to use common sense - decent locks, not leaving stuff on obvious display and timers for lights/outside lights. Not sure how rural you are intending to be, but just having a neighbour/friend pop round from time to time also helps. Touch wood, we have never had a problem and neither have any of our friends in the area.
If you have any specific questions about this part of the world I am happy to help, just drop me a pm. Good luck with your search! Maybe we will run into each other at some pont
Looks like you will be down in our neck of the woods then. great choice! - we are 18km from Lauzerte at the moment. As Circe said, burglaries "can" happen occasionally but you just need to use common sense - decent locks, not leaving stuff on obvious display and timers for lights/outside lights. Not sure how rural you are intending to be, but just having a neighbour/friend pop round from time to time also helps. Touch wood, we have never had a problem and neither have any of our friends in the area.
If you have any specific questions about this part of the world I am happy to help, just drop me a pm. Good luck with your search! Maybe we will run into each other at some pont
Regards
Anne
If there's no such thing as co-incidence, then why is there a word for it?
Anne
If there's no such thing as co-incidence, then why is there a word for it?
I live in a rural area and have had bikes stolen, there was also an attempted break in at house I look after for friends in the centre of a village. I am very wary of white vans that pass sometimes in my hamlet, I'm sure they are looking for things to steal - fortunately my neighbours are retired so often present and I also have dogs which is a good preventative. In fact my neighbours have just bought a dog because they are so worried about crime.
You are never immune to being burgled, a security alarm sounds like a good idea especially if you will only be there 6 months a year.
You are never immune to being burgled, a security alarm sounds like a good idea especially if you will only be there 6 months a year.
Hi thanks for the reply La vache, i suppose what i really want everyone to say is , no it will be safe i just have to weigh up wether it would be worth the potential worry or the joy of being over in france for six months, just can't decide
keep the thought coming folks can never have too much input
kind regards lindloo
keep the thought coming folks can never have too much input
kind regards lindloo