# Cost to inspect condemned fosse



## kazoliver28

Hi,
Our house purchase has hit a problem. It was advertised as mains drainage and compromise said same. The notaire found mention on the sellers acte de vente of the house being on mains but toilets being connected to a fosse. There is no mains drainage certificate. The sellers swear blind the house is on mains. The marie and water board won't issue one unless the sellers allow them to inspect a condemned fosse which they won't because they say it's pointless as it was condemned more than 15 years ago. Of course it is not pointless because the inspection at the very least would produce a certificate if what they say is true!

How much is it to inspect a condemned fosse, is it a big job? Just wondering why they are anti the inspection.
We have been told by another notaire that we would get our deposit back using erreur sur la chose but really want the house if possible as we fell in love with it.

Anyone know the costs involved for condemned fosse inspection also cost of connecting to mains drainage if needed?
Thanks
Karen


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## Crabtree

Personally I would walk away from this If they cannot be sort out something as obvious and big as the drainage then what else is lurking? And remember that work in France always costs far more than you think


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## Befuddled

And takes far longer that promised.


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## BoilingFrog

Although these issues around fosses seem petty common and despite the offical posturing seem not to be enforced in terms of having remedial action stipulated. IE they keep inspecting, condemning and then nothing happens. At least, so I have been led to believe (admittedly by someone trying to sell a property in a similar condition).
While that probably sounds naive, our house in Wales is on a septic tank which drains into a field behind the house. It has been like that for decades, possibly since construction in 1900 or whenever. 
Technically it too could be inspected and the owner forced to connect to mains or have a proper system installed, but given this has been this way for 100 years or so and the parlous state of the state apparatus that is supposed to deal with such things, the chance of anything happening seem remote. 
In the end it is a gamble, but unlikely to cause an issue (until you want to sell of course when you have to find someone prepared to take the risk)
Do you feel lucky? Well do you?


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## Crabtree

So why do they call Dirty Harry? It,s because I end up dealing with all the fosse problems .....

I just wonder if the system you is the same as the old farmhouse I bought years ago in Brittany.It had been a Parisian holiday home for a long time.Now bearing in mind that "dans le temp des bougies" the amount of grey water produced by a household was not very large eg washing done at the lavoir etc the grey water and rainwater went into a large soak away in the garden and nowhere near the fosse which took only black water .It was years old but still worked but was failed by SPANC as there was no filter bed so I replaced the lot and as the sellers were upfront about the problem we negotiated a price reduction.
Anything to do with drains is always difficult to price due to the length of pipe run soil type etc but a new fosse and filter bed cost €6000 but that was 10 years ago 
So I wonder if your sellers think they are on mains but are not as surely if they were connected everything would go to the mains.An old fosse should be backfilled usually with sand and gravel


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## kazoliver28

Thanks everyone and no I don’t feel lucky enough to buy a property without mains certificate. The immobilier is saying we don’t need one and the property is fine but I guess they just want a sale. I suppose I have my answer, goodbye house. Thanks Karen


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## Lalla

Crabtree said:


> So why do they call Dirty Harry? It,s because I end up dealing with all the fosse problems .....
> 
> I just wonder if the system you is the same as the old farmhouse I bought years ago in Brittany.It had been a Parisian holiday home for a long time.Now bearing in mind that "dans le temp des bougies" the amount of grey water produced by a household was not very large eg washing done at the lavoir etc the grey water and rainwater went into a large soak away in the garden and nowhere near the fosse which took only black water .It was years old but still worked but was failed by SPANC as there was no filter bed so I replaced the lot and as the sellers were upfront about the problem we negotiated a price reduction.
> Anything to do with drains is always difficult to price due to the length of pipe run soil type etc but a new fosse and filter bed cost €6000 but that was 10 years ago
> So I wonder if your sellers think they are on mains but are not as surely if they were connected everything would go to the mains.An old fosse should be backfilled usually with sand and gravel


The Enfosser 😙


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## BoilingFrog

Dirty Gary


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## Befuddled

My current place failed the inspection.
Ten years ago. Oh dear what a shame. If they want me to install a new one they can pay for it.
In all this time I haven't heard of a single fine being levied on owners of failed inspections. As long as there is not actual pollution discovered the authorities turn a blind eye. Not everyone can spirit up €6000 euros at the drop of a hat.


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