Making a Written Offer

There are two reasons why a formal written offer to purchase a French property has entered the house buying sequence of events. You may have returned to the United Kingdom following your house hunting trip before you have been able to decide to make an offer for one of the French houses you have seen. In addition, it is now a requirement that formal inspection certificates for Lead, Asbestos (and in some areas Termites) are prepared before the purchase agreement is formalised.

While certificates of inspection for lead and asbestos are not time limited; if you are buying in an area where a termite certificate is required by law (or strongly advised by your agent) then you have to take into account the fact that such certificates have a time limit of three months. French property owners are reluctant to go to the expense of arranging inspections and obtaining the necessary certificates in advance and in any case a fresh certificate may be required before the date of the completion.

In these circumstances it has now become normal to prepare a written offer to purchase. This written offer should be accompanied by your full details and any conditions you might like to attach to the offer - perhaps a planning consent or the need to raise a mortgage. The formal offer should also be accompanied by copies of your passport(s). Your agent will help you prepare your written offer and ensure that it contains any necessary conditions that you want to set.

In almost all circumstances (and if the offer is acceptable) the French vendor will take the house of the market and proceed to arrange the necessary inspections. This gives you and the current owner a reasonable time window to proceed to the purchase agreement.