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Power of Attorney at the Notary’s Office

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My spouse and I are German nationals. We are going to buy a house in France from a couple where the husband is also German. The preliminary sale agreement was written in German. The notary tells us it is not possible for the authentic sale ...

....deed to be in German. Is this correct? Yes. While it is possible to draft a private agreement in a foreign language under certain conditions, documents prepared by a notary must be written in French.
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I am selling my house, which is connected to the public sewer system (tout-à-l’égout). My notary is requesting a technical inspection of the wastewater drainage system. Is this mandatory?

It depends on the municipality where the property is located. The purpose of this inspection is to verify that wastewater is not being discharged into the stormwater drainage system. This control may be mandatory if: The municipality has issued a local decree requiring it, pursuant to Article L2224-8 of the…
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I purchased an apartment a year ago. Before my purchase, the co-owners allocated common parking spaces among themselves, but the deeds were not registered. Are these decisions enforceable against me?

Yes… but. The new allocation of parking spaces should have been formalised through an amendment to the descriptive statement of division, which must normally be registered with the Land Registry (Law No. 65-557 of 10 July 1965, Article 13). If it was not registered, this amendment is enforceable against you…
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My notary refuses to establish the act for which I requested him, because I have not transferred the advanced costs, he asked me to the office account. Does he have the right?

Yes, because the National Notarial Regulations ( article 9-1) expressly forbids him from receiving an act without having provisioned a sufficient amount, to cover the expenses, rights, emoluments and fees. The notary cannot consent to his client in advance, through any form or capacity.
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My widowed mother has passed away. To establish the certificate of notoriety (acte de notoriété), the notary is asking me to provide her family record book (livret de famille). I cannot find it. Can I obtain a copy?

No. In the event of loss, it is not possible to obtain a copy of the family record book. According to Article 15 of Decree No. 74-449 of 15 May 1974, only a second family record book may be issued, and only to spouses or parents who do not possess…
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