Our notaire has sprung an unexpected bill on us…
Q When we signed the compromis de vente for our house in Normandy we asked the notaire to list all the costs we would have to pay connected to the purchase of the property. He told us that it would be a percentage of the agreed selling price (€156,000), and his clerk gave us an estimated figure. However when we went back to the notaire’s office for the final signing, he presented us with a bill for 50 per cent of the géomètre’s charges (€350). We did not expect to be given this bill, as we did not agree to pay half the cost of the géomètre’s bill in the compromis de vente. Is this normal? What should we do?
Pete Humberts, by email