While they thought they were doing a good deal by buying this house in La Roche-sur-Foron, Maeva and Youri are today on the straw. Why did they get there and how could they have avoided being ripped off? Testimony.
Maeva and Youri, 26 and 28 years old, thought of realizing their dream by buying a house near Annecy 400,000 euros. Today, they are riddled with debts and owners of a ruin. Between poor workmanship, crooked craftsmen and sloppy work, their dream turned into a nightmare.
It all started in January 2023, when the couple bought a charming stone building. They think they are doing a good deal and she has everything to please them … at least in appearance. 100 m² on the floor, a large living-dining room with a view of the meadows, three bedrooms and 1,600 m² of garden. Behind the freshly repainted walls hide important poor workmanship: cracked walls, missing stones and weakened structure. While a procedure for hidden vices is underway, they initiate their second scammer … A local mason, in reality without training, which makes them a quote of 113,000 euros. He quickly pockets 80,000 euros without touching the site. “We feel silly to have given so much money without seeing the signs”regrets Maeva. The mason abandons them and recommends a terrassier for demolition. Naive, they sign a new quote of 20,000 euros, including 12,000 euros paid in advance, falling into a third scam.
On October 11, 2023, the situation worsened. The terrassier ransacking the house so much a building expert, called by the program of the program Scams! Presented by Julien Courbet and broadcast on M6, notes a “imminent danger” : The wall is likely to collapse, taking with it the annex building at home. The repairs are estimated between 300,000 and 400,000 euros, in addition to the 92,193 euros already paid, bringing the total cost to almost half a million euros, to which Youi and Maeva should add 400,000 euros for Hope to live in the house … “We meet with worse than a ruin”sigh Youri.
The mason signed a debt recognition of 63,996 euros, refundable at 300 euros/month over 17 years, an untenable time for the couple who already reimburses 3,500 euros/month for the apartment he has been renting for a year, and their mortgage loan. Their only hope? Terrassier insurance. But the contract only took effect after the work, making the compensation uncertain. The terrassier remains vague and aggressive in the face of questions from Julien Courbet teams. Today, Maeva and Youri plan to create a collective with other victims. They seized justice, but remain financially trapped. They live in a rental apartment and do not have the 150,000 euros necessary for the development of the annex of their house.
To avoid scams, there are signs that do not deceive. Beware of craftsmen who are too insistent or who offer shenanigans on VAT. A deposit should never exceed 30 % before the start of the site. A professional cannot collect more than 1,000 euros in cash. Demand a detailed quote, check insurance and favor traceable payments. This is enough to limit the risks and avoid falling on crooked craftsmen, like those of Youri & Maeva.
