Just when you think you have tied up the purchase of French Countryside property - and bang SAFER raise their head above the parapet. SAFER - who are they? Farmers.tk explain all ...
SAFER (Société d'aménagement foncier et d'établissement rural) is a body you will certainly come across if you are seeking to buy property in the French countryside.
This government agency has the right of first purchase on most rural property that comes onto the market in France.
So although you may think you have sealed the deal when you sign the sale contract with your seller, in fact the property is not quite yours until SAFER have had their say.
The right of first refusal by SAFER is called the droit de pre-emption.
This is effectively a right of substitution, in which the original buyer of the property is obliged to give way to the public agency.
In the process of purchase of the property, 'purging' of the rights of SAFER is carried out by the notaire, whose responsibility it is to write to SAFER asking them if they want to buy the property.
SAFER have two months from the date they are notified of the details of the prospective sale to make up their mind. If you are in a hurry, there is an 'express' service to get their response, provided you are prepared to pay extra for it.
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