CUSTOMER COMMENTS

Hazel and Mark, July 2019

After looking for some time for a suitable property through various agents and being let down on an arranged viewing at short notice, friends introduced us directly to Douglas Hines at CIC.  At very short notice Douglas spent two hours of his time showing us around the property which we now own.  We were impressed by his local knowledge, truthful opinion on the likelihood of conversion to outbuildings, honest appraisal of the property and the opportunities he believed to be present.  Weeks after completion Douglas is still helping us with electricity and water issues.  Douglas is not only professional but very personable and easy to do business with. CIC have a great asset with Douglas and we wish him well and continued success.

Andrew and Lesley, January 2019

The service which Douglas Hines and CIC have provided to me has been nothing short of exemplary –  in my property search, the handling of the offer for a house he had identified and then some adjoining land, the processing of the Contract process right through to completion day (when he attended to further assist my partner and I), getting services reconnected ready for completion day and then in sourcing an English-speaking builder to investigate and quote for a range of small works we need done to the house imminently. 

We were particularly impressed with Douglas’ dynamic approach, lucid explanations, invaluable grasp on getting the legal process moving expeditiously with clarity for UK buyers and his clear understanding of many technical aspects of property condition, practicality of works, possible solutions common based on other’s experiences and permissions likely to be needed.  Thank-you so much!

David and Caroline, sold with CIC, November 2018

Douglas at CIC found potential buyers for our house from the moment we put it with them; Douglas at CIC gave support and good advice throughout. Their website showed the house at its best, and viewings quickly led to a sale. We were recommended to go to CIC and glad we did. 

Steve and Giuliana, October 2018

Just wanted to drop an email to say how happy we were with Douglas/CIC and particularly your help in the purchase of our property. We thought you were the best out of all the agents we dealt with, extremely professional and honest, knowledgeable and helpful through the whole process and beyond. We would not hesitate to recommend or use Douglas/CIC's services again.

John, sold with CIC in October 2018

I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you (James) for all your assistance with the sale of my property.  You made the whole process very easy for me and I sincerely appreciate all your work and professionalism.  I wish you all the best in the future and a great Christmas.  All the best.

Elaine and Bruce, July 2018

Keep meaning to send email to say thanks for all your help with the move/sale etc.  It definitely went nice and easily and no stress at all.  Thank-you so much (Douglas). 

Gwen and Paul, March 2018

Thank-you so much (Rachida) for holding our hands!  It's been a most stressful time for us.  I'm not sure how we would have managed without you.  Our fondest thanks and appreciation.

Michael and Pauline, house-hunting with James in February 2018

Once again, thank you for helping us and we should just like to say that of the agents that we have spoken to, you came across as being not only very likeable but the most trustworthy - we do hope we find our house through you.

Jan, Mervyn and Tiffany bought in Ruffec in January 2018

On behalf of Mervyn Tiffany and myself, I would like to thank Douglas for your excellent service sometimes above and beyond.  Also for making the purchase of our new home in Ruffec a lot easier and more straight forward than it may otherwise have been. Your help with tradesmen and the bank etc has been gratefully received. Thank you again to yourself and your company. We look forward to spending many happy years in our house.

Derren, December 2017

Compagnie Immobiliere Charentaise (CIC) Ruffec offer a professional, knowledgeable and personal service. The level of communications, advice and assistance offered by CIC made our experience of purchasing from the UK faultless. I would undoubtedly use CIC again and highly recommend their services.  Thank you again for the sterling work that you did for us over the past few months it is much appreciated.

Rob and Maria, November 2017

We just wanted to say how happy we were with Douglas, who dealt with the purchase of our land in France.  Douglas was very professional, and walked us through every stage of the buying process in a calm and informative manner.  He answered all of our emails promptly so we were never left worrying about anything, which was much appreciated.  Douglas met us at the plot on the day of completion, and even discovered some further helpful information about the land whilst talking with the neighbour on our behalf.  Douglas also acted as a translator for us during the signing process at the Notaries’ office and supported us throughout this time, making it a very pleasant experience, and not at all daunting. He was a very friendly guy.  Many thanks to Douglas and the team at CIC.

Christine and Steve, bought with CIC in February 2017

We met many estate agents in our house search and we were promised a great deal in terms of suitable properties and the services they could offer to ensure a smooth sales process.  We found CIC to be highly professional with excellent local knowledge of property and prices, it is a testament to James that the vendors chose him as their Agent having purchased the house previously.  James was very prompt in all his communications and we were never waiting for replies and we found that we were well informed leaving us with no concerns.  He made the process very simple and supported at every stage and continues to offer advice now we have moved into the house.  Everyone at CIC is equally helpful and we have found the whole experience very straightforward and highly professional.  I would not hesitate to recommend CIC and James whether buying or selling a property in the Charente.

Simon, bought with CIC in 2017

CIC Ruffec were brilliant. We started with a very loose brief "we just want to look at some properties in different price brackets to get a feel for the property market in Charente". Rachida took a day out of her working week to facilitate this crazy, time-wasting request without a quibble and drove us around to 4 different properties - all of which were extremely interesting. Then she took us to see option 5 which was completely different to what we had in mind...and we ended up buying it! Throughout the process Rachida has been incredibly helpful for example guiding us through local legal matters. Her deep experience and "can do" attitude has really made the process easy for us and has made buying property in a foreign country so much less scary. Would recommend without hesitation. Thank you so much, Rachida!

Mr and Mr Culley, sold with CIC in September 2017

Douglas sold our property very fast and dealt with the sale very professionally from start to finish. The service was 2nd to none. We have recommended you to people we have met, and told them how quick you sold our house. We would not hesitate to use you again. If anyone needs reassurance, please do not hesitate to contact.  Thank you to all staff involved in our sale at CIC.

David, sold with CIC in September 2017

We have just received confirmation of completion.  Thank you very much for your invaluable assistance. I still can't believe we sold it so quickly and effortlessly. Difficult decisions now with regard to a possible replacement!

Laura and Rod, sold with CIC in August 2017 

The service we received from CIC Ruffec -Properties in Charente was brilliant from their first visit to the property right through the process of the sale. Whilst we did engage the services of other estate agents it was the local one that came up trumps. Our buyers were from the UK and so the contract reflected a sensible transaction process. James was very efficient and helpful, for all aspects of the sale transaction process. I am sure that for purchasers too his local knowledge of professionals and local artisans would be invaluable. If I was buying or selling again I wouldn't hesitate to use CIC - Properties in Charente in Ruffec or recommend them to anyone else.  Good Luck and many thanks

John and Sheila, July 2017

We were determined to meet and thank Douglas face to face for the faultless and pleasurable service you and CIC provided during the purchasing process. We have never bought an house so easily and smoothly.  We were a little nervous and apprehensive, to say the least, about the buying process in France, but this proved totally misplaced and unnecessary.  Once again we thank both Douglas and the team at CIC for the exceptional service and would highly recommend your services to anyone.

Steve, July 2017

As we are all perfectly aware buying a house can be a pretty stressful experience. My house purchase went smoothly and incredibly quickly all due to Douglas and the team at CIC. In short I believe "professionalism with a smile" would sum up my experience with CIC

John and Marlene, June 2017

Hi Douglas - Just thought that I'd drop you a quick email to say thank you for making our purchase so easy and stress free and ensuring that we have ended up with a delightful property.  Again many thanks and see you mid July when we begin our French adventure.

Janet and Guy, January 2017

We found CIC in Ruffec to be very helpful in the purchase of our property in Nanteuil en Vallee. Douglas Hines proved extremely knowledgeable with regard to both French property law and property restoration. He guided us through the process seamlessly which even though we speak French was extremely useful.

We would have no hesitation in using them again if we wanted to buy or sell another property.

John and Adrienne, September 2016

John and I would like to thank-you (Douglas) for all the help and support that you have given us during our home buying process.  This is beyond doubt the best service we have ever had from an estate agent! You have a warm and friendly but very professional approach towards your clients and endless patience, accompanied by common sense!  We appreciate everything you have done for us and hope that we can keep in touch as friends rather than clients.

I had to write to thank your company, in particular Douglas Hines, for finding us our dream home in France.  From initial contact to finding a property to final completion, Douglas was approachable, professional and tackled everything with a faultless efficiency, putting us completely at our ease and making the whole process so simple and hassle free.

My husband and I will certainly be recommending your company to all our friends, family and business associates as the way forward in finding their very own 'place in the sun'.

Once again, please accept our sincere thanks for all you have done to make our dream become a reality.

Everyone at CIC Ruffec was very friendly and James took our property brief very accurately and only showed us matching properties - unlike a lot of the other agents we had signed up with.  Everything went like clockwork and James was only a phone-call away if we needed any further clarification.  His after sales service was also second to none - he was always available to discuss all the little things we had forgotten to ask during the buying process and to give us information on where to find local services and tradesmen.

The buying process we experienced was seamless - friendly, effective, efficient and informative. The steps unfolded as outlined from the outset and there were no surprises along the way. The after-sales support (obtaining house insurance and signing up to the utilities) was both very welcome and timely, in that it relieved us of a key primary task that required a working knowledge of how the administration process works in France.

I was extremely impressed with the speed and efficiency of the whole buying process...from my first telephone enquiry, to the final signing over of the property. Also, the service 'aprés-vente', has been excellent. The whole team, particularly James, were consistently helpful and pleasant. I was in a position where I had to find a property in which to live extremely quickly and I did not expect the understanding and support which was offered.  I cannot think of anything which could improve on what is already on offer, certainly not in my case.

I had viewed properties in the Dordogne area in previous years and eventually concluded that the Charente was the ideal place for my requirements, which led me to the C.I.C. Ruffec online web pages. The service from C.I.C. and in particular Douglas, from the initial outset was in my opinion second to none. I had a particular property type in mind, along with a budget, and on my first day of viewing, Douglas had found and surpassed my expectations with my search. This led to an expertly negotiated deal brokered for the property.

Thereafter all the advice and guidance was totally invaluable from CIC. I even utilized specific finance, currency, insurance and banking institutions, all at the advice of CIC, and received 110% from these companies also.

I without doubt fully recommend Compagnie Immobilière Charentaise as your chosen agent for the search, purchase and completion of your dream property in France. I can also say that post purchase, you can rely on C.I.C. for any ongoing advice and help regarding your property needs. An Outstanding Company to do business with!

Mark and Sarah, August 2013

We found the service from Douglas (and James) really made a difference in helping us decide on purchasing the property. Buying a small gite complex on a move from the UK was a big step for us and we really appreciated the effort you put in to helping us understand the business potential of the property and what the region had to offer. We also appreciated that you found a way to help with all our requests on viewings and for extra information, and then your help through the purchase process, which was all new to us. Overall, a high standard of friendly and professional service throughout.

Adam and Diana. July 2013

From our very first e-mail to CIC, we found any responses to our enquiries to be immediate, informative and accurate. We were guided and supported all the way through our purchase by Douglas, with additional support from James. We were only shown properties which closely fitted our search criteria, with Douglas being very aware of not wasting our (limited) viewing time.  The French systems were explained patiently and we were clear about every detail of the transaction. The support and guidance extended to advice to open a French bank account, paying utility bills and meeting reliable builders - as well as where to get lunch at 2.30 in the afternoon (not easy in rural France!). Practical support was also given by scanning and emailing documents to the removals company when needed. All in all the experience was very smooth and stress free and therefore we are more than happy to recommend using Compagnie Immobilière Charentaise to help you buy your property in France.  

Polly. August 2013

Greg and Lesley, May 2013

I wanted to take the opportunity of thanking you for the assistance you provided in our quest to acquire a property in France.  I was aware that the brief I gave you to find a specific property with some unusual requirements was likely to be a difficult one even without the constraints of the fairly modest budget I was also imposing.  In the event you found that property in a very short time and continued to assist us firstly through the bidding and then the acquisition process.  Your liaison with our Notaire and the town hall throughout was of particular help given that I was back in the UK and our agreement to purchase was conditional on planning permission for some improvements being granted.  It was a relief to have your assistance with the utility companies, always an area that causes anxiety with expatriates unfamiliar with the process of transferring these. It was a relief to return from the signing of the deed to find the water company, on your intervention, had already switched on the supply!

Fiona and Richard. February 2013

We certainly were impressed with the service Douglas provided i.e. showing us around the property; negotiating with the owners on the price; and having our offer accepted within 3 hours of seeing the property on a Friday evening is certainly above and beyond what we are used to in Scotland.

Susan and Charles, property purchased in Ruffec, September 2012

We were happy with the service and confident that the information we were given was accurate. Communication was straightforward, both from a language point of view, but also with regular email contact.  There were no delays in responses to our queries which we found reassuring. We felt, throughout, that we were receiving a professional service whereas we found some other agents seemed a rather ‘part time. ’Once we had found the property we wanted to purchase, we found the process went very smoothly and we were happy with all aspects of the service.

Sue and Cliff, property purchased in Nanteuil-en-Vallée, October 2012

Our overall buying experience was very good. You were always there to help. The assistance you gave in respect of connecting utilities was very helpful especially as we have limited French.  The introduction to bank and insurance company was again very helpful. We were very grateful for the time you took explaining the legal paper work. In terms of improving your service there is little I can suggest in view of our experience. I can only add that your agency was the most professional we encountered.

Jack and Rossina, property purchased in Bioussac, August 2012

We found the house hunting experience very easy due to the help and advice given by yourselves, and found our property on your website.  We found everyone at your agency very helpful and explained exactly what was going on if we needed a translation.  Plus we absolutely love where we now live, it has gone beyond our expectations. As a foot note. we have recommended you to all our friends and to anyone who is looking for property.

Allison and Dominic, property purchased in Aizecq, May 2012

Compagnie Immobilière Charentaise were helpful, accommodating with great communication on how things were progressing.  We found the process was very easy and smooth, thanks to James.

Stephen and Irene, property purchased in Lizant, June 2012

We started our search in the summer of 2010 following my retirement. I would estimate, that over the three years of our search, we dealt with in excess of 20 immobiliers and saw well in excess of 120 properties. Unfortunately we initially found that after giving our requirements we were shown a lot of unsuitable properties, sometimes we felt in order to placate sellers. With your agency, James showed us a number of properties, which all fitted within our specifications. We decided to make an offer and in all our dealings we found James very professional and a pleasure to deal with. He explained the process at every stage and ensured that we fully understood all the reports on the new house. We were so impressed with the service received that we recommended your company to our friend who now has her home for sale with yourselves. We have told everyone that your company, particularly James was, by far, the best immobilier we had dealt with and without hesitation would recommend them. I can think of nothing that would improve your service.

Barbara and Peter, property purchased in Ruffec, May 2012

I have to say that our dealings with yourself and the agency has been excellent. I can only compare you with a few other agents in France but the following comments highlight our preference with yourself and your agency:

No pressurised sales techniques - some other agencies flooded my mail box and on one occasion after being introduced to an English couple who were agents/representatives were shown half the countryside in areas that were not what we had stated as a preference. We would advise that anyone considering buying should use a registered agent that caters for both French and English people.

Excellent Communication throughout - we were kept informed both by telephone and email at regular intervals.

Good description of house details on sales brochure.

Good Administration and Advice about Purchasing Procedures - providing details of an independent surveyor, foreign exchange dealer, making appointments for us at the Bank and recommending an Insurance Agent who was very helpful and even came out to see the property to make sure we had adequate cover.

The Office - all the staff are very helpful and I am sure that you are aware, one of the ladies on one occasion even helped me to compose a letter to the mayor regarding the dustbins next to our house.

Phillip, property purchased in Turgon, January 2012

From the moment I told you (Douglas) what I wanted at our first meeting to well past the purchase of the house, you were more than helpful. You steered me in the right direction when it came to details about utilities, finding out how and where to get things done, particularly the gas, telephone and electricity, where to get wood, and who to contact generally about all sorts of things, including finding someone to look after the house while I am away. You always and without fail responded to an email from me instantly which was incredibly gratifying and reassuring that all my queries and endless questions were always answered immediately. You were polite of course, but you were frank as well in your advice about prices and whether or not a vendor might drop his asking price. You gave good, accurate and honest advice - again rare. I hate scales but if I had to rate the Compagnie Immobilière Charentaise for their overall advice, their local knowledge and the way in which they help and advise their clients to achieve their goals, then I would give you 20/20!

John and Maria, property purchased in Nanteuil-en-Vallée, January 2012

Our experience of buying a property via yourselves was very good from start to finish. Once we had made our decision to buy Chez Mingaud, you guided us through the process all the way, making the purchase through to completion as smooth as could be. You even helped us out when we had snow in the loft.