Ram's activity

 I use qui for here in a  genral sense - 'Here in Siena' for example.  qua is here, here on this spot.  Park here - qua .... Dont know if Im grammatically correct, but it seems about right...

 There seems to be alot of hope on this thread.  The law in Italy states that a car irrespective of whether it is kept on the public road or not must be taxed and MOT'd at all times.  Theefore if you are planning on driving an  unMOT's car from ITaly to the UK you will be committing an infringement of the law at least in Italy and if you are stopped you are in trouble - up to the point where the police can impound your vehicle.   I doubt the French would see it differently.  Driving a car to an MOT appointment may be ok in the UK where you dont pay road tax if you keep the car on private property, but I doubt it would cut mustard here.  

 You should remember though that whereas a currency firm such as Foremost or currencies Direct will give you a spot rate and allow you to book it, most banks wont.  They will say - ok it'll be done this week - and that means that you dont know exactly what you're getting as a rate.  The idea of an FX firm refunding Italian bank charges is very appealing! - not seen that one before! 

 Or buy a Sheila maid - can't find them in Italy I bought over the bits from the UK and got the wood here.  It saves the radiators being swathed, and the neighbours think its a great idea - I have orders the next time I go back to Brtiain!

Here in Sicily DOP quality oil sells direct for 4 euros a litre from the frantoio - the 50/50 you pay the picker also includes pruning and harrowing the land  twice a year - in short you don't have to do anything except enjoy your oil.   We have a high resa on olives down here and its 1 litre of oil per 10 kg usually.   The extra virgin oil in supermarkets only needs (if I remember rightly) less than 10% extra virgin oil to make it 'extra virgin'.  The other 90% can be any old rubbish.  There is no comparison between the delicious peppery bright green oil from home produced oil and the insipid yellow of bought oils - I rekcon if most of the Tescos customers knew what a good oil was like they would refuse outright to buy what is offered in UK supermarkets.

 Chi Vuol Essere Miliardario is available as a board game.

 So your grandmother had usufrutto and gave right of abitazione to your aunts - the usufrutto expired with the death of your grandmother, as did the right of abitazione except that they had been there for more than 20 years.  If the improvements were done during the lifetime of your grandmother than any rights would also expire with the expiration of the usufrutto.   Taking your fathers share of the property under usucapione wouldnt work because the owner exists and was traceable (and known to the others).  To my mind you are not responsible for the improvements and should not have to pay - nobody knows what agreement, if any, was reached between the sisters and the usufruttuario (your grandmother) for the financing of the work.  However, you will still need a lawyer to sort it out,   When the brother died the procura ceased and all matters should have been related back to your father, which they obviously weren't - so you also have a right to his share of the rent of the land for that period, (at least from 1992 onwards).   See what Charlotte Oliver says - she's the guru! 

You say you there is a carta privata giving them the right to live in the house - is it a right of occupation or a right of usufrutto? Was there a peppercorn rent?   I would think that they will be responsible for all the renovation costs, given that your father as owner was never informed of the works or asked as part owner to contribute or give his assent.  However, in court you would have to prove that he/you never knew of the renovation works, and not knowing is much more difficult to prove than knowing if you see what I mean.    Its a classic Italian story, and a lawyer would have a field day, and certainly go out to get back rent for the land from the sisters.    If they had/have the house in usufrutto, they will legally be responsible for all costs until their deaths, though technically in the event of a sale the person who gives the right of usufrutto must detract 'improvements to the bene' from the sale price if the usufruttuario buys.  So its not going to be easy.  Back rent for the land is easier to sort out.  

 I did Italinaissimo many years ago and it was fine for the basics . add to that a little book of verbs and how they decline and jump straight in! 

 Technically you should have paid toward the renovation costs, but you should have also had your share of the rental income and a rent for the house.   unfortunately you will need a lawyer, and it may end up costing more than your 1/8 share of the property.  You should dig your heels in and explain that if they want contributions for the renovations, (which have added to the market value of the property) you want back rent.  The value of your share should be estimated by a professional and include the renovated value whether you paid for it or not.  They will be buying what the property is worth today.  However, an 1/8 share of a house does not have a high value!