trastu

Wow what a speedy response! Thank you so much - that's really helpful.

Hi everyone we have just come back from a vide grenier with a home cinema system but unfortunately there is no instruction manuel. Does anyone know what the following abbreviations stand for please: SD, SG, FD, FG & CEN I'm guessing that the D & G is droit & gauche but can't figure out what the other letters stand for. Can anyone help please!

Thank you so much Clair for your prompt response. Everything is clear now. Thanks again.

Hi everyone Could someone please explain how a 'bon d'achat' works - it is probably very simple but I just can't seem to get my head round it for some reason. I have a prospectus from Geant Casino in which on a range of products the second one is "offert en bon d'achat". So what happens when you take your two items to the checkout? Am I right in thinking that you pay for both of them and get the amount of the second one as some sort of credit note to be spent another time? Thanks in advance.

I feel sorry for the problems that other people have experienced with CA but on a positive note we have been with CA at their branch in Mazieres en Gatine (79) since moving here over 2 years ago and have had no problems whatsoever. All the staff there are really friendly and helpful even the manager! The last time I went in was to sort out a code confidential to get online access and I was told it would come through in a week but it arrived 2 days later. I guess a lot depends on which branch you bank with.

Hi I'd be really interested to know the answer to this one as well but I think it might be better to ask the question in a new thread?

Yesterday we received an attestation from the RSI outlining the amounts declared for 2009 and where to to enter them on the tax form 4042C. I would imagine that the RSI will send attestations to all AE's with the information relevant to each one - hopefully before the end of the month lol!

Hi Su I've pm'd you the details. Tracey

Hi Gerard I have emailed you the details. Tracey

Yes, the test did only take about 25 minutes but was very thorough nonetheless.

Hi everyone When my husband went for his medical to renew his heavy goods driving licence he was told he was in need of an eye test. We were prepared for a wait of around 6 months so imagine my surprise when the first ophthamologist I phoned was able to give him an appointment in 2 weeks!! We have just returned from the eye test and I would highly recommend them. One of the doctors there spoke English really well. They are in Niort (79) and if anyone would like their details please feel free to email me. Tracey

Thank you so much, that's brilliant. Tracey

Hi there Sorry if this is a silly question or if it has been answered before (I have looked, honest!) My husband registered as an auto-entrepreneur in Nov of last year and we opted to pay the income tax along with the cotisations so I was wondering if we need to include this income on the tax return as it has already been taxed? If we do need to include it on the tax return which box do we put it in as I can't seem to find a section on the form that corresponds to AE earnings. Thanks in advance Tracey

Well, for anyone who is interested, I carried out the dreaded task this morning. Only it wasn't as bad as I was imagining. All the windows opened inwards and I used just plain, warm water with a dash of white vinegar and lots of old cloths for buffing - thanks for the tips guys. I was certainly happy with the results - just hope the lady of the house is as well!!

Thank you so much for the info. The cost of the medical is way cheaper than I thought it would be. Certainly a lot cheaper than in UK.

Thank you so much for confirming that for me. That was my understanding as well, as my husband has ALWAYS been paid in the same manner as you describe by all of his different employers.

Hi there My husband and I are just going to change both of our licences to french ones. My husband has full coach and heavy goods entitlements which he would like to keep. Does anyone know if any doctor can carry out the medical needed or are there specific ones approved by the prefecture and also how much will it cost for the medical. Thanks in advance.

Hi everyone My husband has been doing gardening work for different people under the cheque d'emploi system for about a year now. In all the cases the rate per hour agreed upon has been what my husband has actually received after all the cotisations have been paid. So, obviously then, this has been my understanding of how the cesu system works. But last month I did a one off cleaning job for a french couple and the agreed rate was 8 euros per hour, so based on what has happened with my husband, I expected to receive a cheque for 16 euros for 2 hours work but today I have received the cheque in the amount of 14.94 euros. So now I am a little confused, she has obviously deducted some cotisations but surely this now means that I have been paid less than the minimum wage, without even taking into consideration the 10% that needs to be added for holiday pay, as now this means that the 8 euros agreed on was the brut starting point and not the net amount receivable? If this is the case, is this legal? I obviously agreed to the rate of 8 euros per hour but I was under the impression that this was the amount I would actually receive AFTER cotisations. I realise that this is a piddling amount of money involved but I'd just like to be clear about what has happened for future reference. Thanks in advance.

Yes, fortunately I do get paid by the hour. Phew!!

Oh thank you for that Sue. Do you know - I didn't even think of them opening inwards. DUH!!

Hi everyone I really wasn't sure which section to post this in so if it's the wrong one would a moderator kindly put it in a more appropriate one for me? This is probably a bit of a daft question but here goes: I have been working as a cleaner in the home of a french couple for the past few months and the lady has told me (by email) that since they will be on holiday next week she wants me to clean the inside and the OUTSIDE of the windows. Before moving to France I worked as a cleaner in the homes of individuals for over 20 years and never once was I asked to do the outside of the windows. Is it normal practice in France to ask your cleaning lady to do this? I wouldn't mind if it was a bungalow and all the windows were on one level but it is a house and I would need a ladder to reach the top windows!! Would the lady think I was being totally unreasonable if I refused to do it? I can't afford to lose the job but I really don't fancy going up a ladder to clean windows either. Any thoughts anyone?

Thank you so much Norman for your prompt reply. That's a relief lol!

Hi everyone Could someone help me please? I hope I've posted this in the right section. During last year my husband carried out work under the cesu (cheque d'emploi) scheme and he also registered as an auto-entrepreneur in Nov 2009. We consequently received a form to fill in requesting information about any employees salaries. Obviously under AE there are no employees and we stated this on the form. We have now received a form from CRAM-CO through an Agence Retrait in Niort with a form and questionaire to fill in. I understand that this is to do with retirement but my question is - is this related to the cheque d'emploi work or the AE registration? Under the section 'Relevé de Carrière' there is an amount entered in the salaires en euros box for activité régime général in 2009 but it doesn't correspond exactly with any of the total figures I have from the Bulletin de Salaires for 2009 and my husband has not earned anywhere near the amount entered under AE as he only registered in Nov 2009. So I am a bit confused. Is this for the french state pension covered by cotisations already paid or is it a complementaire pension for which they will ask further premiums? Sorry for the long post but I wanted to give as much information as possible. Many thanks in advance Tracey

Hi there Our habitation tax demand has just arrived today with a payment date of 15/12/2009. Our department is Deux-Sevres. Tracey

Hi everyone I have suffered from the rare hemiplegic form of migraine since I was a small child. I've tried various treatments in the UK to no avail. I was wondering if anyone has been successfully treated for this extremely debilitating form of migraine here in France?