Debra

By the way, just in case you think I'm a total pillock who didn't plan well when I agreed on the lycees they could go to, I did have it all planned and it wasn't too bad but the conseil general changed the bus routes just before la rentree, making the second bus depart within a few minutes of the first, but in a different town twenty kilometres away from the first bus stop.

Two of them are, hence it only being Monday mornings I have three trips to make.  The older two I have to take to a bus in one town at 6am so I can get back in time to take the next youngest to his bus.  He (younger and doesn't really want to board) is in the catchment lycee but he still needs to get a bus in a different town at 7am.  After taking him to that, I get back in time to get my youngest ready for his bus from our village at 8.20.  The evenings are less stressful, even though the standard buses arrive at the same time in different towns, by grace of early finishes on Fridays (I doubt I'll be lucky enough to get that next year though).  I do have to take my youngest back to the town he came back from on the bus in order to pick up his brother from his bus - but we get two hours break in between him getting home and having to go back there.  I'd like to move to the town where the lad who isn't boarding goes to lycee.  That way my youngest could also go to school in the same town and I'd only have the one early drive to a bus on the Monday and a pick up on the Friday. Google is my friend, so I found this, which seems to be saying that all the same diagnostics are needed as for selling the house http://www.pap.fr/conseils/location/les-diagnostics-immobiliers-obligatoires-en-location/a2513 but it says the electrics one isn't needed but that you should make sure it's safe - so doesn't that mean I need the diagnostic anyway?  The difference with selling is I need them all up front, whereas to put it on the market I only needed the DPE (I think - it's been on a while so I can't remember for certain).  The fosse isn't mentioned so maybe I only have the normal obligations to get that sorted (the report said next year some time).

I'm having a bit of a nightmare getting my kids to two different lycees and a primary school on a Monday morning and then one lycee and primary school for the rest of the week.  I have a house I live in and another I intended to move to (part decorated) and neither is convenient for the lycees.  I'm trying to sell them but nothing is moving so I'm thinking of letting both of them so I can then rent somewhere more convenient for us at this time.  I realise I can't just let my house and that it needs to be up to certain standards, presumably for electricity, plumbing, heating and kitchen facilities.  Is there somewhere I can see what these standards are?  Do I have to have some sort of inspection done to say the houses are fit to be let?  The one I live in doesn't have an up to date fosse so would I have to update that before I could let it?

I must say though that a major part of what's putting me off FE is the slowness of it - and that is exactly why I don't visit this forum so often anymore either.  Trying to post today, it still seems really slow.  Is it something at my end (I'm using firefox) or has this forum remained slow since it's own conversion?

There is more to at least one of the stories than is admitted in the article but reading it makes me glad we couldn't sell our UK house when we moved over.  If we had, we'd have more than likely spent all the equity in it on some too big property and be in a worse position now.  (The amounts they paid for what they got seem far too high though so I don't think we'd have done as bad a job as they did but I can easily see that we may have ended up with something that was too much to handle).  As it is, it's annoying wanting to move (somewhere more convenient for my  kids' lycees) and being unable to because the housing market here seems to have died.  Still can't sell the UK property either but at least if I really had to I could still go back there.

and when did the Bentley thing happen?  I totally missed that - was it since the conversion?

It really does seem to be screwed up.  I keep looking in and even making the odd reply but as I get no notifications from any threads anymore - old ones or new ones - and have to actually get bored enough to go look, it doesn't happen very often. I thought everyone might have come over here but they don't seem to have, so where have all the posters gone??

It also won't necessarily affect pensioners with rental income.  It reads that it's more likely that if the majority of one's income arises from the UK then the personal allowance will be retained.  So if you're living off an old age pension, a private UK pension and UK rental income (which a lot of people over here are) then you won't be affected.  They're suggesting 75 or 90% of income arising in the UK will be the relevant cut off point.  

According to the consultation document, they are.

I've heard of hunters using cats for target practice. See this petition: http://www.sudinfo.be/871456/article/actualite/faits-divers/2013-12-02/il-retrouve-son-chat-mort-apres-un-tir-de-chasseurs-le-corps-est-crible-de-diza

If you don't have any other way of being entitled to cover then you need to apply to become an 'ayant droit' under the charge of your wife (and yes, concubins can also be ayant droit) - it's all here: http://www.ameli.fr/assures/droits-et-demarches/par-situation-professionnelle/vous-etes-sans-emploi/vous-etes-a-la-charge-d-8217-un-assure/etre-ayant-droit.php and I think this is the form you need: http://www.ameli.fr/fileadmin/user_upload/formulaires/S3182.pdf

If the well water tests well I'd just reconnect that rather than pay for mains water!

Yes, you can ride a 50cc scooter in France without any licence or requirement to do a course as long as you were born before 21 December 1987.   However, if you would like to do a course you can do the same BSR course that people born after that date have to do.  My stepdaughter just did it and it cost €190 and is now a seven hour course rather than a five hour course.  It's much like the CBT in England but on a scooter rather than a 125cc bike.  Now the new 'AM' category is out, rather than just getting a little photo card to show she did her BSR, my stepdaughter got a licence the same as my driving licence with the category AM on it. 

[quote user="DraytonBoy"]Currently social charges are not payable on UK rental income under the 'double tax treaty'. [/quote]Not quite correct.  They are chargeable but a credit for all French tax is supposed to be given if the income was 'subject to tax' in the UK.  It is the definition of this phrase which is under query.  Other double taxation treaties use it to mean 'tax has been paid on' the income rather than that it has been assessed for tax and tax may or may not have been charged because of personal tax allowances and it's this definition of tax having been paid on the income that the French would obviously prefer to use.

Many people aren't happy that non-residents will have to pay, along with normal tax, the 15.5% social charges on their French rental income (when they see it that they don't benefit from anything that these social charges cover, not living in France and maybe even never having lived in France) and that these charges are not considered a tax by HMRC and so are not deductable as 'tax paid' when their UK tax bill is worked out.  That's probably what was meant by things getting harder?  This change happened last year so the bills will be rolling in this year.  On the other side, the question of whether you pay tax and social charges on UK rental income which is less than your UK personal tax allowance when you are resident in France remains unclear.

We changed our UK licences and got the A1 stamped on our French licences.  It doesn't say via equivalence from the B1 but shows the A1 category, just as if we'd passed a test.  It depends upon when you got your licence, I believe.  If you have the right to drive a 125cc by equivalence by passing your car licence after a certain date you're supposed to do a 7 hour formation if you haven't ridden a bike in the last 5 years, but as our licences show the actual A1 permis stamped, we don't need to. How would the DVLA know he hadn't passed the test if your husband exchanged it?  Answering my own question, maybe because there is a code that shows that the category was given in exchange for a UK licence?

I don't know about those makes but that chart I posted worked for my stepdaughter recently when I bought bras, jeans and tops for her online and in L.Eclerc (she is size 40 in France and nicks my size 12s that I was hoping to slim back into, since she's now worn out/grown out of the 10s that I was also hoarding!).  She likes the Freegun underwear that all the teenagers seem to drool over and although the bras work out right I'm pretty sure the boxers are on the small side.

[quote user="sid"]That sounds very reasonable for what is a high risk (for the younger riders); presuambly it's third party risks? Any questions about disqualifications when you took out the cover, or are there any conditions imposed on the drivers?  I pay exactly twice that premium (EDIT ie 24€ pm) but mine is fully comp for an 800cc "sports tourer" motorcycle, but I've been riding since 1964! [;-)] [/quote]It wasn't much more for fully comp and even a policy on the health and life of the rider but we kept it to a minimum of third party fire and theft (the latter two being a euro extra per month on top of the basic third party premium) as the premiums are stacking up what with 3 mopeds, a 125cc bike and three cars.  No questions at all just BSR for the youngsters as applicable.  As far as the kids go, I think the trick is to insure it in an adults name and then after that, say the kids will be riding it too.  If I insured a moped just for my 15 year old from the start I think it might be higher as I've heard some of his friends pay large premiums.  The last time we went in to get the 125cc insured they recalculated the premiums for the mopeds because the cost for mopeds had gone down.  Pretty good of them, I thought.

We have 3 insured with AXA - €12 each per month.  (Two 5/6 year old Chinese models and an old Yamaha DT automatic).  That covers my husband and I and also any of our children who are old enough and have a BSR (presently only one of them).  We have to send a copy of the BSR as and when they pass it to ensure that they are covered.

[quote user="andyh4"]With bottled gas you must have an easily accessible cut off valve close to the appliance - in case of fire.  If piping the gas is any distance it has to be in solid copper (not flexible) pipework and should be installed by a professional [/quote]Andy how far is the distance which requires copper piping?  We were told our bottles below the cooker were ok but now I'm wondering.....

We have a five ring gas hob over electric ovens and grill.  We use the medium sized gas bottles you get from the likes of Intermarche.  We have a cellar underneath our kitchen so we just put a hole in the floorboards and put the pipe through there so we don't need to take up a cupboard with a bottle.  Easier for changing too.  We have 3 bottles so when we get to the third we take the empty two in to swap for full ones. Re the gas rings getting too hot - isn't that what happens when you don't have the valves changed?

You don't need any licence or short course (BSR) to ride a 50cc scooter if you were born before 1987 so if that is the case you don't need to produce anything other than proof of your age and the scooter registration documents to your insurance broker. [quote] Personnes nés avant le 31 décembre 1987 Elles peuvent conduire un cyclomoteur de 50 cm3 ou 4 kw ou une voiturette sans formalité particulière qu'elles soient ou non titulaires du permis de conduire.[/quote] See here

I understood a French 40 is a UK 12 and this lot agree with me http://www.frenchfriends.info/practical-travel/clothing-size-conversions and also this lot http://www.french-property.com/reference/clothing_shoe_size_conversion/ and even Marks & Spencers http://www.marksandspencer.com/General-Womens-Size-Guides-Product-Information-Help/b/47647031 Sweet17 here are quite a long list of the bra sizes: UK US EU (JP) AU FR IT 30A 30A(AA) 65A 8A(AA) 80A 0A 30B 30B 65B 8A 80B 0B 30C 30C 65C 8B 80C 0C 30D 30D 65D 8C 80D 0D 30DD 30DD 65E 8D 80E 0E 30E 30DDD/E 65F 8DD 80F 0F 30F 30F 65G 8E 80G 0G 30G 30G 65H 8F 80H 0H 30H 30H 65I 8G 80I 0I 30I 30I 65J 8H 80J 0J 30J 30J 65K 8I 80K 0K 32A 32A(AA) 70A 10A(AA) 85A 1A 32A 32A 70A 10A(AA) 85A 1A 32B 32B 70B 10A 85B 1B 32C 32C 70C 10B 85C 1C 32D 32D 70D 10C 85D 1D 32DD 32DD 70E 10D 85E 1E 32E 32DDD/E 70F 10DD 85F 1F 32F 32F 70G 10E 85G 1G 32G 32G 70H 10F 85H 1H 32H 32H 70I 10G 85I 1I 32I 32I 70J 10H 85J 1J 32J 32J 70K 10I 85K 1K 34A 34A(AA) 75A 12A(AA) 90A 2A 34A 34A 75A 12A(AA) 90A 2A 34B 34B 75B 12A 90B 2B 34C 34C 75C 12B 90C 2C 34D 34D 75D 12C 90D 2D 34DD 34DD 75E 12D 90E 2E 34E 34DDD/E 75F 12DD 90F 2F 34F 34F 75G 12E 90G 2G 34G 34G 75H 12F 90H 2H 34H 34H 75I 12G 90I 2I 34I 34I 75J 12H 90J 2J 34J 34J 75K 12I 90K 2K 36A 36A(AA) 80A 14A(AA) 95A 3A 36A 36A 80A 14A(AA) 95A 3A 36B 36B 80B 14A 95B 3B 36C 36C 80C 14B 95C 3C 36D 36D 80D 14C 95D 3D 36DD 36DD 80E 14D 95E 3E 36E 36DDD/E 80F 14DD 95F 3F 36F 36F 80G 14E 95G 3G 36G 36G 80H 14F 95H 3H 36H 36H 80I 14G 95I 3I 36I 36I 80J 14H 95J 3J 36J 36J 80K 14I 95K 3K 38A 38A(AA) 85A 16A(AA) 100A 4A 38A 38A 85A 16A(AA) 100A 4A 38B 38B 85B 16A 100B 4B 38C 38C 85C 16B 100C 4C 38D 38D 85D 16C 100D 4D 38DD 38DD 85E 16D 100E 4E 38E 38DDD/E 85F 16DD 100F 4F 38F 38F 85G 16E 100G 4G 38G 38G 85H 16F 100H 4H 38H 38H 85I 16G 100I 4I 38I 38I 85J 16H 100J 4J 38J 38J 85K 16I 100K 4K 40A 40A(AA) 90A 18A(AA) 105A 5A 40A 40A 90A 18A(AA) 105A 5A 40B 40B 90B 18A 105B 5B 40C 40C 90C 18B 105C 5C 40D 40D 90D 18C 105D 5D 40DD 40DD 90E 18D 105E 5E 40E 40DDD/E 90F 18DD 105F 5F 40F 40F 90G 18E 105G 5G 40G 40G 90H 18F 105H 5H 40H 40H 90I 18G 105I 5I 40I 40I 90J 18H 105J 5J 40J 40J 90K 18I 105K 5K 42A 42A(AA) 95A 20A(AA) 110A 6A 42A 42A 95A 20A(AA) 110A 6A 42B 42B 95B 20A 110B 6B 42C 42C 95C 20B 110C 6C 42D 42D 95D 20C 110D 6D 42DD 42DD 95E 20D 110E 6E 42E 42DDD/E 95F 20DD 110F 6F 42F 42F 95G 20E 110G 6G 42G 42G 95H 20F 110H 6H 42H 42H 95I 20G 110I 6I 42I 42I 95J 20H 110J 6J 42J 42J 95K 20I 110K 6K 44A 44A(AA) 100A 22A(AA) 115A 7A 44A 44A 100A 22A(AA) 115A 7A 44B 44B 100B 22A 115B 7B 44C 44C 100C 22B 115C 7C 44D 44D 100D 22C 115D 7D 44DD 44DD 100E 22D 115E 7E 44E 44DDD/E 100F 22DD 115F 7F 44F 44F 100G 22E 115G 7G 44G 44G 100H 22F 115H 7H 44H 44H 100I 22G 115I 7I 44I 44I 100J 22H 115J 7J 44J 44J 100K 22I 115K 7K from http://www.brasize.com/uk-to-us-eu-fr-it-au.html

I didn't get a further reply after explaining that the income I was telling them about was exempt from tax in both the UK and France.  I've just checked my situation details on the CAF account online and they have updated the resources amount for 2011 (Ces revenus permettent de calculer vos droits pour l'année 2013) and it shows the taxable amount declared on our tax return - the whole amount not the RFR that came back on the avis.   I'll let you know if this causes any problems with payments or later on this year if we apply for a permanent resident card.

I saw it in London in the eighties and really enjoyed it but had to sit up in the gods because I took my mother-in-law who was badly agrophobic and couldn't stand being surrounded by people in a reasonable seat - so I'll really appreciate seeing it on film!  I had the stage soundtrack but the CD developed a problem and I keep meaning to buy it again.  Now the kids are all at school I can play it during the day without any whinging!!