Owens88

How many in your party? I may have suggestions.   John

  How many in your party? I may have suggestions. Regards John

Hi   I wonder . Are there actual 'laws' or local ordinances that cover the time(s) at which  one must be quiet (presumably meaning keeping all household noise within the house). I have heard stories of this, and other directives precluding the use of outside machinery at times, but I never know whether they are 'old wives tales' or what.   Thank you.  

Try vistaprint. They can put images onto canvas bags.   John

Good luck.   AFAIK you can live anywhere in EU if you are european.   John

[quote user="Quillan"] Funny enough Clair we have people turning up with their towels at our CDH and are quite pleased when we tell them they are included. We had one group years back turn up with their own bedding as well. What is the latest time people accept guests for Gites? [/quote] I would expect a CDH to have towels and bedding.   What do you mean by 'latest time'? Latest bookings tend to close a day or so before depending on my feelings of getting the place right fopr them (and me getting their money). Latest arrivals - we now use a keybox system which is really useful for those who drive. In the early days our local manager was messed about something rotten by some people .   Regards   John

[quote user="sweet 17"] Could you not include the charges to begin with and give a refund to those not needing the bedding and towels? For example, write something along the lines of:  the cost of your gîte includes a charge of €X per person per week for the linen and towel bale.  However, if you do not need this service and do not use it, we will refund the money at the end of your stay. Or is it not done that way?  I don't know, having never stayed in a gîte. At least you are then covered for the cost, the money would have been deducted at the outset and, people being what they are, would be generally pleased to have "money back" (even if it's their own money in the first place).[:P] [/quote]   Either way we need to know before we arrive (you don't leave 6 sets of towels and bed linen out to clutter the place ) as we have the bed made up for them.  Everything is clear from the outset - on the web site and all documents thereafter - it is not an add-on later in the process. John        

[quote user="Clair"]Owens, may I ask how much you charge for sheets and towels? (by PM if you prefer) For a family of 5 persons each using a set of two mitts (gants de toilette), a small towel, a bath towel and a pool towel, I have to do two "wash-and-dry" loads (as well as the washing and ironing of the bedding, which will still be included in the rental price.) I am thinking €8 for a set, which would mean the same family would either bring their own (which most of them already do) or opt to pay an extra €40 over the rental price. Too much?... Not enough? [/quote]   We charge £7.50 or 11€ (yes I know that exchange rate needs to be reviewed !) per person. This includes towels and bed linen. If people book for a few weeks we give spares with no extra charge.  We offer a cot for free but no bedding for it (mums bring their own). The pricing reflected the costs our original changeover person was charging us (rounded down for simplicity). We haven't increased it in many years. Probably making a loss on it somewhere now ! Hope that helps.   John

Towels and bed-linen are our ONLY add-ons, and that is because the mainlanders often prefer to bring their own.    

[quote user="teapot"]As lawyers, they should know people don't give in to blackmail.[/quote] At a logical level yes re: blackmail. But many, if not most, give way to bullies at some time. That is how bullies succeed.

Hi   We have well occupied since the winter. One renter went out of her way to leave a 'well pleased' note.  Then we get the renters from hell....  Mrs Renter has managed to say several times that 'we are both lawyers' and at least once  'if you don't... we will post a bad review on tripadvisor'  . She also shouts at my changeover team as though the renters are colonialists and the changeover person is a slave.   Where are the sites where we can 'name' and shame abusive renters ?   John   p.s. My changeover lady has been most supportive; attending a few times and calling out electrician when 'first attempts' have not remedied a situation. To be honest the bullying nature of the renters is leading me to suspect sabotage on their part.

Good luck   I also have relied on the natwest insurance over many years. AFAIK you are covered for missed flights as long as the cause IS NOT your own car.   John

MOL is being a bit disingenuous blaming the APD for him cutting flkights. a) He always shuffles flights, sometimes to airports that pay him to give them a try.   b) Knock airport has a £10 exit fee which is unpublicised and is a 'must pay' before getting on the plane, even if you have a ticket.That smacks as extortion but MOL still flies from there.    

The industrial stuff can certainly be used for cooking, it's just that it has no more flavour than 5% sulphuric acid or hydrochloric acid   Is that the type the Austrians use in wine ?

Is Captain Jack Harkness listed?   Just anticipating a future Torchwood episode.   (sorry for lowering the tone)

We have one week free.

Good luck. Congrats for saying it all.   John

Tyre repairs in France should be safe. Reasonable economically in our experience. No real argument for delaying. Lots of arguments against delaying.   John    

Why not have bunk beds?  Perhaps that is why luggage is being discouraged?  A basement bunk at a basement price ? ©John Owens 2009

Three legged races (and sack races) have been banned on health and safety grounds. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article4327263.ece   Balderdash . We ran both at a sports day last week, as well as wheel barrows....

1) Obviously any one 'day' to do (or not-do ) something is more symbolic than real . 2) Chris, don't we all wish  for the magic bullet. Something that would save the world but we actually enjoyed doing or giving up..    e.g. Driving at 100mph actually saves fuel reduces emissions and saves lives          Watching TV  has been proven to help save the planet by reducing wear and tear on it.          If humans would only stop cutting (or eating if that takes your fancy) grass there would be so much 'green lung' in our cities...          Middle lane-hogs could be forcibly removed from the road and their cars crushed for re-cycling and the drivers re-used for organ transplants, solving three problems at one go.   In the meantime a balanced mixed view combined with some sensible science can't hurt.       John

Possibly me (the legs not the liver). Must have caught it in France, though here the doctor is calling it FibroMyalgia  (which might as well be Latin for 'I haven't a clue', separate story) not a vein problem.

er, so a wet blanket was flirting with you and you crashed into the door ?   So what would be the reaction if a 'insert appropriate phrase for hot and lively person' tried it on ? A full ram raid ?     Sorry for being part of the horrible lot. Good luck in your resolution.

[quote user="Frederick"]  And who would you vote for the cask bitter provider party or the cheap skates who only put on a keg of light ale ? [/quote]   Values matter more than words !    

[quote user="Patmobile"] No argument about the right to one's own opinion..............   The Queen has the constitutional power to dissolve a Parliament when it becomes incapable of governing properly. ...[/quote]edited by Owens And she didn't even when a PM came close to civil war by setting police on their own communities in vicious ways (the miners strike).  However I do recall that there were a few 'briefing sessions' requested by HM at the time. I doubt whether anybody is confident that they know the route through the current world malaise.  Anybody here prepared to replace Gordon? I doubt there are candidates in the palace of Westminster who are better on the world economy (OK Vince Cable perhaps).