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Eslier

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Everything posted by Eslier

  1. I enquired about the same thing. The answer I got was that you have to open a completely seperate account (and a seperate paypal account) using a different name on ebay.fr
  2. Unless you've got a big truck I would order it from the builder merchants and get them to deliver it. Put the whole order together, metal stud, plasterboard, rockwool, screws, joint tape, joint filler (Preglys-85 ?)etc. and then you might be able to negotiate a bit of discount. Allow for the fact that it might take three or four days from when you order it before they can deliver.
  3. If anyone could answer that question for sure, he or she would be very rich by now and wouldn't have time for thsi forum ! Seriously though, there is good advice around but you have to remember that it's all a bit of a gamble. Take a look at: http://www.moneycorp.com/ click on tools and then click on "daily brief". This will give you an insight into what is going on this week. On the home page you can click on a link to have that "daily brief" e-mailed to you every morning. If you read it often enough you start to get a better idea of all the factors involved. A lot, this week, will depend on whether the Bank of England reduce UK interest rates. It was thought that this was quite probable but you will see from today's "market brief" they are now saying it may not happen which could lead to the pound gaining a little against the euro at the end of the week.
  4. You will find it quite hard to find a secam compatible tv in the UK. You might find TVs that are advertised as multi-std but you may find that this only means they are pal/ntsc which won't help you. As has already been suggested, buy one in France and it will be pal/secam as standard. The reason for this is that all dvd players are pal/ntsc so aren't any use with a secam only tv. Are you certain your old french tv is secam only ? They have had dual standard TVs over here for many years - it might be worth checking before you rush out an get a new one.
  5. Oh, this really is a difficult one to answer honestly without causing offence to anyone. (None is intended so please don't be offended.) The problem is, as anyone who has stayed in different gites will tell you, there is clean, very clean and spotless. With more people going down the high quality gite route now, there are more places around that could be classed as spotless. That doesn't make the other places dirty but it does make them look a bit poor in comparison. We always ask our guests to leave the gites clean (cleaning is not included in the rental price). If they prefer, they can pay for a local agency to come in on the Friday before their departure and clean the place from top to bottom. Even so, after they leave on the Saturday morning, we spend a great deal of time cleaning to a high standard. As an example, our three bedroom gite might have a 3 hour clean from the agency on the guests last day. After they have left it will then get another clean of around five to six hours. Furthermore our bed linen is high quality and always neatly pressed. Now just because we operate to that sort of standard, that doesn't mean everyone should. But it does mean that someone who compares our gite with one that has had a quick three hour clean will certainly be aware of the difference. We often have guests making comment on the high standard of cleanliness and they come out with things like "you should have seen the state of the place we were in last week" or "I cried when I arrived at the place we stayed in last year". What they forget, is that they have paid us top prices (we are not cheap) and therefore we are only providing what they have paid for. The trouble is that many brits feel they should always get the top standard even when they pay bargain prices. We can only offer the sort of service we do because we live on site and it is our full time job for the two of us. The prices we charge enable us to regularly replace linen and other items of equipment to ensure everything looks good. You couldn't expect that sort of standard if you aren't there to do it yourself, neither could most people afford to pay someone to provide that sort of service. Back to the original question, if you don't already do so, it is worth putting a sachet of Eparcyl down the toilet every week as you can't be sure what the guests have washed down the sink. Also, keep an eye open for dried out waste traps - perhaps on the washing machine or on the expansion valve trap of the water cylinder. If they dry out then the smell from the fosse comes straight back up into the house ! Regarding your guests, just remember they'll be leaving soon and you'll hopefully never have to speak to them again. If they are there for two weeks then you could offer to send someone in to provide a mid-stay clean as a gesture of goodwill which might pacify them. Don't take it personally, some people just like to moan and once they get started they'll find fault with everything. Once they've chilled out a bit and drunk a few bottles of wine they'll probably go to ground.
  6. Sorry Jo, are we talking about the same place here ? Surely you wouldn't call 75€ per MONTH a "rip-off". You would be lucky to park for more than a few days at any UK airport for that amount ! Short stay is fantastic value too - up to an hour is free, and only 8€ for 24 hrs. For regular commuters you can get an annual season ticket for 500€ which works out at less than 10€ per week. They've even put a new exit barrier in now with the ticket machine on the right hand side for all the rhd cars that use the airport !!
  7. You will find some of the answers you are looking for if you read through the Gites Owners and B&B Owners section of this forum. As a general rule, the more you have to invest then the more you can expect to make (sounds obvious but you would be surprised how many people go into it not accepting this fact!) I suppose the big question is, how much do you want to make in the way of an annual income ? With £300k to spend you have a reasonable amount to achieve a liveable income if you spend your money wisely. Don't however underestimate the amount of cash you will need to equip your properties and buy other equipment. Firstly, where gites are concerned, you will find that total renatls are generally weeks rather than "months". Depending where you purchase and what facilities you offer, you can expect anything between around 8 and 20 weeks. To get the top end of that you need to research your area particularly well and talk to as many other gite owners as possible. Only those gites offering the best facilities - heated swimming pool is a must - and owners spending a fair amount on advertising can expect to get 18 to 20 weeks. The majority of gite owners only work on around 8 to 12 weeks. As a general rule, English gite renters will pay far higher prices for good quality accommodation than other nationalities. You can go cheap and basic and get a lot of renatls from the french but you will probably end up making less money for more work. B&B is a different matter altogether and the consensus of opinion is that, to make half a living, you will find yourselves working far harder than you ever imagined. It is possible to do well and those that do seem to have a lot of European visitors. Registration with Gites de France can be a great benefit. I suspect you may find it hard to run a successful B&B and look after two gites. Whatever you do, don't take on more than you can manage as employing staff can be an even bigger headache over here ! What you want to do is certainly achievable with your budget but you must research it thoroughly. The most important decision being the location. Work on the basis that purchasing within the next few months may give you the opportunity to start making some money by about next May and then put some cash flow projections together. With setup expenses, you shouldn't expect to make a profit in year one but after that, you should be able to work towards a 75% profit margin. Don't forget to include the dreaded "social charges" in your budget. Good luck. I hope it all works out well for you.
  8. There most certainly is, but it is quite a bit more expensive that the parking Extérieur. Details can be found at : http://www.saint-malo.cci.fr/fr/prestations/aeroport/services/?PHPSESSID=872a5f3290163ec2068cfded958c5cec (Scroll to the bottom of the page.)
  9. "The children just love those Babybel cheeses" = expect to see the red wax trodden into floors, ground into furniture and stuck to the bedding. Don't you just wish those things could be banned ?
  10. To convert a gas cooker from town gas to lpg (butane or propane) you would need to change the jets. OK that's the easy part of the explanation. The jets you require must be exactly the right ones(correct size for different size gas rings etc.) and the best way of obtaining these is to contact the manufacturer and ask if they can supply them. You will also need some instructions to know which jet goes in which position as they are most likely to all be different ! Some manufactureres can be helpful where this is concerned and some are useless. You could make a start by seeing if you can find a French installation instruction manual for your cooker on the internet. If you can then you may find some reference to changing over the jets to run on lpg. If your French is up to it, you would probably be better off finding a SMEG service agent in France and asking them if they can order the parts for you. You are less likely to find the parts you want in the UK as so few people use LPG over there. You may well find you also need a special tool to change the jets which are often recessed. Try and buy one of these at the same time. The easiest part of all is connecting the gas bottle via a regulator, to the cooker. Parts for this can be found in most brico stores. Don't forget that Butane bottles can be kept inside the house and Propane bottles should be outside. Good luck.
  11. Take a look at the pdf document on this link: http://www.ecologie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/0_tableau_arretes.pdf It will give you details of restrictions in all departments. It is possible (although you would need to check with your Mairie to be sure) that if you are a registered gites business with a siret number, your pool will be recognised as a commercial assett and not be subject to the same restrictions as "private" pools. Your Maire should be on your side as your guests are bringing money to the commune so you can expect a helpful response. Regarding whether or not your guests are entitled to compensation, that depends somewhat upon what you have put in your Holiday Letting Contract to cover such circumstances. We have a very clear clause in ours as follows: "The swimming pool is usually open, and heated, from mid May until late September. No refund or compensation will be paid, however, if for any unforeseen reason the pool is unavailable for use or is not heated." This would cover us in such circumstances but I would probably still make some offer of compensation - maybe a discount voucher off another holiday next year. If you haven't got this covered in your contract then it could be deemed to be a breach of contract if the pool is not available and you will need to judge the situation on its merits.
  12. Zurich have a GOLD UK policy (formerly an Eagle Star policy) which provides unlimmited comprehensive cover for driving in Europe. Although not one of the cheapest policies around it is probably less expensive that using some of the "add-ons" that have already been mentioned. Remember, however, that once your car has been in France for more than six months consequetively then it has technically been exported and the cover may not be valid. Make sure, when you go back to England you keep proof (ferry ticket, petrol receipts etc.) that the car has been back in the UK.
  13. As I understand it, the problem with a CU if you have children by a previous marriage is that ita application can easily be overturned. Under French law you cannot deliberatetly set out to disinherit your children. Technically, a child of a former marriage of the first partner to die would be disinherited. In such a case, this child could successfully challenge the validity of the CU and have it deemed null and void. This clearly could cause problems for the surviving partner who could end up having to sell the home. French inheritance law is very complicated and it seems that some of the best advice comes from the English firms of solicitors who have set themselves up to deal with this speciality. One has already been mentioned and I would add Turner & Co in Birmingham as another to be recommended. They can be contacted on +44 121 200 1612.
  14. There are several things we would need to know to advise you properly but let's make a few assumptions. Firstly, I will assume that you already connect to the internet via an ADSL connection. Secondly, I will assume that your first computer has an ethernet port (10/100Mbps). Thirdly, I will assume that you are running Windows XP on both computers. If this is the case then it is very simple to achieve your aim. I would recommend you buy an ADSL modem/router/wifi gateway - something like the NETGEAR DG834GT - look at: http://www.materiel.net/details_DG834GT.html for more information and also a good place to buy - you can also read more on the US manufacturers website: http://www.netgear.com/products/details/DG834GT.php This unit connects to your internet account and then either computer can access the internet without the other computer needing to be on. It also "networks" your computers so that you can share documents and printers etc. It is very easy to set up. Perhaps more importantly, if you buy this item from a french company (with, therefore, a valid waranty), you still get software that runs in English so there shouldn't be any language problems. You can download a copy of the user instructions in English from the Netgear website. All you do is connect the DG834GT to your computer using the ethernet cable which is supplied with the unit and also connect the modem telephone that is supplied to your phone socket (they even supply an adsl filter if you need another one). You then need to carry out a fairly simple automatic set up procedure for the modem and after that you just let Windows XP do the rest by running the "set up a new network wizard". You run the wizard on both computers and hey-presto it will all work. Very simple but you have a system that is quite advanced. If you don't have an ethernet card in your computer then you can easily purchase one of these also from Material.net and it is very easy to fit into a spare pci slot on your computer. If you first computer isn't running XP then all this is still probably possible but the set up procedures may be more tricky. Finally, if you don't already have good firewall and anti-virus software I would urge you to do something about that straight away for both computers. Don't rely on the Windows firewall. Stick with one of the big reputable brands like Norton or McAfee and make sure your software is configured to automatically download updates etc. and whatever you do keep your annual subscriptions up to date. Good luck.
  15. We had what sounds like a similar problem one week last August. It mystified me until we went in to clean one of the gites at the end of the week. The bathroom and especially the shower was covered with the same "orange/red slime". Given that there had been teenage girls staying there we assumed that there had been some attempt at hair colouring - maybe even henna. It subsequently took several weeks to completely eradicate it from the walls of the pool !
  16. Your business should have been registered before you started trading. In other words the minute you advertised your gites or took the first booking you should have been registered. Your registration will need to be back dated and your Social Charges will also be back dated so you may well find that you get a big bill to pay straight away. Registering your business in the most beneficial way and knowing what you can write off against your business is not a simple matter. You will find it most beneficial to employ the services of a good French accountant to deal with this for you and to provide advice. The accountant will be able to give you an estimate of the charges you can expect to pay, but in all liklihood, you may not pay any income tax whatsoever. Social Charges are a different matter altogether. As a rough guide, if you register your business in one name only and don't employ anyone, then your Social charges are likely to be in the region of €4,500 per year (calculated pro-rata from 1st January) to start with.
  17. WATER TREATMENT: You've mentioned that you would like "crystal clear water" and the best system for achieving the clearest water is a Diatemous Earth Filter. They take a bit more looking after than a simple sand filter but the water quality is fantastic. POOL MAINTENANCE: In my experience, to keep a pool at its best it will need some loving care and attention every day during the swimming season. I really don't know how people manage who just get someone to call in once a week. A week of neglect, especially in hot weather, is enough for the pool to become minging. If you aren't going to be there all the time then be prepared to pay someone to call in at least every two or three days. RUNNING THE PUMP: You can run the pump all year around if you wish which will mean you don't need to "hivernage" your pool but this would probably not be cost effective. With a pool you will probably want to make sure you are on TEMPO electricity to enjoy the half price "blue days" from April to October. In this case you certainly wouldn't want to be running your pump on the "red days" in the winter ! NUMBER OF SKIMMERS: One sounds a bit feeble for that size of pool but it has more to do with the volume of water than anything so if your pool is only 1m deep all the way through then it might be ok. We have a 75 cubic metre pool which is 11m x 5m and have two skimmers plus a base outlet. FRAME: Concrete is what you want. RUNNING COST: This will depend a lot on the outside temperature in the summer and to what temperature you want to heat it. A "heat pump" using Tempo electricity will almost certainly be the cheapest option unless you are going down the solar route. For electriciy, chemicals etc. you probably need to allow around 500/600€ ish per season - plus of course the cost of your pool maintenance man or woman. Hope that is helpful. Happy swimming.
  18. Try ToAnFro (I think that's what they are called) at Honiton. They are based at the Jet station just off the A30 at the first Honiton turn-off. I rented a lwb van off them last January (whilst back in the UK for a month and needed to make a run back home to France). They were very helpful and the cheapest I could find in the Exeter area. Don't forget to make sure they give you a letter confirming that you have permission to take the van out of the country. They are quite hot on asking for that at Portsmouth these days. If you are only doing a quick hop, don't forget that you can still use a Brittany Ferries 24hr return even with a van. That's 24hrs from the time you arrive in France to the time you depart or the first available crossing after the 24hrs has expired. When I last did that it only cost me £70 with a cabin in one direction. Bon voyage.
  19. It sounds like you need to get a French bank account open sooner than asap. It is almost impossible to do anything over here without one. If you aren't in France at present, and can't call into your local bank, open and account with CA Britline, info at: www.britline.com It should take no more than a couple of weeks providing you send of all the required information straight away. It would be worth phoning once you've sent the documents off to tell them that you're in a bit of a mess and need something sorted asap - they are generally very helpful.
  20. Although there are some complicated exceptions involving a UK company being able to set up a trading branch in France (which in effect works like a registered French business anyway) the simple answer to your question is no! You will need to register your business in France, pay social charges and tax etc. There don't seem to be any loopholes I'm afraid but the process isn't too arduous with help of a French Accountant. It's all about doing things properly and most advantageously which only a professional can give you the best advice on. Good luck
  21. I have read that a lot of rivers / lakes in France have common fishing rights and you have to be careful or you may find all the locals coming along and enjoying the fishing on your private land and there is nothing you can do about it. I can't give you anything definite about this, I just remember reading about it a year or so ago. I'm sure it doesn't cover all water but it would be worth checking into before you buy somewhere - better safe than sorry ! Regarding setting up any business in France, I would strongly recommend that you prepare a detailed cashflow analasys before you get too far down the road, not forgetting to include all the social charges etc. that you will have to pay - even before you have an income. A French accountant will be able to assist you through setting up your business and provide invaluable advice. It is important to get everything right from the outset. Remember that you cannot commence trading, which includes advertising your business, until your business has been registered. It may all sound quite complicated, and it is, but with the right professional advice, and careful research it is all quite possible. Good luck.
  22. You should see a mouse symbol in the bottom right hand blue bar of your screen (just to the left of where the time is shown). Double click on this icon and it will open up the mouse control window. If you have loaded the logitech software correctly it will show a schematic picture of your mouse and the logitech logo. In the window you have opened. Click on the "buttons" tab and look for the no. "2" drop dowm menu in the new window. In this menu select "auto scroll". Click "apply" and then exit. This should resolve your problem.
  23. Try www.eversoft.net - it's always worth making sure you use google.fr when searching french businesses. The site doesn't gove a lot of information but it does provide contact details. One other possibility that maybe worth following up, their logo looks very similar to the "Everblue" logo who are a big network of swimming pool suppliers throughout France.
  24. Panasonic boxes are generally regarded as being the best of the bunch. In Brittany, a 45cm mini-dish (UK style) is perfectly acceptable (don't let anyone tell you otherwise) and certainly looks a lot better than those ugly great 80cm ones sold in the bricos ! Keep an eye on ebay.co.uk for a good deal. I recently purchased a Panasonic DSB40 (one of the later models but the DSB30 is fine too) plus a brand new dish, 20m of cable and f-type connectors all for £85. Free delivery to a UK address and then got someone to bring it over for me. It also came guaranteed. This was my fifth Panasonic box and I'm pleased to say they all work extremely well. If you want to buy viewing cards for ITV, Ch4 etc. then expect to pay about £40 each for them on ebay, but again make sure you only buy ones that are sold with a guarantee that they will work.
  25. I really do sympathise. It is your home but it is also your business and, as you have already identified, you have an obligation to your guests. It sounds as though your guests are being very good about it so I wouldn't worry too much. The best thing would be to keep your collie in the fenced area most of the time, but make a point of taking him/her out on a lead to meet the children. Perhaps if you are there to restrain your dog to start with the child will gradually become more confident and the parents are bound to be appreciative of your efforts. Many parents want their children to become used to dogs even if they don't have one themselves so you may well be doing them a favour. In the worst case scenario, you will have a difficult two week period which will not seriously affect your dog. Try not to worry, it will all be ok in the end one way or another.
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