Moorejw

Piddy - You are a star - just what I wanted - cheers Angie

We have a FREE ADSL system with a range of about 30 metres. I would like to increase the range so that we can guarantee WIFI access in our furthest gite. Can somebody tell me which bit of equipment will do this and maybe recommend a specific model? If we can install some sort of wireless booster in an outhouse (not directly connected to the ADSL router) that would be perfect. Or alternatively maybe we need to replace the wireless card with something else. All help gratefully received. Thanks!  

Some confusion here! A micro-bic is a tax regime and if you are registered as a business, even a micro-bic you have a siret no. Taxe Professionelle is paid by every business to their commune. If you work from home and are self-employed you still pay it. It is not a substitute for any other tax - you will still pay taxe d'habitation, taxe fonciere and income tax (impots sue le revenue).

This 'new' scheme seems very similar to that which was in force when we moved here in 2002. We still have our TdS, which in fact has just expired - perhaps we should renew it after all? Anyway, as we are both working and paying our cotisations it is not an issue for us, I assume we just need to keep working until our UK pensions commence.

DebandChris Yep, we still have one week left August 25th. www.leslandesvacances.com

Matt My daughter is currently on Oleron with our camper. There is a superb camp site on the beach (literally) at St Denis d'Oleron only 16 euros a night with electric hook up. As for free overnight stops, you have to get parked up early.

We can buy fresh (lait frais) semi and full fat in some of the supermarkets. We provide one bottle of sterilised and one of fresh in the welcome pack for each gite, so that the visitors can learn to tell them apart!

We are full apart from the last week in August, which always seems hard to let as everybody in UK is preparing for the return to school. If your bookings normally come in early then you can't blame the floods - don't know what to suggest apart from changing the site you advertise with.

More than one week - I followed the link and put our details on HelpX and MindmyHouse.com and had 3 replies this morning!!  We really might get away for a few days as a result. Thanks Audois.

You will find that many independent agents will show you properties at evenings, weekends and bank holidays, especially if the properties are empty and they hold the keys. But many properties are owner/occupied and the agent has to fit in with the owner's wishes. All viewings are accompanied and few agents will tell you the exact location of a property until you sign a viewing agreement. Good luck with your search.

Reduced rental available to couple prepared to occasionally pet sit (chickens, geese, ducks and pig), for winter 2007/8. Two or three bedroom cottage available, fully insulated and heated. Drop us a line. Angie & John Moore

Try http://www.mcmahon-architectes.com/pagesuk/index.php    

It depends on the length of the let and the circumstances, but a minimum of one month's rental as deposit and then rental one month in advance. That way if they did a bunk we would not be greatly out of pocket. The French system often demands two months rent as deposit (bail) which is enough to keep you going while you evict them I guess and enough to make them think twice about absconding!!

Having just said goodbye to our winter tenants as they move in to their new home after 5 months with us, I was sorry to hear about your woes. We have found it so enjoyable offering longer term lets, but we are on-site and that may make a difference. This is our fourth year as landlords and so far so good. I think if you are letting from afar it may be more difficult. I think people find it harder to refuse to pay what they owe if you are standing in front of them, but we have not encountered any non-payment problems to date. We do however follow the French example and take a good sized deposit, so perhaps that makes a difference also!

Thank you Vickybear for informing us all about the outcome. This will be very useful for any future English to English sales.

Hi SNiffy There are lakes in this area, but most are private or belong to a fishing club. Ask at your local tabac (the one on the corner sells permits) and they will tell you where to go. The communal lake at Genouille is a lovely spot to spend a day for 5 euros. Also another lake in Vandre and so on, but there are probably lakes a bit nearer you as well. You also have a good source of information in your local tourist office (by the bridge). Tight lines! Angie

We live on site but are detached from our gites and they face away from our house. Their terraces and gardens therefore do not impact on ours. We share the pool with them, although we often use it in the evening when they are having dinner. We thought that we would find it diffcult sharing with our guests but we love having this constant flow of new faces, all with interesting stories to tell. We find being on site has great advantages when it comes to minor (or more serious) problems, and changeover days are certainly much easier (we have 3 gites). We do not 'spy' on our guests (there must be some paranoid owners out there), and we are often 'at home' if they want a chat or have a problem. This will be our third season and so far it is working well for us. As for our clients - well you will have to ask them

After 5 years your capital gain reduces by 10% per annum, so no real 'golden' opportunity there! The rules are a bit grey in this area, and usually if the 'business' is regarded as your main source of income then you pay CGT. If you have 5 or less letting bedrooms it should be regarded as your main residence and no CGT. I havve had clients with 4 letting rooms who escaped CGT. Good luck! Angie  

I recently showed a Dutch client a property that he wanted to buy - he told me that another local agent had it in their window at a lower price, so I agreed to sell at the lower price. The owner had forgotten to tell me that they had agreed to reduce the price and the other agent also has lower fees. The client was very happy, the owners were happy, and I was happy. Our agency does not make any surcharge whatever the nationality of the buyer, the price you see is the same for everybody, it would probably be illegal to do otherwise as the vendors sign a Mandat stating the sale price and the agency fees.

Chrisb, the CA charge of 3,50 is for sending you the letter to tell you that the money has arrived. If you write telling them that you do not require the letter you can save yourself 3,50 per transaction!

I agree with Jon's comments. We wouldn't change a thing. We moved here nearly 5 years ago from busy, financially rewarding lives in the UK but totally stressed out. We have now built up a new business along with a new lifestyle. We don't earn as much, but we owe not a cent, and have a wonderful home, plenty of space for those chickens, ducks, geese etc. that we couldn't afford to keep in UK, and every summer we get to share it all with lots of visitors who enjoy the fruits of our labour (we have developed 3 gites on site) and many wish they could do the same thing. Maybe one day we will retire, but if you look at your French neighbours who seem to live to 90+ what keeps them going? They never actually retire! Whether that is from choice or circumstances (they cannot afford to retire?) I don't know but they stay active and live longer. We do not envisage returning to the UK, but might move elsewhere in Europe to try and find milder winters - might take a look at Portugal in about 10 years time. I think unless you try it you will never know whether it is for you. Better to take a gamble than to spend the rest of your life regretting what might have been. Good luck with your choice!

We have also stayed in the site just outside Isle sur la Sorgue it is open all year, short cycle ride into town.

Hi Mick You mean your barn is really going to have a roof [:D]? How's it going, hope you are still enjoying the challenge! Angie & John

You are allowed 2 years tax free from the completion of your renovation. We have just paid the first taxes on our gite which we completed 2 years ago. It is less than the taxes for our house but not by a lot!

Sorry, not a reply, another question! We have installed our FREE box and we are non-degroupe, as ADSL proper is not an option in this area we are on RE-ADSL (about 560 Kbs). It has all gone really well, but we are in a muddle with the telephones. We have one phone plugged into the back of the FREE box and one in a FREE filter in another phone socket. The one in the FREE box sends calls for free to France and the rest of Europe but all the incoming calls come in on the other phone and cannot be picked up by the phone in the back of the FREE box! (Are you still with me?) I can send faxes while talking on the phone and being online which is amazing, BUT any incoming faxes go onto the other phone and it doesn't go through to the computer. Any suggestions??????