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Lachouette

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Posts posted by Lachouette

  1. If you're looking to take deposits by credit or debit card, try www.payplug.fr You can run your account in English or French and you simply email or send by text a link that allows your guests to pay their deposit with their plastic. In extremis I've even used it when a guest's stayed with no cash or cheque book. They receive the text or email straight away and within a couple of minutes I can see they've paid up.

    Others on another forum have recommended Stripe too.

    Jan

  2. We've just had a bill on from the Impots, which has to be paid by the middle of February, which is a provisional payment on our revenues from 2014, which obviously have yet to be declared.

    This is the first time we've received such a bill; have others received it and is it a normal occurrence that so far we've avoided?

    Thanks,

    Jan

  3. [quote user="water rat"]We've just had our first no-show through booking.com. I've already let them know and they've taken off the commision, but does anyone know if they actually chase the miscreants for the money? [/quote]

    We had our first too at the end of August, and although they've removed the commission, I spoke to them and they say they can do nothing about it as we don't accept credit cards. I've sent the miscreant (who really messed us around) a PayPal request for money but my chances of receiving it are, I think, on a negative scale! I'm resigned to putting it down to experience and maybe trying to get a PayPal deposit for people like her, who booked at the very last minute.

    Jan

  4. Following Quillan's good words about Booking.com we've decided to join the club and are now in our second week of being 'live' and I have to say that I'm impressed with their organisation and the bookings we're getting.

    I feel we need some channel management though as even though it's relatively quiet now, keeping up with bookings diaries is enough to make you tear your hair out. We've got a 'Freetobook' widget on our website and their system's easy to use. I'm looking at Quillans beds24 suggestion, and making I'm being thick, but the set up is defeating me at the moment, so I'll take a break and attack it again tomorrow. I like the fact that you can make the booking widget and form in French too, and with Freetobook, it only seems to run in English. The jury's therefore on who's system I use to manage our diary and Booking.com's.

    Jan

  5. No - it's not just you but us too! Normally we've got quite a few Spring and Summer bookings by now but this year's been unusually quiet so far. However from this weekend we've had a lot of enquiries, so I'm feeling more hopeful about the summer. What we have learnt in the10 years we've been doing this is that nothing is predictable!

    Bon courage,

    Jan

  6. Rang DWP this morning and got a different answer! Yes, once he reaches 65 he will need an S1 form, which can't be applied for until he's actually in receipt of his UK state pension, and his health costs will then be picked up by the UK. Assuming that RSI will carry on paying as he's my dependant, all should be well, but I'll report back later when we've set this process rolling as he won't be 65 for another month.

    Wonder if I rang the DWP a third time I'd get a 3rd variation on this theme?

    Jan

  7. [quote user="EmilyA"] Did they say what would happen when you retire?[/quote]

    No! However you look at that situation though, I've still got the best part of 8 years or so to go before I get my UK pension and have tuppence ha'penny stacked up in the French system. Should Mr Hollande get his way about getting rid of the auto-entrepreneur system, taking with it the right to pay cotisations on a micro-sociale regime, I might be stopping work sooner than anticipated however.

    Think I might ring again tomorrow as I'm bound to get someone different answer the phone! What I really don't want to do is stir the mud with RSI.

    Jan

  8. Have just rung DWP and asked about the S1 and was given the advice that if I'm working and OH is already in the French health care system because I pay cotisations, then that situation will continue once he reaches 65 provided I carry on working and paying those cotisations.

    Does this ring true with anyone?

    Jan

  9. Sorry if this is regularly asked and answered, but I've not managed to find anything.

    We've been in Frence since 2004, and as a business pay cotisations in my name, therefore both have carte vitales on the back of my cotisations. In November however Richard reaches 65 and will be receiving his UK state pension. What if any effect does this have on his carte vitale and are we about to embark on  a French paper chase. At the moment our cotisations are paid to the dreaded RSI, and will continue to be paid for me at least as I'm under 60.

    Thanks in advance,

    Jan

  10. We have 2 rooms with bunks and the bunks are only really used:

    1. in the high season when we have loads of families on budgets passing through who all want to be in the same room or
    2. when we have groups of bikers staying as they too like to sleep together, so to speak!
    Occasionally we get a request from couples travelling with a brother/sister in law, wanting a room for three, so one of them takes the bottom bunk. Jut remember that even with fitted sheets, they're not the easiest bed to make!

    Jan

  11. We'll be putting our B&B (our main home with rooms to let) on the market soon, and have it in mind that a few years ago we heard that it's best to sell as a home rather than a business. Does this ring any bells with anyone? We assumed we'd carry on with the business until it's sold but maybe not if it brings crippling CGT bills! If it makes any difference, we're registered as a business with the Chambre de Commerce.

    Thanks in anticipation,

    Jan

  12. Bin 'em! They've all the hallmarks of a scam and after a few months of being open you'll be used to the many variations on this theme, plus the ones in French from holiday makers on the Ivory Coast desperate for a long stay in 'your place'.

    Jan

  13. Had I got around to it before Quillan, I'd have made exactly the same point about not buying from the UK, for the same reasons. We too have a fridge that's central to 4 of our 5 rooms, and I leave fresh milk there but it's only ever British guests that use it.  In the 5th room I leave some of the 'Regilait' sticks of powdered milk on the tea tray, and these aren't too bad in either tea or coffee and are easily and relatively cheaply available in Carrefour and Super U. You'll be surprised at how little milk you go through with guests, unless your market is entirely British.

    Jan

  14. [quote user="connolls"]Hi Lachouette,

    Once again thanks for getting back, i've heard about the Limoges Metro, but not too sure what it is. Is it a "cash and Carry" type place ?

    Can anyone get access to it or do you need a "customer card", and if so could you let me know where it is and what I would need to do to join.

    Thanks again.

    Mel.[/quote]

    Limoges Metro is a cash and carry, being the same as Mackro in the UK, but as Quillan says, harder to get into! It's in the avenue de l'abbatoir, near the Pont Neuf and around the back of the King Long Chinese and new MacDo. Until last year, merely belonging to Gites de France got you a card, but then we were asked to provide details of our siret number and registration at the Chambre de Commerce, but we're certainly not TVA registered.

    I've been in there this morning and can't see your little pots in any case, but they were in Carrefour with the other long life milk products (dried and condensed etc), near the coffee in Carrefour at Boisseuil.

    Jan

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