nimportequoi

Most of my bookings were from the UK.

2009, record year for gîte bookings even better than 2008, not all last minute by any means, quite a few repeats. Around 35 wks per gite booked (so far), bookings are still coming in. Can't complain [Www]

Don't fold. If they didn't take out travel insurance, it is their problem, not yours. If you they cancel and you get another booking, fair enough, you can refund, minus your costs. I don't suppose they paid by credit card? If they did, then they would probably be covered by their card provider insurance. That is why I take all payments by cc now, people generally don't bother with travel insurance and there is no way you can force them to take it out.

The list is from a predominantly UK listing site, other nationalies have different requirements. For the biggest US listing site the search crieteria is: 1. Pool 2. Hot tub 3. Pet friendly 4. TV 5. Tennis 6. Internet 7. Jacuzzi tub 8. Pool table 9. Fireplace 10. Porch For French, German and Dutch clientèle, the list will be different again,

I provide internet access via ethernet cabling and then a borne in each of the gîtes (signal wouldn't travel from my router through the metre thick granite walls). Not every guest brings their laptop with them, but I've certainly had bookings I wouldn't have got if I didn't provide internet access, many of them for shoulder season. I wouldn't stay anywhere without it as I need access for my business and my iPhone isn't practical for long emails. Here is a list of the most requested search terms from one of the biggest UK rental listing sites - internet access is in the top 10. 1. Pool 2. Air conditioning 3. Balcony/terrace 4. Pet friendly 5. Garden 6. Barbecue 7. Cot 8. Jacuzzi 9. Internet access 10. Smoking allowed

I have loads of geranuims, natural, not plastic, so we will beg to differ on that point! In my experience, if you make an effort with the outside, then people will think you've made an effort on the inside. Everyone comments on how lovely my flowers are, I've never had any complaints. I think they really brighten up a building (but one colour, I'm not a fan of pink and red).

I bought myself a decent camera and take the photos as and when I can. I don't see the point in booking a professional photographer to come because I don't want exterior shots taken in winter when chances are it will be raining, or in the summer when there are guests about (and it will probably be raining). I take the exterior shots as and when I can in the summer when the guests are out, so no cars or people to get in the way. I'm happy that my photos give a fair representation of what the property looks like even though I'm not a professional photographer. dr orloff, I disagree that your exterior photos are a "great"example of how to do it. The exterior shots of the house don't look very attractive to me, there are no flowers and the lack of windows in one shot would lead me to think that it was very dark inside the gite. The interior shots are better, but the coffee table could be dressed with a bottle of wine and some glasses to make it looked more attractive.

I only send stuff back if it is requested.

I sympathise with a lot of the things the OP says - but think that in his/her admission they always book late. A lot of the best accommodation gets booked up early by repeat guests and other people who realise that they will only get the dregs if they leave things to the last minute. I can honestly say that I am not guilty of anything they have said in their rather long and dull post, but then the OP wouldn't stand a chance of staying in my gites because they are always booked up for July and August before Christmas the previous year.

I'd love to ditch providing towels as they cost me a fortune, but I don't like charging extra for things and I think that the sort of guests I get expect towels to be included. I provide good quality bath sheets (100 x 150cm) 700gsm and face towels but have recently changed from white to cream and beige due to having to give so many to the local SPA because of sun protection stains (amongst others) on the white ones. OTOH I'm sure that no-one has ever re-booked with me because I supply nice towels, that is not top of people's list for a great holiday and that is why I'd question the fact as to whether they add value. So why not charge?

Trip Advisor are being used more and more by people booking rentals as well as hotels (although they have a new site specifically for vacation rentals, Flipkey). If you get a bad review it is impossible to have it removed, TA seem to be far more pro the renters and not the owners. However, you have the right to reply which can often help redress the damage done. I don't bother charging extra for extra cleaning, you win some, you lose some. For me it isn't worth the bad publicity for a few hours extra work. I don't even take a security deposit.

My local plumber doesn't do LPG gas heaters, I use Savelys who are nationwide in France.

Oh yes, your posts are so long that I don't read all of them. As I'm not with either G de F or Clévacances, I'm happy to go along with the source I quoted instead [:)] and keep 100% of the deposit if I can't re-let.

[quote user="nimportequoi"][quote user="Quillan"][quote user="nimportequoi"].......even though my contract says the deposit isn't refundable....... [/quote] Unless that's for the 30 days prior to the guest arriving I fear that should you be challenged in a French court not only would you have to hand over the prescribed percentage based on the time period between cancellation and arrival but you would also have to pay costs as well which will probably be a lot more than the deposit you kept. [/quote] Can you please quote me the source of this Quillan? [/quote] You still haven't answered my question.

[quote user="Quillan"][quote user="nimportequoi"].......even though my contract says the deposit isn't refundable....... [/quote] Unless that's for the 30 days prior to the guest arriving I fear that should you be challenged in a French court not only would you have to hand over the prescribed percentage based on the time period between cancellation and arrival but you would also have to pay costs as well which will probably be a lot more than the deposit you kept. [/quote] Can you please quote me the source of this Quillan? On the vosdroits.service-public.fr site it says this about locations de vacances and it is what I have always followed - I specify my own terms in the contract, 25% deposit with the balance paid 6 weeks before arrival. The deposit (acompte or arrhes, I prefer acompte) is not refundable. I have enforced this before at short notice cancellations and have never had a problem with people threatening to sue me. In fact, they are lucky that I don't demand the balance (solde) from them as well, as I am entitled to it according to my contract. Le contrat doit préciser:  la durée de la location,  le prix (il ne doit pas varier en fonction du nombre d'occupants),  les charges,  le versement d'avance, la caution ou le dépôt de garantie,  les éventuelles conditions d'annulation,  la commission, la taxe de séjour.  Conditions d'annulation  Une réservation peut être annulée, même si une avance a été versée.  Mais cette annulation n'aura pas les mêmes conséquences selon que le locataire verse des arrhes ou un acompte.  Le contrat signé entre le locataire et le loueur (ou l'échange de courrier) peut préciser la nature de l'avance, mais si celle-ci n'est pas précisée, les sommes versées d'avance sont des arrhes.  Effet de l'annulation  S'il s'agit d'arrhes, celles-ci sont un moyen de dédit. Si la réservation est annulée par le locataire, les arrhes versées sont perdues. Si c'est le loueur qui annule, il doit au locataire le double des arrhes versées.  S'il s'agit d'acompte, la réservation est un engagement ferme qui entraîne pour le locataire l'obligation de verser la totalité du loyer ou à défaut de dédommager le loueur (sauf en cas de force majeure).