nimportequoi

The Senat voted yesterday to confirm the amendment to the new law that gites ruraux and chambres d'hôtes will now be considered as Parahôtellerie, with the micro régime level standing at 80k euros, which is good news. The only thing is that for the régime Parahôtellerie at the moment, there is an obligation to register at the Ch de Commerce.

I have a gas hob with 5 rings and an electric oven in my big gite, electric cookers and ovens in the others (one halgen which is sooo easy to clean). There has never been a problem with the gas bottle (as long as you always have a full spare one!), but you need to make sure that the hose connecting the gas and cooker is renewed regularly (they have dates on and recently the normes changed for the type of hose used). There is no requirement for fire precautions in gites, but I have smoke detectors in all mine, and foam fire extinguishers. You can get all the fire extinguishers and alarms ad Brico stores (although blankets are harder to get hold of). TBH, there different fire equiptment is needed depending on the type of fire, where it started etc. The best thing to do is have smoke alarms and get everyone out asap.

It looks like for 2009 gites will  definitely be able to come under the régime of para hôtellerie, so they can stay in the micro régime as long as revenue is less than 80k. The régime requires inscription at the chambre de commerce which means that healthcare would be paid for as you would have to make RSI cotisations.

Yes, I've seen that - I posted it on another site, but it got deleted because of copyright reasons so I haven't bothered again. This avocat's blog is very useful for updates on this. The problem is that at the moment gites ruraux, chambre d'hôtes and classed tourist rentals (presumably G de F, Clévacances) will 'para hôtellerie' and no longer locations meublés. But at the moment they aren't. The plot indeed thickens!

Well, the bill was voted in by the assemblée nationale last Thursday. There was a proposed modification to keep the microbic threshold and abattement the same as it is currently, but it was rejected. The bill just has to be voted on by the Senate now.

I'm sure an accountant can better advise, but I've always understood that the more work you do for them, the less you pay. I've been given quite a good rate by my accountant on the basis of recording all the expenses on a spreadsheet by month and putting them in order so they are easy to check against the bank statements.

Parity predicted by end 2009

And of course, assuming the law does get passed, all gite owners currently in the micro bic scheme who earn in excess of 32k euros will have to notify their hôtel d'impôts in January 2009 - and find an accountant of course [:)]

That's how I read it.  But if you no longer qualify for the microbic régime, you just change to a réel simplifé régime, which as far as I'm concerned is much more favourable anyway (my expenses, plus depreciation etc. give me far more deductions than I'd get on the microbic régime).  You don't have to be registered with the ch de com to do this.

I admit, enthusiasm is less than it was at Easter, I had a phone call from someone who stayed last week who left his jacket by a lake 30kms away - I am happy to make some phone calls to see if it has been handed in, but I'm not going to make a trip up there to look for it, maybe I would have in March. And B&B must be far more difficult than gites, I don't have people in my house and anyway at this time of year I tend to see less of them as the weather is cooler, so they aren't in the garden and pool as often, they go out during the day and sometimes don't get back until it gets dark. I can't usually put  up with visiting friends and relatives for more than a few days in my own house,  I don't think I could do B&B.

[quote user="dave21478"]  Anyone else still doing good business? [/quote] Yes, bookings into mid Nov, then Christmas and New Year, and I'm very happy about it. 2008 has been a very good year, but I've got a feeling 2009 won't be as good for me, bookings are definitely down on this time last year for next summer, so I'm happy to have all the bookings I can get this autumn. Fortunately most of my guests are very nice [:D]

[quote user="ErnieY"] Risky business IMO. I think if I ran a Gite I'd maybe allow access at specified limited periods or by request. [/quote] If I booked a gite and had limited internet access I'd be very unhappy. I wouldn't book anywhere without free wifi access for my laptop as I run my own business and need access to the internet most of the time.

I used to clear out all oil, vinegar, sugar, flour etc. but provide all of this now and have had nothing but positive feedback from guests, especially those who have stayed in places where none of this is provided. People don't want to fork out for a full bottle of these things for a week or two on holiday.

[quote user="Poppy"] Third thing ' there is a washing machine but no electric dryer'.  Bearing in mind it was still 30 odd degrees at 8 pm [blink] [/quote] I think most Americans expect a tumble drier, it is a cultural thing, they don't line dry as a rule. Fortunately I don't get too many of them!

I love sat nav. The guests can blame that if they don't find us now, instead of me for my detailed, written and accurate directions. The holiday gets off to a much better start.

Clear vinegar is very good for getting rid of all pet smells on carpets, in litter trays etc. It absorbs all smells.

[quote user="Pads"]Last week when I was out in france I found the nights very sweaty so put the sheets on the line to air each day. so they were fresh for the night time . maybe thats what they were doing ?[/quote] But the mattress protectors too? There is a single sheet and mattress protector hanging out on one of my gites at the moment - I know there are young kids there so think that bed wetting is the likeliest scenario[:(] I always seem to get a few each year - fingers crossed that the new superthick waterproof protectors worked for the new mattresses. I do find it annoying - I have young kids and if there is any way I thought they were going to wet the bed I'd take some measures to protect the bed. But saying that it isn't always young kids who are the offenders.

Was there anything that you advertised that you didn't provide? Was anything not working as it should be? Did you deliver on everything you promised? If so, then a refund is out of the question. They had the opportunity to discuss things with your gite manager and they didn't - it they had any complaints, they should have made them clear when they were there, not after.

The Minister for consumer affairs announced this morning that 5 out of 6 pool alarms are to be withdrawn from sale. The identity of the only pool alarm which works sufficiently well has not been confirmed (although the Sensor Epsio was the only one to pass the tests carried out by the CSCsuffiently), but will be announced today here . He has also asked for a recall of the 5 types of pool alarm so the system can be modified or changed.

I have the rubbish collection details in the 'Welcome notes', I also explain what to do when showing guests around (although understandably that goes in one ear and out the other), I leave bin bags and recycling bags. If I see rubbish piled up outside I have a word with them (after offering to take what is there at the moment to the communal bin myself). Funnily enough, I find the French worse than the UK guests at rubbish disposal. I think this is because a) they rarely bother to read the 'régles de vie' and b) a lot of them come from towns or cities where the rubbish is collected and they can't understand the concept of a communal bin. The communal bins themselves, brown and huge, seem invisible to everyone. Although their locations of the nearest bins are clearly specified in the notes, I think nearly everyone has to ask me where they are, despite the fact they pass several of them on the way into town every day. I agree, that you don't want signs everywhere, that is very offputting.

I had a St Bernard stay in May and the house was left immaculate. I accept all size of dogs, the houses are generally always left cleaner than when there are children staying. Dogs don't leave fingerprints on doors/windows/mirrors. I've had various Parisien cats, a rabbit from Jersy and a mouse (in a cage) stay too.

Visit France brought me some bookings this year because I accept dogs. More gîtes than B&B though.

The website is definitely 'premier prix' - even the map on the homepage isn't 'clickable'. I've e mailed them to apply for a listing [:P]

I've had a look at Moneybookers and it seems a better option than Paypal. It is interesting to compare with Paybox - I have the set up and monthly charges, but with Paybox the money goes directly into my account, with Moneybrookers you pay 1,80€ to put the money in your account. I pay 0,45% + 15c per credit card transaction, with Moneybookers it is 1,9%. My customers don't need to set up an account, not sure it this is the case with Moneybookers and paying by credit card is free for my customers. I just send out an email with the secure payment link and that is it. You don't need a VAD with Moneybookers, you do with Paybox. Swings and roundabouts as usual!

You need contrat vente à distance - you set it up with your bank and negotiate your charges with them. You pay a set up fee (mine was 85€, the normal is 160€ish?) and a monthly fee (I pay 15€, the normal is 23,50€) to Payboxmail, I paid less than the standard as my bank CA negotiated a contract with them. As I don't send anywhere near 100 emails a month, I never have to pay that fee. I don't pay anything else to Payboxmail, just the ,45% + 0,15€ per transaction to my bank for all European payments (incl.UK) and 1% for rest of world. Overall it works out many times cheaper for me than Paypal would, but if I guess it depends on the level of your business. I like it because I send a email with a link to the secure payment page, I don't have to take credit card details over the phone and do the transaction myself. I thought customers would prefer that. I just got fed up with Paypal being so expensive to use and this is a much better and cheaper alternative for me.