nimportequoi

I'm sure there were more pages than that last night, but quite a few posts got deleted, shame really as it started to get interesting. I will do as you say Coop, I wasn't sure if changing the profile would override all notification of all threads replied to.

Codswallop, definitely, rather than trash. But it was purely an example of British vs American English, I hope you understand. This thread is awesome.

Oh my, they have started to come through again, is there no end to the torture?

I like people for more than one person and children for more than one child, once instead of one time, twice instead of two times, but then I am British and not American, this may have something to do with it. Another example, I think this thread is rubbish, rather than I think this thread is garbage.[:)]

I'm loving this discussion. Do you teach that? Do stative verbs still exist? I'm understanding this thread now.[blink]

It's horses for courses - most people who are book a gite complex are happy to have the owners there too. I've had people who have booked specifically because I am on site and speak French and am here to take their kids to the doctors/dentists, book restaurants, golf, horseriding - all they have to do is knock on the door. The pool is cleaned and chemical checked daily, not weekly. I keep a low profile and take the lead from the guests as to how 'friendly' they want to be with me, but find that most love to have a chat about their holiday and what to do in the area etc. I have kids and they often make friends with the children who stay, so that makes it easier with the parents too. Post edited by mod to comply with the Code of Conduct.

I think it has worked now, I haven't  had any notification of the last 2 posts on tswas, thank goodness.

[quote user="Cat"] Is it the "songs we are singing" thread, by any chance? [/quote] How did you guess??

The box is grey, but the notifications are still coming through - is there some sort of time delay?

Thankyou Cooperola, I'd never noticed there was a notify button there!

I made the stupid mistake on not unchecking the check box for e mail notification when I replied in a particulary long and not very interesting thread recently. As a result I'm getting loads of emails I don't want and it looks like this thread is going to run and run and run...[:-))] Is there anyway I can switch off e mail notifications in just this one thread without affecting other threads I've replied to which I am interested in getting e mail notification for?

Please excuse me, because I haven't read all of this thread and I may have missed something very profound, but isn't it rather boring? And what has it got to do with a discussion about France and all things French?

Pun's use of English has always been 'interesting' on this forum. All I do when guests arrive is give welcome them and give them a quick tour outside to show the pool etc. then point them in the direction of the information folder, which (hopefully) contains everything they need to know about the gite and also the emergency numbers, doctors, dentists (although in practice they would come to me as I live on site to make an appointment or take them as they usually don't speak enough French). Oh, and point out there are cold beers in the fridge. Most of the guests have had at least a day of travelling and none of them want or would take in a lecture from me about French security law as soon as they arrive. They are on holiday!

Pun, please stop thinking that you are the only one who knows how to run a gite business successfully. There are lots of people who do this and have done so for a number of years (myself included), so please stop preaching to us what we already know and get back on topic. It is only your first season after all - 5 years down the line you may not feel so self-righteous.

[quote user="Pun"]Our gite is clean, very well furnished, and the ground are also ready for the start of a holiday/pool clean and p.h.ect all sorted a welcome pack provided and a nice vase of fresh flowers displayed on the coffee table, "Why," because the customer is the most important part of our efforts, without a happy customer you,ve nothing.   [/quote] I agree with all of the above, but it really sounds as though you only make an effort with the grounds and the pool for the arrival day. Surely the chemical balance and cleanliness of the pool is something that should be taken care on a daily basis, not just for the arrival? Pun, you are in your first season. Wait until you get your first guests who don't respect your property and leave it in a totally unacceptable state. There aren't many people like that, fortunately, but they are out there, I promise you.

Can you let us know a supplier of these decorative borders? I've got the same problem with the yellow stain, I've tried everything to remove it, but this particular brand of sun protection won't come off.

I thought we were discussing gites not chambre d'hotes? Chambre d'hôtes are controlled, gîtes are not (at the moment). I do agree, though, that if you are planning to sell, it is better to be registered and therefore pay less capital gains tax.

Threaten to take money out of the security deposit if the house is not left in a reasonably clean and tidy state (specify what they should do if necessary). Since I put this on the departure notes I've not had a problem - in fact this year the gites have probably been left in the best state ever. I hate 'extras' so do not charge extra for cleaning which I'd have to do anyway.

[quote user="Jo Taylor"]CODE GENERAL DES IMPOTS, Article 151 septies, sectionVII. [/quote] Jo, that doesn't say ch de com registration is compulsory. It simply describes the class of  loueurs  who are deemed to be "professionnels" for the purposes of the application of articles 150 U à 150 VH: l - they are loueurs who are registered & who have income over 23000 euros (or earn at least half of their total income from the rentals).

Yes, I did, and it doesn't say anything about chambre de commerce registration being compulsory for locations meublées. To be honest, I didn't understand the relevancy of your post at all. Doing a quick search, I have found this and this  (the second actually from a ch de com website), which are a lot clearer to me. Sorry OP - in answer to your question, you could probably live quite nicely on and income of 20000€ per annum, do you really want the hassle of running gites? Sharing your personal space every summer, always knocking at the door for something or another, asking if you can take them to the doctors because they don't speak a word of English, breaking your furniture/crockery, taking divots out of the garden when they practice their golf, doing changeovers every Saturday in hot weather, all the ironing, finding things that don't work on Saturday that the guests never told you about and it is too late to get a plumber/electrician before the next guests arrive, other people's children everywhere, all the time. If so, then running gites is for you. A pool is quite important for a decent income if you are inland.

[quote user="Jo Taylor"]ltf: Sorry, but eslier has given the correct information. If your letting income (gross) exceeds 23,000 euros OR is more than 50% of your income, you must register with the CdC. Some departments have not yet caught up with this requirement, which may be why you have been given incorrect advice. [/quote] Jo Taylor, please could you quote me the relevant texte that says inscription with the Ch de Com is compulsory.

What I was talking about was the letting of furnished accommodation 'locations meublées' no other business. Rightly or wrongly is still regarded as being largely non professional. The question is whether it is, or not, complusory to register at the ch de com and there is no text that says it is (at the moment). This may change in the future of course - it did so recently regarding trading on E bay.

[quote user="Sc"][quote user="ltf"]Steve, If you actually bothered to read my post properly and Eslier's point I was referring to, you will see I was writing about the supposed requirement for Ch de Com registration, not the earnings level that entitle you to be in the microbic regime which is based on turnover. [/quote] fair enough ltf, but it wasn't too clear. Likewise 'earnings' above. It should read 'the turnover' level that entitle you to be in the microbic regime which is based on turnover.  Steve   [/quote] Yes it should have, but to repeat the same word twice in one sentence wasn't very good use of English and didn't really make sense either.

Steve, If you actually bothered to read my post properly and Eslier's point I was referring to, you will see I was writing about the supposed requirement for Ch de Com registration, not the earnings level that entitle you to be in the microbic regime which is based on turnover.

I know nothing of the ex pat jungle drums Eslier, all the information I have given is from my French accountant, who has been dealing with gite businesses for years [:)]