Madhatter

Coops, Thank you for your advice. I will have a look at your site and contact the DWP as you suggest.

Gosh, some of you are pretty aggressive. I'll think twice before I come on here again! I checked with our current accountant of 18 years, and absolutely nothing we did was illegal. My husband's pension is going to be around £27 per week based on the contributions he made before the problem arose. Mine will be zero. We did not expect it to even be this much. As I said, our pension money will come from the sale of 2 properties. They are not huge but the money will be sufficient and we have a small flat in France already. However, we would still like to work and very much contribute to France's state system, as we did to the British one (more than 2 million pounds paid in personal income tax, corporation tax, VAT and NI). If we were intent on getting something for nothing I don't somehow think we would have done all that, nor would we be accepting  to pay 36K out of our 80K profit in France. As I said, it strikes me as high, but as I also said, if that is how much we will have to pay, then we will pay it.

Hmm. I sense some criticism here. We employed 50 staff in those days and all their contributions were  always paid, plus all their tax and we never took cash in hand - the computer system saw to that. We also paid all our VAT and Income Tax (several hundred thousand over the years) and never went into liquidation. I have had two children and a gall bladder removal and my husband has never been to hospital - his diabetes is low level at the moment and managed with diet and a trip to the diabetes nurse once every six months. Apart from that we have probably gone to the doctors each once a year. We also base our 'pension' on our two properties, and nothing from the state. My conscience thus is pretty clear. I am not taking from the British system at the moment and nor do I intend to. We have always wanted to retire to France.  In this respect, we have both put far more into the system than we have ever taken out, or will ever take out. All I questionned originally was the seemingly high proportion of the contributions in France. 36K out of 80K seems a lot to me but if that is what we have to pay, then we will do so. Incidentally,  the NI problem was caused through our accountant declaring the two directors as renumerated rather than as having dividends one year, in error. The total we had to pay was £21,000 - not £12,000. My OH told me this last night - I had actually got the sum wrong. 

Thank you all for your help - you are all clearly well informed and your advice looks very solid - a pleasure to read. Without wanting to stray from the main subject too much, the NI thing was not obviously a mistake. We had (and still have) a company that due to a year's bad trading some 18 years ago (yes, that long) and some poor advice from our then accountant (now retired so little we can do) led to us not paying our NI shortfall when it was due.(We always had a small shortfall of 2 to 3K which we paid in May each year when we submitted our return). In the year in question (c 93 or 94) there was a shortfall of around 12K. We were reminded several times to pay it but there was some sort of dispute in which our accountant was involved. In the end, we paid the 12K, some 3 months late. We were then informed that this sum would not count towards our future pension because it had been paid late. OH was so incensed he stopped paying altogether - and we haven't paid any contributions since. Our pension will thus be very minimal  and we are relying on selling a large commercial property and house to fund our life in France - but would still like to work as we get bored easily! (we are workaholics to some extent but enjoy it. Sad, really...). I will certainly call the NI bods to find out whether we can make up a shortfall and for how far back. We are also considering setting up a SARL for the business in France which my OH says will have less onerous contributions to be made than as personal traders but will still cover us. We are lucky - both have good French - and have some contacts there who can probably help with finding us an accountant.  I think we should have been more thorough in the past and perhaps tried to recover the 12K....but it is no doubt too late now. It still grates though, even after all these years!  

My OH and I want to retire to France in 2 years - he will be 62, me 58. We have a business idea which could earn us up to 120K euros per year gross profit (well, COULD.....)  . After costs, VAT etc, this would be down to around 80K. It is purely service based  - no sale of goods involved. Am I right in thinking that we would pay 36K pa  in Social Security charges? Gulp! After that, we would pay tax as well (and if so how much?) Double gulp. Trouble is we really do want to live there and really do want to work (it will be very hard work but only for 5 months a year). Also to be factored in - OH is diabetic and will need good health care in the future for which we fully accept to pay and will no doubt benefit from better healthcare than in the UK. Our UK pension will be state only and minimal as we did not pay full contributions during past 10 years due to cock up in NI many years ago. Will we also have to pay more for health care, especially in view of his condition? Many thanks all.

Many thanks Swissie, Yes, you' re right - worth exploring. Its just logistics really. I am a sole trader with a shop with a very nice product (no, not made by me admittedly, I buy in from central Europe) , trying to keep prices affordable because of the recession. Product is fragile and heavy - each weighs 1kg. Can't easily spare time away from UK to go outlet hunting but did last time I went three weeks ago (to Normandy BTW, near Deauville) - reasonably successful. Just don't have time to do more, exhausted already just trying to earn a crust!  I thought caravanners would be good cos a) got the transport (can pick up from me on way to tunnel or Kent ports), b) have an easily ready venue and  c) appropriate clientele when get there. But there are valid issues as pointed out. Your idea is commercially sound. Repping job anyone?  

Sorry Chancer, I objected to a previous comment (re vulnerability) by Leo, not by you. Got the names muddled. Getting old - apologies.

Hi Pickles, Thanks for your reply. Yes, agree. Whilst the site owner probably wouldn't mind someone putting their own watercolour on an easel outside a tent and perhaps selling it, this would be a commercial set up, albeit tiny- and could escalate. I am going to test the waters in person- contact a couple of sites near where I go sometimes, suggest a couple of tables for an hour or two one day and they charge me rent or take a share of the profits. If they say no, no matter, I'll contact market traders or craft outlets . If they say yes and it works well I may well have blueprinted it for a handful of caravanners in the future . Would need to adjust profits to give owner a share, but I think it would work, product is lovely,  makes people smile.   BTW Chancer, re your comment, objection! As in my last post, can't quite see why the caravanner would be vulnerable. I originally intended that they have my stock without paying upfront and could return unsolds -  plus simply have the pictures on a table while sipping their wine after dinner - hardly exploitation. But Pickles has a point about the site owner.  

Thanks for feedback everyone - genuinely appreciated. Will reply to various posts in one go. Firstly, would happily go myself but not easy as I run my business singlehandedly and if I'm there I'm not here. Why would it be breaking the law? Am I missing something here eg French permits etc? Would this not be up to the camp site owner? Sorry - I may not have all the facts here. Re sellers, I've always paid any staff I've had, all my tax, all my VAT! I don't know how the law stands regarding casual or temporary self employed labour in France - I would clearly check it first, since my current  public liability and other insurance would not cover me if I were breaking any law.  Puzzled as to why sellers would be vulnerable. Do you mean maybe I wouldn't pay them? I was thinking of letting them HAVE 60 pictures or so and pay ME when they get back! Sweatshops? No. They are made efficiently in small runs, cost me around £6.50,  I would make £1.50 wholesale (good going, margins are tiny) and the seller would make around  60 - 75% margin - way below shops, where retail mark up is more like 100 - 200% on gift items. I thought it might be a pleasant, easy way to get back some money spent on a holiday and I would, of course, earn something too. Oh well. May be easier if I  contact French market traders instead.

I have a business selling handmade ceramic pictures. They are very charming and the sort of thing that sells well to people in a relaxed atmosphere situation (eg I go to garden shows, craft shows, farmers markets). It occurs to me that an ideal place to sell them would be at campsites (UK and France). I doubt the campsite owners would want the hassle of stocking them, since their shops are often quite small and only stock groceries (and maybe postcards), but campers, especially with caravans, could easily pop up a few on display of an evening on their table and sell them. I think maybe 3 or 4 could be sold in the space of an hour, and at around £8 profit each, could bring in £500 for a two week holiday, and with simply sitting there. They are very striking and a real talking point - sales are easy as people are so receptive. My questions are: i) would a typical caravanning couple have space for say 60 pictures (size 4" x 12") in their caravan/trailer, whatever- as I think 25 to 30 could easily be sold in a week (they would sell for around £15 each or 15 -20 euros) and a typical holiday is 2 weeks. ii) would they think that £500 is not worth the hassle? I think its quite good money for about an hour a day but....maybe not. iii) most importantly, would the campsite owners object if there was a miniature table top sale going on?!!! It could be fairly discreet with just 3 or 4 pictures on display but I suppose they could complain...... Feedback welcome, thanks.      

Thanks Chris and Gluestick. Now I am REALLY worried!  I am quite sure that not even a tenth of what either of you are advising has actually been done, the problem being that I am just not able to be there at the moment for any length of time because of work commitments in the UK. Plus try translating that lot into French. Mine is pretty good  but I would struggle with tilth, harrowing and Cambridge Gardener speak! I will just have to see how things pan out. On the bright side, the ground slopes down quite well towards the road so draininage SHOULD be reasonably  OK, plus of course I can always do somethings to help (spike for aeration, top dress, etc).  and make sure watering goes well (100 metre hose and various nozzles.......) Oh well, and there was I thinking it would all be a doddle....  

Thanks Pat, Sarfend is fine!  My little plot of land is on the Normandy coast about 30 mins from Caen, so very similar to English south coast (wetter than here in good old S.E.Essex!) I am going back in about 3 weeks so will keep my fingers crossed that it all settles and that if we get a dry spell, they will water it as they promised! The locals (friendly enough bunch) were quite gob smacked while it was being laid, I don't think they'd seen it done like that before.

I wanted a really nice 'English lawn' and the gardening chap I know said he would do it 'no problem'. I was going to sow seed and in fact brought a large bag (25Kgs) ornamental lawn seed over with me from Blighty, but at the last minute he persuaded me to go with local 'golf course' quality turf. I left him to do the job while I was away for a few days and came back at the tail end of it. What is golf course quality definitely isn't although it looks like a reasonable quality all rounder. But what alarmed me was that they had simply rotovated the ground underneath, levelled it quickly with a roller and then put the turves on top. It feels alarmingly soft underneath. I was always told that the ground underneath either sown or newly turfed lawn must be very very firm. Help. Will it be past repair? I don't get the impression that the French really know about lawns although I gave very very detailed instructions.

Hello all My parents (76 and 80) would like to stay in the little house I bought on the edge of Houlgate town centre (coast, Calvados) on their own from time to time (I can't always be with them) but are reluctant to drive in France. They would need picking up from the ferry terminal at Caen (and taking back) around 3 times a year, plus a trot either to the small supermarket in town or the bigger hypermarket at Dives (2 miles away) pretty much every day while they are there (5 to 10 days at a time). Taxis are a solution but expensive plus there is the language problem. Is anyone living in this area willing to earn a bit of pin money just very occasionally shepherding them around ? - they are a very aimiable pair!  Neighbours have offered for free but they would then feel that they couldn't always rely on them....