DAVID

Hi, We are looking around France with a view to purchasing a small (12 bedish) hotel / restaurant. I am surprised that there appear to be so many 'bargains' around. Having said that, I am really concerned that these so called 'bargains' are obviously priced as such for a good reason. Having looked at some and struggled to get very far with the owners I am having to conclude that it is possibly to do with legal requirements / fire safety etc etc. I don't want to buy myself a money pit! I have a basic idea of what I think is required but can anyone either tell me or point me to a document where this may be listed / outlined? For example, do ceilings, walls, doores need to be 1 hour fire proof? Can stairs , floors be wooden or do they have to be concrete now? At what point is a fire escape needed?  Things like that would help me make a fairly basic assessment of what I'm looking at. Finally, is there a document that outlines what is needed for 1 star, 2 star etc?? I'm looking at a no star hotel that is for sale and the owners tell me they offer the same 'level' as 2 star ??!! Why are they not 2 star then , I ask myself?! Many Thanks in anticipation.  Dave

Thats really helpful - cheers. He is registered in france but I do know that he ahd to make an 'emergency trip' back to the UK about 1 week before this meeting..........I'll get straight on to my lawyer. Thanks. Dave

Hi, Thanks for all the comments. The situation is in France, he is an english builder registered to trade in France. It was a huissier who made the conclusions (on site with all of us, including his trade association rep and lawyer). He is  registered as SARL and my lawyer, previously, suggested that the court have power to seize his assets if he declares bankrupcy?? I'll keep you posted with progress as soon as we have the judges opinion. I have highlighted to my lawyer that I am suspicious of him doing a moonlight flit. Even if I force him to declare bankrupcy and dont get any money back I'll feel better about it because, as someone said, I am certain he has done this before and frightened people off with his bully tactics and his wife......!!!! DAVE

[:D] I am happy to say that after a hideous fight with a builder, the 'expert' has now recommended to the judge that the builder repay me in full (62k). He's a bit of a devious character to say the least.....does anyone know where I stand, legally, if he declares himself bankrupt or even if he 'vanishes'?? Cheers Dave

Hi, I need  a quote for removals from mid France to East Anglia. Can anyone PM me with any recommended companies? I understand that quotes can vary hugely, as can the service? Cheers Dave

Can anyone please advise.... We have a cdh business to sell, we've owned it for 4 years. The house is our only house although we do run it as a business (registered etc). The business has not, as yet, declared a profit on paper as a result of huge renovation costs (although we are VAT registered so have benefited from refunds) . Our accountant believes that after 5 years, we will not have to pay the 'plus value' tax as we have not yet declared a profit (providing we stay that way). Other people we have discussed this with seem to think differently. Obviously, this tax has a large impact on when we sell /wether we sell etc. How can we get a definitive answer....it feels a little grey at the moment? Thanks Muzzie

Can anyone please advise.... We have a cdh business to sell, we've owned it for 4 years. The house is our only house although we do run it as a business (registered etc). The business has not, as yet, declared a profit on paper as a result of huge renovation costs (although we are VAT registered so have benefited from refunds) . Our accountant believes that after 5 years, we will not have to pay the 'plus value' tax as we have not yet declared a profit (providing we stay that way). Other people we have discussed this with seem to think differently. Obviously, this tax has a large impact on when we sell /wether we sell etc. How can we get a definitive answer....it feels a little grey at the moment? Thanks Muzzie

We seem to be receiving 1 or 2 spoof enquiries a day. All for a long period of time, all written in similar text and promising to pay be credit card. We received a suspect enquiry today from kings College..has anyone else had this one?? Finally, I may be a bit thick here, but, what is the point of them?? How do these people gain anything apart from irritating the pants off us all?! Muzzie  

Thats really helpful - thanks.  

Blimey....... This probably explains why they did not accept /recognise our SIRET number. Will - you mentioned that we can work out the TVA  number from the SIRET, please can you tell me how to do this otherwise I have to wait until Tuesday to ask the accountant. We are TVA registered, I just dont know the number. Thanks to everyone for their help, I guess the previous publishers we've worked just dint bother to ask...? Muzzie

This is a bit puzzling. We've been advertising in UK press for the past 4 years and, as non residents, have always been exempt from VAT charges. We're currently trying to advertise with a new magazine and they are refusing to cancel the VAT unless we have an exemption number? Can anyone shed any light on this please? Is this a change to the law / system? Thanks Muzzie 

I read the article in 'French News'.I dont remember it word for word but it was basically something to do with one partner being sole trader / self employed the other one now, by law, had to have a 'status' other than just wife or husband.  We have chosen conjoint collaborator whereas other people choose to become a paid employee for tax reasons. I don't know the excat law but it was definately somehting that changed last July so I'm a bit behind..... Muzz  

Thats an enormous help thankyou. I was afraid it was the dreaded sprawling tax offices with 1million doorways!! I shall hot foot it to the CCI. Thanks, Muzz  

I understand that since July last year simply being the 'wife' of a sole trader/ owner of a small enterprise is no longer a recognised legal status? Our accountant advised that I must, legally, change my status to become a conjoint collaborator. This is no prblem except that I do not know how to go about it. Can anyone point to the right office(s)? Is it the local CCI? Thanks Muzzie    

Hi, I've sent you a PM about this  - I am a paying 'member' of the french health system and have recently gone through this.  

Help...... I have been trawling the internet for days now, trying to find the most popular websites to add our cdh. I am very clear on the best /most popular ones in Holland and Belgium (the biggest visitors to our area) but when it comes to the UK I am LOST! Do people tend to search c'hambres dhotes' or 'b&b'? Or both?? Or something else?? I have investigated 'bedbreak.com' although it seems expensive for what you get, with no apparent link to your own website? Does anyone use them? Are they good?  Visitfrance doesnt really inspire me as a site, is it any good? are there others that I have missed? Can anyone recommend any good websites that produce UK cdh bookings please? It seems that the sites vary enormously depending on how you search and I cant afford to be on too many, I'd rather pay a bit more and be on the most popular (wouldn't we all?!) Thanks for your help, Muzzie  

Thanks for your help. It all looks a bit daunting at the moment but I'm sure it'll fall into place! Muzzie

Hi thanks for the info, that doesnt sound too bad as I think we'll fall into 'low income' category too!! does the 170€ (or whatever you get) come as a monthly payment or is it added to tax relief? Maybe a very silly question but who are/ what is CAF? I've seen on paperwork from the GP that we have to notify them but I dont know who they are! Thanks again Muzzie

Call it what you will............with our first child on the way [:D], I am interested to know what (if anything) we may be entitled to from the French social / tax system. We are self amployed and registered  as residents here in France. Therefore paying fairly hefty taxes and contributions etc etc. Is it true that you get absolutely zilch until you have at least 3 children...?? can this really be legal / morally correct?? Cheers, Muzzie  

Hi thanks for recommendations. The hotl in Peyrelau is closed until March 08 (as are most)! We have booked the Chateau de Creissels as we will be  8 people. I found their site and it looks fabulous! Thanks again, Muzzie

Hi, We are meeting friends in December at a mid way point, which happens to be Millau. Can anyone recommend a good restaurant for sunday lunch? We like authentic / auberge type places but all the one I've found so far appear to be closed in December. If not auberge, does anyone know of a good restaurant that stays open year round? Any recommendations would be great. Cheers Muzzie [:)]  

[:D] Yes, you can freeze coriande although, when thawed it doesn' look very attractive. Its still adds great floavour to sauces but is no good as a garnish once frozen. Muzzie

Couldn't agree more Wen! We have very few signs but they are positioned where needed and discreet enough to be seen but not obtrusive (although sometimes I think they need to be life sized and in flashing neon lights!). I really laughed at you having a torch shone at you . Our 'private' sitting room is at the front of the house and we try to relax (for maybe 10 minutes) before new arrivals arrive 'after 4pm'. Invariabley they begin to arrive from midday onwards and ring the bell try to break the door down and peer through the curtains and bang on the window!! We have now invested in a discreet (see....discreet again) white rollerblind which gives us privacy without us having to sit in the dark on a summers day with the curtains shut feeling like prisoners in our own home!! Have you been there?! I completely disagree with a previous post that just because we let 5 bedrooms we cease to be a private home. We are letting less than 50% of our bedrooms, and even if it were more, everyone is entitled to private space that should be respected. I know that if I'm somewhere and a door / space is marked 'private' or 'no entry' then I don't feel offended by this sign as I've been brought up to respect others. Likewise, as Wen says, our 'civilised' guests probably don't even notice the signs as they don't expect to use the kitchen/ my bedroom (?!) / sitting room or bathroom.  I think the best we ever had (prior to the bathroom incident) were guests trying to light themselves a fire whilst we were out and filling the house with smoke...apparently they were cold. Muzzie.      

Maybe but we're a private home not a hotel and everyone who stays here has their own loo..I already have 8 toilets to clean I dont want anymore! abi

As we're almost 1/2 way through the summer season I though this story would make most of you either laugh or cry. We certainly didn't know which to do after we'd stopped spitting the feathers!! Our home offers 5 en suite bedrooms on the 1st floor and our private bedroom floor is above. The private floor is 'politely' indicated with a nice rope thing (the sort you see in chateaux when you're not supposed to enter the room!!).I didnt' want 'PRIVEE' signs everywhere but it appears that subtlety doesn't work!! All bedroom doors are locked but our bathroom from our private landing is not. Although, very obviously private and personal. You know what's coming... 7am last week we are thinking about getting up and we hear our private staircase creak (left to creak for exactly this reason). Someone was coming upstairs and our bedroom door wasn't loccked although it was closed.... My husband dived out of bed and grabbed my dressing gown by which time the 'prowler' had disappeared behind one of the closed doors. It turned out he had locked himself into our private bathroom. After much knocking and banging on the door my husband finally got the guy out of the bathroom who didn't apologise but simply explained that there were 3 people in his bedroom and only 1 toilet!!!! Thankfully they were leaving that morning as I was so angry at his blatent disrespect for my home. apart from anything he obviously knew where this bathrom was so, I presume, had used it beforehand. Short of turning one's home into a fortress what can you do??!! [:P] Our private living room & office has a 'privee' sign on the door and only last night I found a guest in there just having a 'snoop' around! I wonder which part of 'privee' he didn't understand?! Needless to say, our bathroom now has a lock on the door..... Happy end of season....!! Abi (alias Cybil & basil at the moment) [:D]