Panda

Hmm, well I don't want to say this but I've never seen spiders here as big as those I encountered in Gloucestershire where the countries biggest spider was found at 5 inches, made all the nationals, YUK! I have however seen some fat ones, you know big round bodies, mostly outside though, I am one for believing in tempting fate so if I get a big one in the house the evening I will blame you!!  I'm looking around as I type this.  I'm a real idiot where spiders are concerned and have actually fainted when I awoke to find one running across my stomach!!  

Ha, my french improves massively after a few drinks, luckily those I'm with tend to be drinking  too and so they also think my french has impoved, no one has a clue what we were talking about though the next morning!

Crikey, that's a long time, why was that?  My cat gets all pissy if I go away for a weekend, she would disown me if I left her that long!

Hi Paula What line of work are you in?  I'm working as a self emplyed person over here for a UK company, not much paperwork just the annual tax return but that's pretty straight forward involved and far simpler for my employer, you can also get other contracts of course which is a benefit. I can't really see a problem, just find an accountant get yourself registered get on with your life, where area are you going to live in and what age is your son, I'm here with my son too, we could meet up if you're nearby. EDIT:  Not that naive on the PAYE element, I did this for 18 months and no one seemed to care, then the UK gov paid all my tax back and said I had to register over here, so I did. Panda

Thanks for that Rich, I'm VERY arachnaphobic and you've got me all jumpy!!  Never seen any massive spiders here in the Charente , thank goodness, but it only takes a small one to get me going!!

Good news WB hope the move out goes well. Panda

Crikey Belle, that's a strong opening line.  What do you like to do, that's always a good starting point.

One of my neighbours fields is often full of hunt vans in the season, it's a holiday home so no one takes any notice of the private property signs.  She is anti-hunt in general  so I've never told her that the  mounted hunt also go racing through her land at will on occasion!  I think they used to do the same with mine (park the vans) but as I'm here all the time and have fenced the only accessible place from the lane the first time they turned up they all parked at the bottom of the drive scratching their heads, I went out and was going to speak to them but they all drove off and have not returned.  I think if you were a permanent resident they wouldn't do it, I love the put up a per car charge advice, that would work around here I'm sure of it! 

[quote user="Colombier"] Hello Panda Please get your facts right!!! You have obviously never hired from buggs.! As a regular user of buggs car hire in Bergerac, and what a releief from the big car hire companies, I can confirm you do NOT have to pay the extra 9 euros per day insurance. This is just an optional extra you can take out when you make your booking, everyone is allowed to decide the level of risk they are willing to accept, and with buggs you decide when making your booking, not in the queue at the airport when you have no time to assess what you are buying. With buggs you cannot add it on when you arrive and buggs make no attempt to sell you this, or any other extra, when you collect your car. The alternative hire companies offer this extra insurance only when you collect the car, their excess is also considerably higher as is the cost of the waiver insurance. You obviously have some financial rewards from insurance 4 car hire, which is why you are advertising their services on a forum, I am surprised such a blatent advert was passed by the forum. I am not sure when they are opening at Angouleme but contact me and I will be happy to forward the email address for you to find out. [/quote] Ha, yeah right I'm waiting for my cheque from 4 car hire, must be lost in the post!  Now it's your turn to get your facts right, I was commenting on excess insurance, it's my favourite subject as I think it's daylight robbery, I was happy to look at hiring with Buggs, just not happy with the excess charge.  I've now just checked the other car hire companies form Bergerac and can get excess cover for 1.95 per day (carhire3000) payable when you book (not in the queue) so thanks for getting me annoyed enough to make me compare other companies, thanks to you I won't now be booking with Buggs with or without the excess cover and this has saved me looking at  4 car hire insurance too, I wonder if they will now not send me that cheque [;-)]. Should I look out for you on the Bugs stand when I pass through Bergerac next time ?[:D]   (joke BTW)

I love it too, all the characters are great and I love the welsh accents.

Hello You fill in the information on your tax return and it's the opposite you get a percentage of the cost of the windows, not the labour.  Forgot to say it has to be double glazed windows of course with a certain rating. Panda

Nice truncheon BB  [:D], where have you been?

Well in an ideal world yes, but there are still new viruses being invented and these can get through signature based scanners. Sadly viruses have been known to wipe hard disks, these are less common these days though and most viruses are the trojan type with the aim of stealing data.  

Definitely, there are too many people coming over without a startup plan let alone a get out plan!!  I would like to know the OP's story, might help others in making such choices.

As cooperlola says anything that states, 'tell all your friends' smacks of hoax and the virus vendors actually end up stopping the warnings in as many numbers as the email they are trying to warn against. 

Bones that's not strictly the case, I have a friend who was an agent comercial,  so self employed this didnt work out ,and now she gets chomage, limited to the amount of time she paid in as I said before. We don't know the OP's circumstances as I said if she lost her job, lost her partner etc. then I too feel for her, if however she came to France with a child with the hope of getting a job with clearly little french (she didn't understand the rejection letter) then I do feel France should not have to bail her out for what was a very ill researched move. In her place I would have no hesitation but to return to the UK where it's easy to find work and if not at least you can get the help needed. Am I being too harsh?  

I understood that the verge is council land, I assume they are erecting the sign on the verge?  We were told to keep trees etc a good 3 meteres back from the road side as this is not our land.  In this circumstnace I don't think you can claim it as being erected on your land or have I misunderstood?

Hello I applied to have a caravan on my land whilst renovating and got the permission with the condition that if the caravan stayed it would have it's own fosse.  My neighbour has a caravan and I am confident he did not apply for it to be there and is unlikely to have a fosse at all as it's next to a derelict barn, he is renovating the barn but has no permission to do so.  He is taking a chance in a small rural area, it is so area dependant, I'm not sure what happens if you do do something without permission, you hear lots of people saying you can't do this or that but I've never yet met anyone who's been fined or told to take anything down, I can't ever see my mayor here having the interest to do something about it when no one looks on the land.  For me, looking constantly over my shoulder to see if anyone has complained is not what I came here for so I try and keep as much as possible within the law, sure I bend the rules, I have 3 sheds and have planning for one but not so much as it keeps you awake at night! Panda

We've had one calling away for about a week and it's really miserable weather here! 

As has often been said the legislation that is now being enforced is not new legislation it is just that it is being strictly applied now.  Making a request for RMI is a sure way to highlight that you do not meet the requirements to stay in France.  If you came over had a job and then lost that job then you may get some help but from what I understand even this help will be strictly limited and will only extend to the amount of time you were making contributions, i.e. if you pay into the system for 1 year you would get 1 year of benefit whilst seeking alternative employment. I have to say I think this is a fairer system,  you get benefit for the contributions you've made. 

Perhaps they are quoting the legislation that you cannot stay in France if you are a burden on the country and don't have enough to keep yourself.  The recent change they are referring to could be perhaps the legislation that in the case of a life changing event such as main wage earner dies etc.. you can get help.   I would have thought that it must be almost impossbile to gain access to RMI these days as you can't stay without funds, if you have funds you don't need RMI?  

Hello Students from the UK regularly spend a year in Poitiers university studying european law etc..  The ones I met  level of french varied considerably but it didn't seem to hinder them.  They lived in the same accomadation as the other first year students so near or on campus, can you not apply to be allocated such accomodation?  Panda

Hello I have never done this but have considered buying through this method so have looked at the process, most houses are repossessions.  Here is the site I watch, there are FAQ's about the process if your french is up to it! http://www.encheres-publiques.com/ Panda

And to add to Ceriss's point, I do know a gardener and most of his clients are Brit holiday homes, they can afford the rates! 

Jon This whole thread was started because you implied that the Brit who quoted you 200 euros for a days gardening was asking too much and that you could get it done cheaper.  Different folk then tried to explain why there is difference between some bloke off the street who has no tools and no skill versus a skilled gardener.  That's it, in a nutshell whether we anyone, you included choose to use either is not the issue. It will be interesting to see whether you can see the difference when you start your business or will you be charging the 25 euros a room B&B that I can get in my local village at the local Hotel de Commerce?? I'm sure you will say you get what you pay for, I hope so because then the point will have got through!!! Panda