Deb

Now sorted, thanks

I am tyring to add a second activity by using the website and I am struggling. My French is very basic - is there anyone out there who can talk me through it please? I have the wording that I need to use but don't seem to be able to make sense of the site. I have found an English translation but it only stays in English on the first page. I would be grateful for any help. Thanks

Does anyone know of an English speaking piano teacher in the Dept 19 area, near Argentat? Thank you

I live in South West France - Dept 19 near Argentat and I'm trying to find a piano teacher, do you know of any in the area at all? Thank you

Hi there, Maybe a small increase for the forthcoming year would be appropriate, however you would need to take the 'credit crunch' situation into account.  You don't want to lose your existing clients, perhaps any new clients could have the revised tarrif. Regards  

We have been living here for over a year so we have completed one tax return, but the business has only been set up since March this year.  

What if you have started up a new business but your hours are not yet up to full-time?

Please can anyone tell me how you apply for RMI and exactly what it is? I only know the very basics so all information would be welcome.  For instance does a small amount of interest received on a savings account need to be included, I would presume so?  Is there a limit to any savings held as there would be in the UK? Thanks

Hi TJ, Thanks for the response, much obliged. Deb

We have set up a micro enterprise gardening services business (with me as conjoint collaborateur - or chief wheelbarrow pusher!).  We are not entirely sure what book-keeping records that we have to keep, my understanding of the situation is that we just need to keep copy invoices as 50% of our earnings are treated as expenses.  We have an accountant but the information is a little vague (the more cynical amongst you might think that this is a way to charge higher fees!). Don't we have to keep any bills for our expenses? Second query, I have been asked by a client if I would consider doing some gite changeovers for her, does anyone know if I am able to add this as 'another string to our bow' on the business front?  It would help in terms of increasing the hours worked for our health cover. Any help much appreciated.

I have been asked if I would consider doing the gite changeovers for a 4/5 bed house and am wondering what people would consider to be a reasonable amount to charge for providing this service.  I am presuming that I will be expected to wash, iron & change bedlinen (on site) and provide all the necessary cleaning services.  I am already running (along with my husband) a micro-enterprise and am wondering if this can be added as another 'string to our bow'.  How would you charge for this? By the hour or on a fixed price.  Any thoughts would be much appreciated.  

Thanks to those who sent a reply - much appreciated. Deb

We have been speaking to CPAM English helpline and they have asked us to complete an S3710 form which has duly arrived.  This is a long detailed form (all in French) and I am struggling to translate it, I have a translator on my computer but it is very literal.  Does anyone know if there is an English version of this form anywhere? Any help appreciated. Deb

Our E106 expires in January, we have been told that the CMU want a letter from the UK extending it or explaining why they won't extend it.  The UK are sending the letter of refusal, where does that leave us? We have our own gardening business but we are still quite new and are not yet doing very many hours work a week.  Does anyone know what our next step should be?  Complete private health cover is ridiculously expensive.

Thank for the response.  Maybe we need another accountant, can anyone recommend one in the Tulle area?

Thank you for your response. We set our gardening business up with the help of the local Chamber of Commerce.  We had been working for 5/6 weeks then got called in to see MSA (Mutualite Sociale Agricole), we did not have many clients at all at that time and it was marked on file that we were working about 4 hours a week.  We were expecting to be asked to make payments but heard nothing from anyone.  We contacted our (English speaking) accountant who said 'Don't worry, MSA will contact you'.  Earlier this week I spoke to the Chamber of Commerce (the lady who helps us, speaks English as our French is basic) who agreed to contact MSA on our behalf and it was them who advised us of the 200 euros for the first year of cotisations. They also told us that it doesn't matter how many hours we work in the first year ( it is now about 6/8 hours a week) the bill will still be 200 euros.  I should point out that we are keen to be 'in the system' properly and be seen to be paying our way. We are still using our original carte vitales, my son has just broken his wrist and we are having x-rays etc without a problem.  So we are not sure what the situation is.  

My self and my family have been living in France now for just over a year.  We have Carte Vitales using the E106 which expires in January 2009.  We do have top-up health cover.  Earlier this year we  started our own business (a micro-enterprise), with me as a conjoint collaborateur.  We understand that our cotisations for the first year will be approx 200 euros and we are advised that for the second year this will then increase according to the benefits we receive.  At the risk of sounding a bit thick exactly what does this word 'benefits' cover?  Are we correct in assuming that we still continue to pay a top-up fee?  Any advice would be welcome as we seem to be getting conflicting versions.  Also, are we expected to hand back our carte vitales in January? Thanks Deb

Hello Hoddy, Thanks for the reply, this does sound about right for me.  I live about 40 minutes away from Brive.  Please can I ask the following, did you get the train from Brive to Paris or does the coach do the whole trip?  Is the coach bit with 'eurolines' the european bit of National Express? Do you cross on the ferry or through the tunnel? Sorry about all the questions but this seems to be the way forward for me, and again many thanks for taking the time to help out. Regards Deb

Hi Sid, Many thanks for taking the time to give the advice.  I think that for me the coach might be the way to go (I can hear you going into a decline as we speak!), I know it takes ages but each time I get on a plane I manage to embarrass myself totally with the weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.  There is a limit to how much fun I can stand! Thanks again, Deb    

I may have to travel back to the UK to commute for a while (approx 3 months at a time) and am not very keen on flying.  The journey will be from the Tulle area to the East Midlands.  Has anyone had any experience of this sort of journey by train or by coach? To drive myself would, I think, take too long.

Thank you for your response.  The area is very rural, but then that is the reason why we chose to live here so maybe commuting will have to be the solution for a while.  At least I will be able to appreciate more what we have here.

I am a secondary school teacher who now lives permanently in France.  I do hold a TEFL certificate for teaching English.  I am aware of the difficulties facing someone trying to get into the French education system.  As I see it I have two options: 1) Commute to the UK and try to get work on a termly basis as a supply teacher.  I know that there are tax implications but I think I could work for 183 days without there being a major problem (I'm sure someone out there will know lots more about this than me) and 2) Try to see if there is anyone out here (maybe English children now in the French system who want to keep their English current, but taught in an informal way - I have a son 12 years old who is in the French system, so I know how demanding it is for them!) who would like help.  Having looked through the forum I see there was a lady based in Dept.18 but that was some time ago and I live in Dept 19. I am not sure what the best way forward is, I do speak a little French but not enough (I am taking lessons).  Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated.  The thing for me is knowing where to start...