They come in every form...

[Fumanzoku]

I've just had the misfortune to have a 'delightful' middle-class family

of five, with dog and two cats rent my place for six months. I describe

them in that way because that's how they will come across to you, in

fact I think they believe themselves to be quite respectable. Anyway to

cut a long story short, and of course name no names, they pulled a

number of cons on me. They said they'd be staying two years at least,

they only stayed for the summer, thus I lost the higher income I

could've got for a summer-only rent, and turned other, probably more

honest people, down. When they did pay the rent it was always late for

a variety of reasons, so I had to reluctantly remind them to pay it.

They stopped paying the rent two months before they left so as to use

the deposit up, and now have left me with unpaid bills, and no

forwarding address. There is more, damage to the property etc. but I'll

spare you the details. You're probably thinking the contract will help,

in fact I sent them the contract twice and they said it hadn't arrived,

I am a very distant landlord you see.

Well

I know what I have to do next time, and trust, as ever, is the victim.

I'm writing this for two reasons, 1) Appearances mean nothing. 2) These

people are now renting another Brits' property somewhere in the Coulonges area of south Vendee

I beleive, so if you're unlucky enough to be their next victim you may want to

take some precautions. Feel free to PM me if you are concerned.

[Missy]

>>> I've just had the misfortune to have a 'delightful' middle-class family

of five, with dog and two cats rent my place for six months. I describe

them in that way because that's how they will come across to you, in

fact I think they believe themselves to be quite respectable. ........... so if you're unlucky enough to be their next victim you may want to take some precautions. Feel free to PM me if you are concerned.<<<

Did you tell them that your name is Fumanzoku..... 'coz it looks to me they did....

Jokes apart it is not a nice situation to be in. I get these every summer on our site. They come with their caravans, stay at weekends, settle a monthly ground rent and leave their caravans on site for the 6 months and promise to pay anything outstanding on leaving day.

Which is this weekend! as our site must be closed until next Easter (as per our trading licence with the local authorities) ...

And tonight, as it turns out, we'll have 4 caravans with absentee owners, mega electricity hook-ups bills, as the fridges inside are still plugged in! and despite many calls to numbers left by these people, letters sent etc... none of them will budge from surburbia to move their caravans off the site as they are supposed to do as well as settle any debts.

And next summer if we see any of them that will be a miracle!... Yet again we'll have to ask the council to come and remove the blessed thing away to the dump! and most galling!! pay the flipping bill for the removal and cry on the money owed that we will never see!...

Some of these caravans are real nice and comfy and when you think that they are being towed on site by the lastest 4x4 with great pride and show off, you'd think that these people would want their precious possession back with them in suburbia to compare scratches/bumps etc... made 'during the holidays' with the neighbours...

[Jc]

Add to your contract that anything left after this weekend will be sold and the balance forwarded to them after all your expenses have been deducted.

[Fumanzoku]

I'm going to have to find out where these people are renting now. I suspect it's the Coulonges sur Autize area of south Vendee. What are the most popular websites for Gites? I'll try contacting all the Gite owners in that area with a warning, and also to get a forwarding address to send these bills.

[Pun]

I read your comments and again find it one mess from start to finish, how you can go on how a person looks to do a long term let  really is just the last straw, did they have a ref from the pope?

did you know anything about these good looking people? And if you really want to give this warning to all the gite owners in France WHY wont you name these people???

You are about to make yet one more big and costly mistake by phoning/ writing to all the gite owners in Coulonges.

Landlord and gite are two very different ways of earning a living and by law two year lets in france have a protection system that is very different to 2or3 week gite lets.

If you had a plan to gite then you would have lost very little money wise (if a deposit was taken .)

but if you go on the Ive now rented for two years without any legal system being used you left your self wide open to a con, and sir you have been well and truly conned hook line and sinker.

So if you feel you want to warn every gite owner , lets have the names and at least we all have a chance of  doing something about such people.

[Hoddy]

Just a reminder that "naming and shaming" is not allowed on this forum - this is probably why it's not been done.

Hoddy

[Will]

Looking and sounding respectable and trustworthy is how all the best con men operate.

[Boiling a frog]

Perhaps a bit of a coincidence but on another forum renters as described ie 2 adults 3 children are complaining about their rental accomodation and are seeking advice  about not paying any more for their rental.

[Fumanzoku]

'Pun'

A few errors in your less than helpful post:

1) I've already expressed my naiivity at judging them on their 'appearance', did you want to add something other than your ego ?

2) Naming is not allowed, otherwise I'd be shouting it from the hilltops, not hard to figure that one out really is it.

3) I take it you are familiar with 'e-mail', it's a low-cost alternative to writing letters and phoning.

4) I don't recall asking asking for a lecture on the differences between being a Landlord and a Gite owner, these people are now in someone's Gite - get it?

You seem to excel in both stating, and not quite grasping, the obvious.

[Eslier]

[quote user="Fumanzoku"]

'Pun',

4) I don't recall asking asking for a lecture on the differences between being a Landlord and a Gite owner, these people are now in someone's Gite - get it?

[/quote]

I think that's a bit unfair. My understanding of the *definition of "gîte" is that it refers to a holiday home. By letting your property on a long term basis therefore it, by definition, is not a gîte. Given that this thread is within the gîte owners section, I can understand why Pun made his comment. The information provided by Pun is relevant and may well be valuable to some others who read the thread, even if it isn't to you.

*see Wikipedia entry for gîte:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%AEte

[Pun]

Hi  Hoddy,

I didnt know you couldnt name and shame, it's a pity as it once again lets the wrong doer walk away and the person trying to make an honest living ending up picking the pieces up.

Thanks for your info ref this matter.

 

regards Pun.

[Pun]

Hi Fumanzoku,

Who's the one with the problem ? you or me, and whos the one that wanted the 2 year easy rent when as you said you could have made more money by giting the normal way,

and who'' is crying about being ripped off??

Whats your goal in the giting world anyway, two year renting is not this thread, and as far as I know we dont have a landord thread on living France.

if your going to take the easy way out by letting, then seak legal advice on how to do "letting" and not use this thread for your mistakes.

this is a gite thread not a renting for 2 year one.

regards Pun.

[YCCMB]

[quote user="Eslier"][quote user="Fumanzoku"]
'Pun',

4) I don't recall asking asking for a lecture on the differences between being a Landlord and a Gite owner, these people are now in someone's Gite - get it?
[/quote]


I think that's a bit unfair. My understanding of the *definition of "gîte" is that it refers to a holiday home. By letting your property on a long term basis therefore it, by definition, is not a gîte. Given that this thread is within the gîte owners section, I can understand why Pun made his comment. The information provided by Pun is relevant and may well be valuable to some others who read the thread, even if it isn't to you.

*see Wikipedia entry for gîte:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%AEte

[/quote]

But then again, (and let's not forget, it's a French word) Robert's definition is, quite simply "lieu ou l'on trouve a se loger" (accent omissions all mine). It doesn't, therefore, only or exclusively refer to a holiday home, and if the people in question are staying in a gite, they're staying in a gite. If you let it on a long term basis, you can call it a caterpillar, it's not really important.

[Pun]

Hi  Eslier,

I had'nt read your reply when I just sent a second reply to our friend Famanzoku, but what you've said are my words perhaps put in a better way,

This is a thread for the people both wanting gite info and people who do operate gites as you have said,

renting is a complete different ball game and in my mind should have its own site, maybe the living France editor would like to think about such a site,

but thank you for your comment on this subject.

regards Pun.

[Cassis]

Jeez!  I don't think the OP deserves all this aggro.  Give him a break!  No more to add. [blink]

[Dick Smith]

For goodness sake, Pun, at least try to spell the poster's name right. What on earth has he done to deserve this?

[Russethouse]

Pun, we have had threads on long lets/rentals in this section before, isn't it just another way of letting a gite ? In any case its up to LF to decide what is appropriate for each section and so far as I know this thread is in the correct place,

My reservation would be that if the OP contacted other gite /property owners he may leave himself open to legal action should the family concerned find out and decide that they are reconizable through the description he gives......may be I'm overly fussy but worth checking IMHO.

[Fumanzoku]

Pun,

You don't get any better do you:

"...as far as I know we dont have a landord thread on living France." followed by:

"(do)..not use this thread for your mistakes.this is a gite thread not a renting for 2 year one."

So what will it be then, there is no alternative thread, but don't post here because you say so?

I don't think this merits any further discussion.

"Who's the one with the problem ? you or me..."

That's a good question, at first I thought it was me, as I'm the one with the temporary problem regarding ex-tenants, and the honesty to share my 'mistake' openly, or 'crying' to use your charming turn of phrase.

I'd have to say though, I think your problems are a little more serious, and I don't mean your spelling-punctuation ability.

Good luck, and goodbye.

[Pun]

How are you going to send "e" mails to the gite owners in the place you think these rip off  tenants are without naming anyone?????

Do yours self a favour and try reading your post pre sending them. you talk a load of rubbish.

[Cassis]

[quote user="Pun"]

Do yours self a favour and try reading your post pre sending them. you talk a load of rubbish.

[/quote]

Pot. Kettle. Black. [:D]

Chill out, Pun - no need to get so heated!  Why are you getting so worked up?

[Cassis]

[quote user="Russethouse"]

My reservation would be that if the OP contacted other gite /property owners he may leave himself open to legal action should the family concerned find out and decide that they are reconizable through the description he gives......may be I'm overly fussy but worth checking IMHO.

[/quote]

Not a lawyer, but I believe that as long as the OP sticks to facts he would have nothing to fear, even were he to name them.  Only if he were to directly warn against offering them a rental or if he lied about the facts would there be problems.  Stating the facts and letting people draw their own conclusions should not have any legal repercussions.  Disclaimer: This is not legal advice!

[Pun]

Hi  RUSSETHOUSE,

The Law for letting is not the same as for gite, ie the person who takes a long term let has a lot more rights than a short term gite (2-3 week)

as Ive said we're talking about a holiday let and a long tern let and this site is for gite, not long term lets or B/B

Whats the point in having a section to deal with a subject if it,s going to be dealing with all subjects.?

I wouldnt dream of asking motoring questions in this section would you?

The problem with some people is they have no plan, make mistake after mistake ,and wonder why people like me who do spend both time and money to do the chosen task to a good level, tell them it's no wonder your upside down and in a mess.

Im into the task of providing a gite holiday with as much comfort as I have at home , ie heating when needed, furniture worth having, a safe area for children

pool with all the safety requiued by law and on hand in the same country if needed, and thats why I pay attention to this site, Im not into long lets but the gite side of things. 

Ive asked for and got advice ref Insurance details for this venture, also fire alarms, bush-bike advice from people who have and have not tried them with the gite holiday,

all this info and a lot more Ive got not through looking at the rose tinted glass idea but through the Interest of providing a top of the range holiday to my customers,

All this is with the help of knowing the section I need to be dealing with and PLAN /PLAN AND PLAN AGAIN. and all for the gite not letting.

I hope RUSSETHOUSE you have a better idea as to my idea's ref this subject and why Ive said 2 year letting shouldnt be in this site.

regards Pun.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

Or if he made the simple enquiry as to their whereabouts without

furnishing any other details beyond that he was trying to catch up with

them to settle some unresolved matters. As long as one sticks to the

facts...and this isn't legal advice either.

[Pun]

I agree  100% these people if its all true should be named and shamed

It might be the time for an register or something such as this so we all both gite owners and customer alike could refer to ,so both parties could protect themselves from problems such as this last thread has come up with,

at least if we did have such a body to refer to we would have something at the moment we have no way of  knowing the good gite owners or the good customers from the cowboys. do we??

Regards Pun.

[YCCMB]

Pun, as recently as September, you were still posting on here about your projects and plans for letting and running your gite. Now, it appears, you are speaking with a great deal of knowledge and authority. This has obviously been gained through your long experience. How many lettings have you now had, since the beginning of September? I don't expect you plan to make any mistakes, now or in the future, and I don't expect the OP did, either. I hope, however, that if and when you do come unstuck over something (and it will happen) that you are treated with a great deal more understanding and respect than you have shown here to both the OP and other posters.