No Graham, you’re right Eddie was not joking ,although it’s a different country I look at my colleagues and friends in the front line services who have worked all through ,putting themselves in danger, and I know a lot of people who have been positive ( and died in three cases) and are now facing a pay freeze and I find it hard to sympathise
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For heaven’ sake Eddy…think of context please. I was referring to the fact that a lot of gite owners and hotels received fonds de solidarité - which we didn’t because we are pensioners.
All countries are have been economically harmed by this crisis, and of course the governments need to balance the books. But they need to do it fairly and equitably.
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sorry Jane… I was looking at a government page, which has obviously not been updated for 2020/covid…
I still maintain that TdS is due by the customer and that one sets a difficult financial path, if one decides to absorb that into one’s business costs…
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We charge it separately, and it’s made very clear that its an additional charge. The French/European guests never have a problem with it, guess they are used to it. British are often difficult, sorry meant different 
and tend not to understand, bit like leaving the gite as found…
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Of course it is!! I am not disputing that at all, as displaying and charging it separately is what one is required to do anyway.
But how many more times can I say that is not the point! Most clients do not see it like that as all they look at is the number on the bottom of the bill. And this increase puts a big pressure on that number and means there is no way we can increase our base line price to account for other costs increasing.
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You are in a horrible position if your customers do not understand the reality of the situation…
In your place, I would no doubt be going crazy too … these are worrying times.
However, from my own experiences, I do know that you cannot let the customer rule you, when it comes to finances.
You will make your own decisions on how you wish to deal with this increase in TdS… and I wish you the best of luck.
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We have had no problems with our guests not leaving the gite tidy.
Many take all their rubbish to the b ins on their way home and strip the beds, even though we never mention anything like that.
I’m with you Jane on this one. And pretty spotless too. But then it’s only a two bed gite and so we never have large groups and we are on site and get to know them and they come back - all of that helps.
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presumably, leaning up against your kitchen door (or which ever one overlooks the gite) with a rolling pin helps 
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If it were me I’d bite the bullet and separate the TDS from the weekly rental price starting next season, this taxe is only going to increase so if this isn’t done the return will just diminish every year.
Yes, we are a two bedroom two bathroom gite and of course, we live on site and I usually ask them round for aperos on Thursday.
We also share the pool, so sometimes chat then as well.
Of course we do that! Have done for years…that’s not my point. How would you feel if your tax d’hab increased by 50% at one month’s notice?
Only people who left the place in a poor condition were a British family (a rare thing for us). And we have only had two unpleasant bookings in over 5 years. Generally people have been delightful, especially the german family who sent us this parcel that arrived today!
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I’m confused Jane, are you personally going to lose out or your future guests?
This level of increase in TdS may well tip the balance to mean we loose bookings. So it could affect us personally, but of course we don’t pay the tax as such. Our TdS has been increased more than other categories, so they are not maintaining a level playing field.
How lovely. We too have had returning families bringing gifts.
One family from Paris left a wonderful bottle of Cotes de Rhone and we have had a Provencal bottle of Pastis.
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What a dreadful thing to say! She died of cancer!!
May I suggest you disappear for another 8 months at the very least and show some decorum when you deign it appropriate to return,
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As mentioned before we did not take in guests this year so no income and no tax de sejour but we pay it rather than adding it on to our advertised price.
I see this as logical,
However the standard of accom and surrounding assets vary so much from property to property and it is down to how much one is willing or able to invest in the buisness,
It was simple for us, We came over here with a decent sum of money after selling up in uk and the idea was to create something special.
Oh I am rambling on but lets not get upset about the tax de sejour.
Keep well and keep renting.
Our guests, firstly as we don’t know how this will affect us, concerning future bookings.
It is the very fact that tds is being increased at a time when the hospitality sector has faced such hardship that is the bone of contention.
If we, as smaller players, continue to be , in the eyes of the authorities, the Cinderella of the tourist industry it may very well backfire as people will just give up.
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