suzie55

Hello everybody, I have just joined britishexpats.com and wondered if anyone can give any advice on how to set up a gite business.

My husband and I have lived in France since 2007. We have been 'doing up' our little 'Bread Oven' in order to rent it out as a gite rental this summer.

We have not worked since we moved here and not really sure of how to go about things. Maybe someone who has a gite business can give us some advice.

1. What is the first step?
2. Do we have to register as an Auto Entrepeneur?
3. Do we have to have a Siret Number?
4. Do we have to pay tax habitation on the gite (we do not pay now as we are on a very low income.

Any other advice would be welcome.

Thanks again.

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the forum!
Others who run gîtes will come along to advise, but meanwhile there's a very recent thread "Upping sticks to SW France" with useful info, including a link to the Gîtes de France organisation which it would be advisable to join. A Google search for "réglementation gîtes" will give several results with the rules and regulations. The first port of call will be your Mairie.

Tweedpipe

I suggest you read Cyrian's excellent post HERE (Post #17)

dmu

+1
but let's hope the OP has already done all this, as the house is ready to be rented this summer!
One query, the OP speaks of Taxe d'Habitation, which implies that they occupy the house. I believe that one of the regulations is that the Gîte must be entirely independent and presume that the owners will move out for the periods when it's rented? Is it in fact possible to rent out one's own house temporarily as a gîte?
The Mairie will clarify all these questions, if they are pertinent as I'm only presuming....

mlvc13

Hi!

I live in the Paris suburbs and renovated the annexe to our house (an old caretaker's lodge). I have been renting it out as a holiday rental since September 2012. In my town, the first thing you are meant to do is go to your local Mairie and declare that you are renting out a new "location saisonnière". Check with your Mairie to see if you are also required to do this. The next good thing to do is to contact Atout-France for a star rating. Once you have a star rating you will only have to pay income tax on 29% of the income. You do not need to be an auto-entrepreneur unless you need to be for other reasons (eg you need social security cover). The income is declared as BIC on your income tax form. If the "bread oven" is part of your house, it will be covered by that taxe d'habitation. However, if your income goes up you might find that you are now eligible to pay the taxe d'habitation. It all depends on the income you are going to generate. I hope that this has been helpful. I haven't bothered joining any of the big groups (ie Gîtes de France, Clès Vacances etc) but advertise on Owers Direct, Abritel and the local tourist office. Good luck!

suzie55

Hello everybody, Thank you for your replies.

dmu no we don't live in the same 'house' that we want to rent out. It is a 'bread oven' and is totally independent from our house which we currently live in. We do not pay Taxe d'Habitation as we are on a very low income but wondered if we will have to pay Taxe d'Habitation on the 'bread oven' once we rent it out.
mlvc13 Thank you your advice. We will look at Atout-France regarding a star rating.

Anymore advice from anyone is most welcome.

Thanks again.

mlvc13

You will most probably have to pay a taxe d'habitation since it will be considered as a "résidence secondaire".

dmu

I would guess so, too, but it's one of the things that your Mairie can tell you!
I'm intrigued by your "four à pain", they don't normally have many windows and you must have installed running water and electricity? Be prepared for a substantial increase in your Taxe Foncière next year!

suzie55

Thanks mlvc13 and yes dmc it had very small windows and just a door so we have put two patio doors in to get more light and yes its got water and electricity.