Lay My Hat

Officially we don't do split weeks during the main season (April to October. However, we let one of our cottages on a Friday to Friday basis and work on the principle that if we get an enquiry for Monday to Friday we take it, on the basis that we can easily fill the weekend. But we don't take the we...

Or you could tell him to "go break a leg", Elena . Or whatever the skiing term is!

Hello Harcourt. Very sorry to hear about your cancellations. But, looking on the bright side, at least it's for August which should re-let. I'd be more upset if it were a November booking 8) . We also had a cancellation for August last week (Tuesday), due to a redundancy. We re-let the week by Thurs...

Hello Raone. Hope you're enjoying the whole experience of letting your own property. The first year can be very daunting. First, whether or not you get any guests; then whether or not like they like your place; then whether or not they return. I don't know the Italian market. Here in the Lake Distri...

Thanks for this, John/Windy. Looks like John Endacott is on the ball. Have you had any correspondence from Cumbria Tourism on the issue? I'm not a member ( ) so wouldn't know!

And is that a blue "holier than thou" halo I see behind his head?

Well, I've emailed John Endacott to voice my concerns and have also contacted the listing sites I'm on (cottageguide and independentcottages) asking them to inform their members of the changes ... and get emailing. Letter to our MP is on its way, but as David Maclean is the one who campaigned to kee...

That's really helpful, Helen. I think the hut I'm trying to book should reopen at the beginning of June so I'm going to try again then. If my command of the Italian lingo (!!!!) fails, I'll take you up on your offer. In the meantime I shall continue to drink Chianti and Borolo and hope they do the t...

So if you're planning any major work on your property, get it done soonish!

Good suggestion, Martha - grazie mille!! I have tried that route, but not all the huts are owned by the CAI and the CAI doesn't handle bookings, even for the huts it does own as they're all run by the regional bits of the CAI. If you see what I mean!

As I understand it, you're nearly right, Helen! We won't be able to claim costs against income on our UK properties, but if you are UK based and have a property in Europe, you will be able to claim. Really makes sense, eh?! I shall just have to try and argue that Cumbria is really a sub-region of Um...

Yes, very concerned. Our accountant sent through a summary of the changes this week. What intrigues me is that the changes are needed because we're out of kilter with Euro law, but if you are a Brit with a property in Europe it doesn't apply to the Euro property. Is this to spare all the MPs with se...

Know how you feel, Partridge. I've been trying to book huts in the Dolomites for a walking holiday in the summer. For most huts a combination of English and German has worked, but I'm stuck with one. Can't get past "pronto" - which means "hello" in Italian on the phone. Have spen...

Agree with you totally, Deb. I own cottages and wouldn't expect to clean any cottage I stayed in at the end of the holiday .... in the same way as you no longer have to do a job if you stay in a youth hostel. I always seemed to get the washing up in the youth hostel which had run out of water :lol: ...

We've probably all been there, harcourt147. At least you had some income .... Now just make sure that it's the first guest who tries to re-book (not the others!).

Happy Easter!