Nothing's free

A journalist from the Evening Standard stayed here last night - our first freeloading journo visit. Am I being unkind with that comment? - probably yes and no. Yes, because why should a journalist doing research for an article get everything laid on for free and No, because if we get a mention in her article and get some bookings as a result it was worth it. Both arguments are ethically wrong - everyone staying here in our apartments should pay for their stay and we should not expect major promotion in return for providing a paid for service. As soon as it becomes a 'favour' then an element of 'trust' comes into the equation and that is where it all usually falls down.

I am casting no aspersions on my guest last night - just on the whole system. My guest last night was perfectly affable and lovely and we chatted away over dinner about why and how Debrah and I and had come to live in the Languedoc and start up a completely new business venture that neither of us had any prior experience of, and the difficulties of letting go of London and how much chance and circumstance was involved in the whole thing.

So if we get a mention in the article that she is writing about property in the Languedoc, then that will be great and if she gets her editor to approve an article about design or lifestyle about the apartments or us then even better.

If none of that happens then that's just life or 'C'est la vie' as they say round here and I'd like to say 'woe betide the next journalist that wants a free night' but actually they will be welcomed on the same basis of trust and hope of more publicity. I am so torn between the futility of the media/celebrity age and wanting to become the next best most desirable location in France, which is what we are (editors please note)

In the meantime, after my guest had departed, I set about putting my supposed newly enhanced language skills to the test in sorting out a few housekeeping/admin problems.

At the 'Tresor Public' I asked why the standing order that I thought I had set up last year to pay the 'taxe d'habitation' had not not resulted in me paying said tax and thus receiving a bill for tax in arrears plus 10% for late payment. 'Ne marche pas', was about as good as my understanding got - well obviously it didn't march or it would be paid by now. They generously knocked off the 10% surcharge and I handed over a cheque for last year and they assured me that this year is now set up for a monthly payment - we shall see.

At France Telecom, or Orange, as it now seems to be, I queried my internet charges because I thought I was being charged twice for the same thing, but it appears not - the standard charge is just split in two with different rates of TVA (VAT in English - just swap the letters around) being charged on different bits. I shrugged my shoulders and said 'desolee', I don't speak French very well and he shrugged his shoulders and said 'desolee' I can't save you any money.

At EPI, the managing agents for the property, I asked for the accounts for the the current year, nearly over, and the previous year, which I didn't receive. We (some of my neighbours and I) have a plan to fire the managing agents and set up our own 'syndic' and I think we have the voting power to do it between me (the English overlord who owns 50% of the building), Brigitte (the Parisienne outsider and divorcee in the second largest apartment ) and Denis (the charming Irishman). I bet you never thought you'd hear of an Englishman, a Frenchwoman and an Irishman in league together, but that's the case in our bid to reduce the costs which we all consider to be far to high for the service provided.

As ever with a trip into French adminland I ended up paying out lots of money and being slightly confused and none the wiser about what happens next - which just about sums up the municipal elections which seem to have been going on for an age but which come to a head during the next week whilst I will be in London.

I'm not looking forward to London.

I am so looking forward to seeing Debrah and that is all that matters.