The Chateau Diaries #108 Crazy, strange, eyes wide shut, in the middle of nowhere

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Ian, Matt and the tree surgeon are self-employed. They pay their own social charges. Dan is supposed to be self-employed too but who knows. Kirsty is certainly not a full-time employee at Lalande.

PS : Who is Dave ??
Dave joined as a part-time cleaner a few months ago, to help Marie Poupin. He's been in a couple of the vlogs.
 
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Ian, Matt and the tree surgeon are self-employed. They pay their own social charges. Dan is supposed to be self-employed too but who knows. Kirsty is certainly not a full-time employee at Lalande.

PS : Who is Dave ??
Dave is the cleaner.
 
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Wow. First time the Chatelaine answers a question about finances on her YouTube comments !
What's happening ??

PS : 15.000 euros per month for people who don't work full-time at the chateau ! I'm no accountant but something is odd, no ?
I am absolutely sure she's paying the cleaning crew Marie France Poupin and Dave only a fee per hour, so no social costs for health care or pension. Without confirmation I assume it's the same with the rest of them, they might bill her their hours. If that is the case, her accountant probably told her she need to put more money aside for when the French government starts asking questions. Now that she has stated she is employing al these people, more publicly than before and verifiable at all times, that moment shouldn't be far ahead.
 
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I don't think I can take another Bordeaux Life vlog with Edd's weirdly enormous head filling the screen, and his boring monotonous voice droning on about concrete or cutting stones. I'm begging you, take a step back from the camera so we don't have to look up your nostrils.
 
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I seem to be contradicting everyone lately but it was Madge’s car, she turned up on the drive in full white cow girl outfit if I’m remembering it correctly
Thanks for the correction! I must have missed the episode where she rolls up in her caddy. Pretty sweet ride but I'm partial to Mrs. Bales bike with the sidecar. ☺
 
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Comments from CD's latest flog...
Dan Ellis-Jones
17 hours ago
Although it's interesting to see you doing cleaning up, the stark difference between Dan actually doing repairs and renovations, and you lying in bed and spending hours just looking at things is jarring to me. I guess you need to save up patreon money for big projects, but it would be good to see actual renovations that patreon money is funding. You're in the top 100 patreon accounts in the world aren't you? I know it's happened quickly, but you do need to be more transparent where this money is going.
Cynthia Lambert
16 hours ago
Huh? She goes over and over the projects and frequently makes the rounds showing what is being done. Have you actually watched her vlogs? There are a million repairs and renovations going on there.

Dan Ellis-Jones
16 hours ago
@Cynthia Lambert Not really in comparison to the level of monthly income. My whole house could be renovated with the money she has each month, and has had every month for 2? Years. 18 months definitely. What's been done that's had any big cost? The bathroom was pointlessly expensive. And look at what other chateau owners have done in the same time. Even look at Dan and his place. He definitely has far less YouTube income. And I know any property in London in zone 1 or 2 is AT LEAST £1M.
Kelly Hawes
16 hours ago (edited)
@Dan Ellis-Jones None of us know how much it actually costs to maintain such a large chateau , and pay Dan, Ian,Ian, Nick, Kirsty and others that come to work on both the inside and outside of the chateau. Although we haven't seen much of the work on Gerry's and Michaels apartments, Nati's apartment they are on going. And she has told us she is setting aside money for the chapel restoration as well as the work she had done on the stained glass.

Dan Ellis-Jones
16 hours ago
@Kelly Hawes One of my points is that we SHOULD know. At least Patrons should know. She's getting €30,000 or so each month. She's said it's being spent on renovations. So not salaries, not holidays, not new clothes or china. Philipp and Anna at Fluerie have 1 person. Ed and Anna have 1 person. Stephanie has volunteers. And some people. Now Kirsty and Dan, and some others - if they're being paid from patreon, that's great. But SJ needs to say so.

Kelly Hawes
15 hours ago
@Dan Ellis-Jones I understand your point, but I do think the Patrons do know( I am not one unfortunately) Perhaps you should ask her yourself?

Dan Ellis-Jones
15 hours ago
@Kelly Hawes I think patreon is great. I think micro payments for content makers is great. It takes time and effort to create content. Stephanie makes huge amounts of content. And paying a bit to help save a chateau is fine - if you have spare cash. But SJ has now got significant wealth from patreons, and to be frank, there's not the work being done to warrant it. Also €4k wallpaper is not money well spent. I just want to see or hear about that money being spent on real renovations. There were real works last year, but now nothing. The garden work probably cost about 1 or 2 months patreon, Max. It's difficult. I'd be freaking out a bit if I suddenly got €10k a month from people I didn't know. Tax implications. Moral implications. Temptation to use it on some nice things. It's not easy to just gain wealth like that
B Jorgensen
15 hours ago
@Dan Ellis-Jones are you a patron? Stephanie reviews the budget/finance project plans in her patron videos.

The Chateau Diaries
8 hours ago
Hi Dan, I realise you’re not one of our patrons, so you don’t have the same information that they have. My patrons do know that I’m employing many people from the patreon account. It costs me well over €15,000 per month to employ Ian, Amaury, Dan, Kirsty, Nick the Tree Surgeon, Matt, etc. (Nati, Philip, Mary Poppins and Dave are employed, not by Patreon, but from my YouTube revenue). The rest of the monthly account is for materials, equipment (digger, etc), panelling, wallpaper - anything fixed (no furniture). The rest is put aside for the lake fund. As my patrons know, no patreon funds are used towards my travels, clothes, etc. It’s only for work being done to the chateau, including the wages of those working on the chateau. Patreon does not cover any of the chateau’s running costs, which are paid for by me from my YouTube revenue. Sadly, far from lying in bed all day, I spend my time making as many videos as possible in order to renovate Lalande and continue to pay everyone’s wages. I used to do much more physical work around the chateau, but, as you can imagine, my job is now to provide content through filming and editing, to keep everyone around me in work.
LaReyne
6 hours ago
What I can tell from watching the videos the last couple of years, is she does a fair few late nights editing videos to make sure she delivers on time. So I reckon she's allowed some lie-ins. Though some people are just nighthawks. I've pals who are software developers who seem to do a lot of work in the middle of the night. Maybe cos it's the only time they can get peace to concentrate.
B Jorgensen
19 minutes ago
@LaReyne wow! I'm glad nobody is critiquing my sleep schedule! What is the concern about? People need to find something else to worry about!
LaReyne
14 minutes ago
@B Jorgensen Truth.
hmn..15000 a month..if thats true she must pay taxes for them ....but as she has been proven a big liar..i guess she could make and end to speculation..and show the figures...as long as she doesnt show some real accountancy..i declare her a liar..
 
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Judging from her recent Instagram Stories, I think you might be right.
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she has nerves..talking about covid...and going away to france...its a nutcase ..just like all the rest that ends up in the lunatic asylum called Lalalande..and yes dear...i dont suspect you dont do much earning money yourself...i bet you have a Wajong...getting money from the State.i even have the feeling you have your supportdog for free...i have to say...i work for my money...and i also have to pay for a vacuum cleaner...a bigger and a more expensive one than you need..
 
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I think it costs her, as an employer, a lot more that the amount of their wages. Probably double, for France (social security contributions etc). Hopefully, I won't get in trouble here for saying 'I think' and 'probably' 😉
If she was actually employing these people and paying social security contributions etc, she would also have to follow the French labor laws. Wonder what those laws have to say about not paying volunteers for labor in your for-profit business, sleeping with them, not offering proper contracts to actual employees, not creating a safe working environment etc etc. It would also mean it's not very easy for her to fire an employee, as the French law is notoriously on the side of employees. Which in turn would mean that if she wants out of her not so romantic relationship with the snorting Squirrel Cameltoe, she can't really kick him out. She has created such a hot mess for herself!

I don't know what actually goes on there, but I'm just pointing out those extra costs to the employer, and they aren't optional.
In SJ's universe everything is optional except her wishes and childish sense of supremacy.
 
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Does Fanny think keeping that old TV is more dignified than ruining the whole Nadaillac farmhouse..? i have the feeling the Nadaillacs could care less..they got their money...btw far too much for that farmhouse in the first place...i think those tears they shed were tears of joy..
I don't think they cared that much for the place as they hadn't done much upkeep either. The old owner tried to talk her out of it as he knew how much work was needed but she still wanted it. You can't reason with stupid.
 
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If she was actually employing these people and paying social security contributions etc, she would also have to follow the French labor laws. Wonder what those laws have to say about not paying volunteers for labor in your for-profit business, sleeping with them, not offering proper contracts to actual employees, not creating a safe working environment etc etc. It would also mean it's not very easy for her to fire an employee, as the French law is notoriously on the side of employees. Which in turn would mean that if she wants out of her not so romantic relationship with the snorting Squirrel Cameltoe, she can't really kick him out. She has created such a hot mess for herself!


In SJ's universe everything is optional except her wishes and childish sense of supremacy.
A little golden rule I was taught by my colorful family when I was very young was “You don’t tit where you eat”. I’m sure it’s self-explanatory. Stephanie apparently was never exposed to this bit of wisdom at home or at Oxford for that matter.
 
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If she was actually employing these people and paying social security contributions etc, she would also have to follow the French labor laws. Wonder what those laws have to say about not paying volunteers for labor in your for-profit business, sleeping with them, not offering proper contracts to actual employees, not creating a safe working environment etc etc. It would also mean it's not very easy for her to fire an employee, as the French law is notoriously on the side of employees. Which in turn would mean that if she wants out of her not so romantic relationship with the snorting Squirrel Cameltoe, she can't really kick him out. She has created such a hot mess for herself!


In SJ's universe everything is optional except her wishes and childish sense of supremacy.
Yes, that's an interesting point about the difficulty of firing people. Still, she may have a case against him for not actually doing any work, or for appropriating her clothes. 🤣 Maybe your eyes and ears will spot him at the local Pôle Emploi some time 🤔
 
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If she was actually employing these people and paying social security contributions etc, she would also have to follow the French labor laws. Wonder what those laws have to say about not paying volunteers for labor in your for-profit business, sleeping with them, not offering proper contracts to actual employees, not creating a safe working environment etc etc. It would also mean it's not very easy for her to fire an employee, as the French law is notoriously on the side of employees. Which in turn would mean that if she wants out of her not so romantic relationship with the snorting Squirrel Cameltoe, she can't really kick him out. She has created such a hot mess for herself!


In SJ's universe everything is optional except her wishes and childish sense of supremacy.
Well we know she can always start ignoring people and having new favorites. Calling in mama bear's and Gerry's help.
Squirrel will leave once the theatres are open and he can be in a play again. especially if he has a minor role in a play that plays for a certain period of time. out of sight, out of heart. (I'll cross my fingers)
 
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Well spotted! Dan must have wiped this shelve before taking that picture, because usually it's much worse and everything is covered in it. And that's just what you can see, imagine the pee...
I am very curious about the rodent infestation. How is it typically handled in rural France? Here in the US you have to make sure you’re building is completely sealed. You obviously do not leave your doors or windows open, or you’re just asking for it. You have to make sure there’s no piles of plant matter or tall vegetation up against the building. No debris or piled up wood. I have a friend who owns a pest control business. He does commercial and residential. When he deals with mice or rats he uses bait boxes, snap traps, and poison. Like carpet bombing but with poison. Then you have dead bodies everywhere and you have to inspect and dispose. Can she just hire a pest control company and put them on contract. You can buy all the stuff yourself. Humane traps is BS. They breed so fast. I’m a fan of killing what’s in your house, because it can kill you, but not beyond that.
 
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It costs me well over €15,000 per month to employ Ian, Amaury, Dan, Kirsty, Nick the Tree Surgeon, Matt, etc. (Nati, Philip, Mary Poppins and Dave are employed, not by Patreon, but from my YouTube revenue). The rest of the monthly account is for materials, equipment (digger, etc), panelling, wallpaper - anything fixed (no furniture). The rest is put aside for the lake fund. As my patrons know, no patreon funds are used towards my travels, clothes, etc. It’s only for work being done to the chateau, including the wages of those working on the chateau. Patreon does not cover any of the chateau’s running costs, which are paid for by me from my YouTube revenue. Sadly, far from lying in bed all day, I spend my time making as many videos as possible in order to renovate Lalande and continue to pay everyone’s wages. I used to do much more physical work around the chateau, but, as you can imagine, my job is now to provide content through filming and editing, to keep everyone around me in work.

Posting this for future reference. I would assume Ian as her contractor makes a pretty good bit of dough. Also, it was pointed out by The Chateau Sisters that materials are way more expensive in France. I have no idea how the money all works out but I will still be shocked if she actually shows any *real* numbers.
 
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I don't think I can take another Bordeaux Life vlog with Edd's weirdly enormous head filling the screen, and his boring monotonous voice droning on about concrete or cutting stones. I'm begging you, take a step back from the camera so we don't have to look up your nostrils.
I feel the same way about Dan's videos. He films much too close and he swings in and out from the screen. Very disconcerting.
 
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Ian, Matt and the tree surgeon are self-employed. They pay their own social charges. Dan is supposed to be self-employed too but who knows. Kirsty is certainly not a full-time employee at Lalande.

PS : Who is Dave ??
Part time cleaner who helps Mary Poppins. I think we have only seen him once or twice on the vlogs.
 
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