Dont post on here much...mainly read but just learned of ski Power's demise, unbonded I believe too. Anyone else heard about this? Was doing the rumours in la Tania at the weekend and now confirmed. Wondered if anyone has been affected and lost money? It's only at times like this that people think about the bonding element. If they are unbonded, which I am sure they are, then future guests should pursue your credit card companies immediately and also contact the administrators: www.fasimms.co.co.uk. best of luck.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Can't find anything on link, (even after removing extra .co.) but wouldn't be surprised. Stayed with them once in LDA. Like Fawlty Towers . Never again.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
What a nightmare for people who have (or thought they had....) half term holidays booked, let alone the rest of the season Doesn't look as if they WERE bonded. If anyone has had their plans wrecked but still wants to get away, drop me a PM - happy to help if we can (and we ARE bonded).
We booked a holiday with them 2 years ago for a party of 12 for a friends 40th birthday. We booked a sole use chalet in Val D'Isere in June for the following January then at the begining of October we got an email saying they no longer had that chalet so they'd moved us to a large hotel in LDA, when we objected as we wanted a chalet & a large ski area they said they wouldn't refund our deposit (almost £1500) so we took them to court. They refunded the deposit back into the bank account it had been paid out of the day before our solicitor ( a member of our ski party ) went to court.
I would never ever have used them again or recommended them.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
The domain name must be worth a few € but there's unlikely to much else.
Quote:
We booked a sole use chalet in Val D'Isere in June for the following January then at the begining of October we got an email saying they no longer had that chalet so they'd moved us to a large hotel in LDA,
That's pretty much the equivilent of being transferred from Heaven to Hell
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
meribel46 wrote:
... They refunded the deposit back into the bank account it had been paid out of the day before our solicitor ( a member of our ski party ) went to court....
Everybody I ever litigated against did precisely that - they pay up "on the steps of the court" just before you issue proceedings. It costs them a little more and presumably most plaintiffs bottle earlier, so it's in their cynical interest to behave like that.
So no surprise they're done. Presumably if you pay with a credit card the CC company will pay.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Almost surprised they lasted this long after staying with them a few years ago. They were OK, no more, and the organisation side was ropey...
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I worked as chalet chef and my girlfriend a host back in 09/10. We left after around 6 weeks as they treated their guests and staff with utter contempt. The only surprise about this is that it took so long.
Hope the people who have booked with them will be refunded somehow
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
tragic. what says it all for me is the spelling of "administrtaors" on the homepage.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Has nobody got anything to say about their staff that are in resort?
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
andy1234 wrote:
Has nobody got anything to say about their staff that are in resort?
Yep, what a terrible situation this puts them in.
One would hope that at the very minimum they have a chance to take stock, remain in their resort accommodation for a few days, and if they want to at least get round the local resorts and look for jobs. Very difficult at this stage of the season though, jobs may come up in ones and twos as people go home but if there's a few of them they'll definitely struggle.
I was approached for an interview with Ski Power as a resort manager a few years back; but a quick bit of internet research really put me off and I declines, some of the reviews were just awful. It would seem like cost has been squeezed out of every aspect of operations until breaking point.
Like you say, I feel very sorry for the staff who have invested a massive committment in going to work for them. Hope it works out for them.
Ski Power has gone into administration today and he set up a new company Ski Chalet Creations just 4 days ago. He hasn't paid ANY of the staff since the start of the season and has now abandoned them in France with 48 hours to get out of the accommodation. No wages and no flights home.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Sorry didn't realise the post would come up with a big picture of Craig Norwood like that (I don't know him and I don't know the truth of what's gone on) - I was just posting the link so people could see where the quote came from because it's obviously secondhand information in response to Dav and andy's posts.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
miranda wrote:
Quote:
Ski Power has gone into administration today and he set up a new company Ski Chalet Creations just 4 days ago. He hasn't paid ANY of the staff since the start of the season and has now abandoned them in France with 48 hours to get out of the accommodation. No wages and no flights home.
Obviously I don't know if those specifics are true but this kind of thing goes on all the time.
I know 2 directors of who put a company into Creditors Voluntary Agreement process (CVA) twice, then into liquidation. "Voluntary" in effect means if agreed by the largest creditor, normally HMRC. It doesn't mean other creditors get any say. I was owed a 5 figure sum and got nothing, same as many other creditors, some of them freelancers and staff of modest means.
The same pair has gone on to form another company which has also been through CVA.
I know someone else who owned a company which was in trouble. His daughter formed a company, he sold assets of his to hers for next to nothing, put his company into liquidation, other creditors got nothing, the family retained their business.
It's just too easy for company directors to walk away from debts with no consequences.
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Quote:
Ski Power has gone into administration today and he set up a new company Ski Chalet Creations just 4 days ago
Remember The Les Menuires Seven? I'm sure that they found out that they were legally allowed to stay in their accommodation until the spring. Something todowith a French law that forbids landlords to forcibly evict in mid winter. That is how I remember it...could be wrong though.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Yes - (What a strange first post this is! - but Hello)
I remember them! It might be a help for the people affected in La Tania to look at the old articles and news coverage surrounding Les Menuires 7.
From what I remember it was the local Bureau de Travail / inspecteur du travail and the Mairie who helped them. They were not allowed to stay in their accom until the end of the season - but got a grace period, so they could realistically find other work.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@sequoiaboard, it's true, 'treve hivernale' under Article L613-3 of the Code de la construction et de l'habitation. Lasts until 31/3 this year - http://www.treve-hivernale.com/
After all it is free
After all it is free
@MeMyselfandI, I hope the Ski Power employees find out about that.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
I have just sent one of them a message via an email address posted on Chalets direct! Hopefully he will pass it on.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@eljayem, Good work!
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I actually stayed with them in there first season a decade ago and they were actually quite good. Standards seem to have slipped since then.
I presume the setting up of a new company is to protect any assets and "cash" they have as I am presuming they will be unable to operate Chalet holidays again.
The owners names must be dirt in La Tania with both locals and chalet owners alike.
Feel v sorry for those who have lost half term holidays as there will be alot of dissappointed people especially kids out there.
To be still taking deposits on friday afternoon really is a low trick and should amount to fraud!
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
>>and should amount to fraud!
Quite possibly amounts to wrongful trading (carrying on trading your company knowing that it has had it.)
Their prices seemed implausibly cheap this season; clearly desperate. At least I won't have to suffer their emails any longer!
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
James the Last wrote:
Quite possibly amounts to wrongful trading (carrying on trading your company knowing that it has had it.)
Yes but that's rarely enforced. Can't put my fingers on the stats right now but iirc it's a drop in the ocean.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Gämsbock wrote:
Quote:
Ski Power has gone into administration today and he set up a new company Ski Chalet Creations just 4 days ago
With regards to the French law on not being evicted in the winter, who will actually lose out if the staff are allowed to stay in their staff accom? Do companies generally pay for the entire season rent up front as is demanded by British agents renting season properties, or if paid monthly as the French operate, are there now property owners waiting for their rent who will also be out of pocket if the staff are allowed to stay?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Its not just British Agents who have all the seasons rent paid in advance a lot of French Owners and Agents do too so taht they protect themselves in just such an event like this.
However, i do hear that the employees were given 24hours to move out, not by the landlords but their ex-employers.
@Montana,
Hi there, I have just been screwed over by ski power.
Looking for a plan b as we speak. There are 7 of us, we have flights sorted so will be at Geneva on 7th feb.
Can you help?
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@squashboy, We are fully booked but I do know where there is some availability (in a really nice place) for a group of your size for the week of the 7th. Feel fee to PM me or email me (details in my signature link) or to just post on here what you are looking for and what your budget is.
Its not just British Agents who have all the seasons rent paid in advance a lot of French Owners and Agents do too so taht they protect themselves in just such an event like this.
True Marcellus, and I know some French landlords who have lost out on the end of season rent when the tenants have done a runner. However, a French letting agent told me that he got the idea to charge up front from the British agents so based on that and the general look of horror on French faces when they hear about the idea, I do still think this is a practice that we have introduced to the alps. Anyway... I was really just wondering what might actually be the situation here, does the landlord join the creditors and lose the possibility or re-renting the chalet, or does he not care as the cheque was cashed in November?
marcellus wrote:
However, i do hear that the employees were given 24hours to move out, not by the landlords but their ex-employers.
Common practice with UK TOs but highly unlikely to be legal in France.
As an example, I have my contract for season accommodation from last year here; it was for an apartment owned by the Mairie and rented to local businesses for their staff. On the bit about getting thrown out it says it says that I must leave the apartment within:
1 month after receiving a 'signed for' letter if I break the rules of the building.
1 month after being sacked from the employer paying the rent.
8 days after quitting the employer paying the rent.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
squashboy wrote:
@Montana,
Hi there, I have just been screwed over by ski power.
Looking for a plan b as we speak. There are 7 of us, we have flights sorted so will be at Geneva on 7th feb.
Can you help?
Skibeat were advertising for staff (chalet hosts) only this morning
Hmm...was it the poor start to the season taking out the weakest player or an engineered collapse timed to collect maximum sales revenues and leave ski travellers and other creditors high & dry?? I bet most of their Feb/Mar clients would have stumped up their balances by now.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
albinomountainbadger wrote:
Common practice with UK TOs but highly unlikely to be legal in France.
As an example, I have my contract for season accommodation from last year here; it was for an apartment owned by the Mairie and rented to local businesses for their staff. On the bit about getting thrown out it says it says that I must leave the apartment within:
1 month after receiving a 'signed for' letter if I break the rules of the building.
1 month after being sacked from the employer paying the rent.
8 days after quitting the employer paying the rent.
and during the "winter truce" none of the above applies. You cannot be evicted, period. Services (gas, electricity etc) also have to be provided, even if you don't pay for them. However there is an exception for accommodation provided in "hôtels de tourisme homologués" - depends where the staff are housed.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
@squashboy, I'll PM you - top right, Read/Send messages - happy to help if we can
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
. Never again.
) went to court.
ups like this..
