Running a self-catering apartment

we are just starting too! www.latoca.co.ukbest of luck!Paola

 there is a member...Russ ... who as far as i know has pretty well rarely for most of those i have heard of opened up a B & B here in abruzzo following all the legal italian requirements... not easy... and after visiting their place its most probably one of those five star types of accomodation in a rural setting with pool that is the dream sort of holiday accomodation that one might well look for if wanting something quite,friendly and luxury i mention all this because it seems to me that to make a living at this sort of thing you have to offer something of quality... am sure you can PM Russ and he will be able to offer some good advice...or also if you care to take a look at their web site... have posted a link and you could contact him maybe through that http://www.lagrandequercia-abruzzo.com/  

I hope to win the raffle prize which offers a stay at Russ and Serges home, failing that when we are all not so busy, we can do a house swap for a few days!, they can look after our cats and we can look after the chickens. But seriously I do think the key is to offer something a bit special, and if on site play the discreet but helpful host. I think it is much more difficult if you use agency staff, that personal touch just is not there, and reliable staff may be hard to find.But I wish you well in your venture.A

Thanks everybody who replied.  We believe we are offering something special - but not for people who want a villa with a pool!  (and sometimes I do, too).   Our house is in a 'Casali' community with 6 Italian neighbours, most belonging to the original farming family,  around a central courtyard.  It's a working farmstead with donkeys, goats, cows, geese and chickens - and lots to watch in terms of daily farm activities.   If I could think of something to make and sell I suppose we could be an agriturismo!    Great walking, biking and pony-trekking all around - plus good ski slopes with local chairlifts, and easy access to the eating places, food festivals and vineyards of the Langhe.  No other foreigners (yet) in the locality, so a real rural Italian experience a bike ride away from 3 villages (with good food markets), plus 15 minutes by car into a very interesting and attractive hill town - with a truly fantastic food market.  Does this sound good enough?   (the apartment is refurbished to a high quality).     Unless anyone else responds with details on the legal requirements, I guess it's a trip to the local commune to begin the - probably - slow process of registering.

 agriturism require that the food you serve is produced by you...including the meat... and varies according to the province...most probably down as far as the comune as to the percentages you have to produce yourself... so if heading for retirement would think that it would be virtually suicidal to think that way as running a farm means longer hours than any other job most probably that there is...pools... the thing is that virtually everyone can say pratically everything you said about the rural life, the close by facilities ...the walks the views... if you think about it thats why most people move here...  to my mind the essential thing if not on the coast is the pool... lots of work...expensive... and ecologically unsound... but its what people want on holiday in a hot climate... ok not everyone...finally something to get you started... i posted this link for Abruzzo on the old forum ... anyway heres the national one... so click on your region and you will see at least what the start is like... impossible things like not being able to serve fresh food only cellophane packed... some of the tax regulations and lots more.. such as the limit on the amount of bedrooms... and the limit as to how many days you can open...http://www.bed-and-breakfast.it/leggi_bed_and_breakfast_nazionale.cfm its all pretty boring stuff... but recentley we heard of an english run place that got in trouble for both staying open beyond the number of days and not filling in forms about who was staying... not sure whats happened to them but think they are no longer running a holiday letting/b&b service... basically they upset someone a few villages across... Italian that didnt like the competition and were easy targets ... because they had not registered their business properly... cannot say i have much sympathy for them... Abruzzo seems o be over run with foreigners working without paying any tax... in all fields... from building to selling property and holiday letting... like everything here though time and gossip catches most of them out... so admire your approach to doing things in the right way... it will be worth it if only for peace of mind 

John is right about the regulations regarding B&B, and its something we would not have considered after doing our homework. But with regard to a pool, we dont have one and it has not been a bar to letting, we attract guests who prefer walking ,art galleries, and enjoying rural Marche food. What you do need to do for peace of mind and legal reasons, is find a good commercialista and get your tax liability sorted out.A