jonnyoneye

To all of you who have been kind enough to reply to my original question, i thank you. Covering some of the suggestions given, i would comment as follows: Cash was never refused, only that the dear lady it was sent to, e-mailed me to say that it was not how she wanted it to continue arriving, presumably because she did'nt want the responsibility, etc,. It was always sent registered mail and so there was little chance of it going missing in transit, but of course that tracking of the cash really ended as soon as it had arrived and was opened. Transferring the monies direct into the collectors account via the banking system, was always my preferred method, but the local collection office has informed me that this is not possible and will therefore not pass on any IBAN or account number, etc,. I have in the past transferred monies to various parts of the World with little or no problem at all, so why they see that as a problem if it helps an individual make a contribution to their coffers, i will never know ! Credit cards and Debit cards are also not accepted, possibly for the reasons given by one of the earlier contributors, which seems a valid explaination. I pay no other bills on the house, because i have been unable to visit properly for 10 years now owing to a second family in the UK who apparently do not like the thought of France (now they tell me !) and the fact that i work abroad a lot of the time and when i'm off i really have to spend the time with them. I'm slowly getting the feeling that i should sell anyway, so perhaps the need to pay these bills will go away over the next few years, unless the children want to take it all over ......and then it becomes their problem ! Anyway, i'm just off to my local branch of the HSBC to arrange another Euro bank draft and this should hopefully keep both the French government and my little lady in Bergerac happy......oh and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation, with their extortionate charges ! Many thanks again to you all. Enjoy France, i just wish i could enjoy it again as much as i used to 10+ years ago. Maybe one day.......................

I have a property near Bergerac and need to pay my local taxes on it. In the past i have just sent cash (registered mail) to the collection office in Bergerac and it has all worked out fine. They now tell me however, that this is frowned upon and they do not wish it to continue. They don't accept a Credit card, nor apparently a bank transfer from the UK, i have no French bank account and so it is all becoming slightly difficult. I've spoken to the HSBC here in the UK, as they have all my accounts here, but all they can offer is a Euro cheque at £20 per throw, or the option to open a Euro account at £36 per year and a £1 per cheque. Has anyone had the same problem and solved it at reasonable expense ?  Possibly there is a bank in the UK that does not charge a fixed account rate ?  Any other ideas, or else my little woman in the Bergerac office will be receiving another brown envelope full of Euro wonga !