French bureaucracy moves fast when it wants money from you

[Mr Ceour de Lion II]

A few months ago, I received a water bill from the Tresor saying I hadn't paid my water bill from two years ago. Of course, I wrote back and queried this as it is very strange. Turns out for whatever reason, the payment hasn't been made, but I don't know why it's taken this long for them to work this out.

Anyway, I find it amusing how quickly they respond to my letters. Twice I sent a letter to them from the US, and twice they respond as soon as they get it and request payment. Me, I've been acting like French bureaucracy and taking a few weeks to reply each time.

It's just funny being in the driving seat for a change, and me making them wait.

[Debra]

You're lucky you didn't have a prelevement set up.  We found we'd had €650 taken from our account with no notice through the post.  It was taken by Poweo, our electricity providers, who apparently hadn't been taking the agreed monthy payment for about two years.  We phoned them to ask why this huge payment and with no notice and they told us we had an online account where our invoices were sent to and they didn't send them out by post.  We'd had no notification of this either but got the details and logged on to see the invoice - to find there was going to be another payment of €650 taken out of our account the next month!  Since this was just bofore and after Xmas we were a bit miffed, to say the least.  When we complained about it they said they could offer us an easy payment plan, with interest charged of course!  No apologies for their error in neglecting to take the monthly budget plan payments as arranged when we took the contract out but just notification of what they would be from now on. I've checked and they are actually taking the monthly payments now.

[NormanH]

I have cancelled my prélèvement with the Lyonnaise des Eaux as they seemed to think they could just help themselves to what ever they liked whenever they decided.

In addition it was very difficult to get replies to my emails and letters.

Now I have a Livret A and I pay in the equivalent monthly payment, transferring the money back into my current account when a bill is due.

Strangely enough I hear a lot more from them, in terms of bills and reminders than I ever did before.

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