londoneye Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Hi AllI recently received a bill from the Mairie which relates to water (in some fashion!)Clearly it is not a water bill, as it is not from a water supplier.It says Abonnement au reseau d'eauAs its only for 34 euros I have happily paid it ! Still it would be nice to know what I am paying for.I had understood that the only local taxes were fonciere and habitation - none of which I have yet had by the way. My post is regularly checked and these have not arrived. We have also introduced ourselves to the Mayor last time over and gave him our Uk address (the bill above arrived here), so I am not quite sure what is going on here. However, I am resolute that no-one can expect me to pay for something which has not yet been requested. Any clues anyone?thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 In many rural areas the council and hence the Mairie is still responsible for running the water supply. Our local council recently handed over the responsibility to one of the big two, but it is still a relatively short term contract and is reviewed every seven years or so. We used to get a dot matrix printed bill on paper that was so thin it resembled tracing paper. Now we get a posh colour laser print, and can even pay the bills on line by Carte Bleu!You have just paid the annual bill for being connected to the supply. You should receive another bill later in the year for the actual water consumed and if connected to the mains drainage your use of the sewerage system. If you aren't connected to the drains then you will probably get another a bill for the right to have a septic tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sid Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 We pay an annual bill for a similar amount for maintenance of our fosse. This includes inspections and emptying every four years. Could it be for this? Contact the Mairie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Trollope Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 [quote user="londoneye"]Hi AllI recently received a bill from the Mairie which relates to water (in some fashion!)I had understood that the only local taxes were fonciere and habitation - none of which I have yet had by the way. [/quote]Ha! There are plenty of local taxes - water (perhaps), sewerage (often if you are not connected), rubbish collection, roads....And ours amount to about the same as our Tax d'habitation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cassis Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 I can endorse what Nick says - taxe d'habitation, taxe fonciere, water bill (consumption and sewerage as we are on tout a l'egout rather than a fosse sep) and waste collection are all separate bills where we are, as well.On the water front (great film) does anyone know whether the authorities are going have all hamlets/villages of 10 houses or more on mains drains by the end of this year, as the govt. said they were aiming to do back in 2000? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blanche Neige Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 does anyone know whether the authorities are going have all hamlets/villages of 10 houses or more on mains drains by the end of this year, as the govt. said they were aiming to do back in 2000?LOL Cassis! when we bought in 2000 we were told that by 2002 everywhere in France would be on mains drainage ! I think they've put this idea on the back burner and am convinced that our village will be the last![^o)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony the Turner Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 I suspect that this is yet another instance of the French Government ignoring a European Directive. The requirement for proper drainage comes from Brussels and seems to have quietly gone to sleep.Our village has a population of something over 150 permanent residents plus some 15 or so secondaires and about 50 houses, most of which are situated within the village centre. In 2002, we had an étude by SPANC {no, not some dodgy naughty lady but a Societe dealing with "assainissement non collectif"} which concluded that the houses were too disperse to be brought within a "collectif" system. The cynical amongst us thought it had more to do with the fact that the Maire lives on the very edge of the village and could not have been connected to a mains system.The result is that each house is now supposed to have its own system via an updated "fosse septic". Many of them don't even have an old FS! Grants of 80% were offered but I have not seen any great activity on the part of our neighbours who would no doubt be very disinclined to spend the 20% for no visible benefit. We were told that our existing system would suffice for the moment.I suspect that problems will arise if and when we come to sell. No doubt a purchaser will either want confirmation that the system conforms or seek to reduce the price to cover the cost of a new system. C'est la vie! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BJSLIV Posted January 30, 2006 Share Posted January 30, 2006 whether the authorities are going have all hamlets/villages of 10 houses or more on mains There never was any intention to have every property on mains drainage. As Tony says the requirement was to have everybody on a system that works effectively whether that be mains or individual.Its a big job, and is taking longer than planned. However over the last couple of years I have frequently suffered diversions around little villages as they get on with installing mains drainage.2006 will be the first year where the new levy on individual sytems will start to raise money, which of course will pay for the new inspectors, who will need to find things to inspect...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londoneye Posted January 31, 2006 Author Share Posted January 31, 2006 aha !sounds logical. Not connected to mains drainage - have the very expensive (well, actually it was probably quite reasonable now i come to think of it - being churlish now) bill for installing two brand new septic tanks a while ago. On this note i must also say that there is nothing like a hole in the ground in stables, with a VERY tasteful saucepan lid covering, it to allow herculean bladder (and any other bodily functions) control. Thinking back perhaps the money for the fosse septic(s) was worth every penny. Think i have just had the bill for right to have septic tank - 155 euros - still investigating this one ! And I have to say here that I previously lived in Brussels for two years so although this was quite a while ago now, I probably have better than average French (never speak English when I am over there and no-one laughs (out loud anyway) kind of French!) but the bills just confuse the hell out of me !Oh well, what can do you - if you have to pay it, so be it.Thanks for advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gyn_Paul Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 Like BJSLIV we live out in the sticks on the edge of a small village (our arrival pushed the permanent population to the dizzy heights of 201 souls!) where the Marie looks after the water supply and - here to - the bill arrives looking like it was photocopied several generations ago prior to having been a Gestetner copy of a carbon. We pay it in the local town's Marie. I hand over the bill and the cheque and stand there looking like a citron waiting for a receipt. Receipt??? Nah, we don't do receipts... why would you want one of those?? Don't you trust us?Such is life in La France Profond !p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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