Paying Bills

[Watchman]

How do I pay a bill without it costing an arm and a leg. If got my first EDF-GDF bill for 26 Euros and my UK bank wants to charge me 15.00 to exchange and transfer the cash. They also need all the IBAN, Cle RIB etc, of the Electricity company in order to transfer the cash and it's not on the paying in slip or accompanying documents.

We completed on the house 2 weeks ago and the French Bank our agents opened for us won't send us the cheque book, we have to collect it!! We can't get out until Mid December and I'm worried the electricity will be cut off by then. Is there an easier way?

[blighty]

>How do I pay a bill
>without it costing an arm
>and a leg. If
>got my first EDF-GDF bill
>for 26 Euros and my
>UK bank wants to charge
>me 15.00 to exchange and
>transfer the cash. They also
>need all the IBAN, Cle
>RIB etc, of the Electricity
>company in order to transfer
>the cash and it's not
>on the paying in slip
>or accompanying documents.
>
>We completed on the house 2
>weeks ago and the French
>Bank our agents opened for
>us won't send us the
>cheque book, we have to
>collect it!! We can't
>get out until Mid December
>and I'm worried the electricity
>will be cut off by
>then. Is there an
>easier way?

[Richardbk]

You can pay bills via the TIP (which is like a UK bill payment (Giro ?) slip., but for this you need a RIB( Relev d'Identit Bancaire) which is a slip with all your account details from your bank. The TIP is included at the bottom of the edf bill. You need to sign it and include in the envelope a RIB from your bank. The next TIP you get will automatically have the bank details included. You normally get the RIB from your cheque book !, but often there is also one included in some of your bank statement sheets. You could probably get your bank just to send the RIB.

You can also pay by Internet http://monagence.edf.fr/ -> Les moyens de paiement, but haven't done this myself or by monthly direct debit (also needs a RIB).


regs

Richard

[Anton Redman]

LAST EDITED ON 02-Dec-02 AT 02:44 PM (GMT)

Suggestions :

You may find that somewhere on the bill is a section about paying by 'Prelevement' which is the French equivalent of direct debit. 'Phone, email or fax your French bank asking then send you your full RiB details so you can fill in that section.

'Phone your French bank and ask them if they can do anything if you send them a signed copy of the bill.

Post whereabouts in Yorkshire you live in and find if anybody else on the forum who lives close by will swop a French cheque payable to EDF for cash.

'Phone EDF and explain the situation.

[Valerie]

It might be worth ringing them up ( phone number on your bill) to see if they will accept payment by credit card (explaining the situation).

Valerie

[Mazan]

All French utility bills and local taxes can be paid by direct debit (prelevement automatique). Anyone with property in France should get this organised as quickly as possible for all these bills as it has only advantages. Don't wait for the bills to arrive as by then it is too late.