Chancer Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Well that is what it feels like [:'(] I opened a new account at the C.A. after C.L. closed mine for being overdrawn €1.46 for two days, another story.I thought my luck was in to find an interlocuteur who wasnt from the area, didnt lie and try to con me like the guy in La Poste, or at least thats what I thought.Thursday I get notifications that my Carte libre service and chequiér were available in my branch, so I went in the next day and the battleaxe at the guichet sadly was typical for the town and took great pleasure in grunting me one single word "demain" and not being drawn any further on the subject.I was pretty sure that I would get the same response on Saturday so went in today as of course they are closed on Mondays, nice work if you can get it!Without asking for any identification she handed over a Mastercard which I refused as it was not what I had asked for and I would have been charged for it, there was no doubt that I had refused all the guys offers and coercion for a forfait including card and had opted instead for the carte libre service which is very unlibre as all you can do with it is withdraw cash (with of course a plafond [:D]) at my own branch but at least it was free, she was having none of it, I had ordered it and I must take it, as usual not being used to people being anything other than obediant she got really stroppy.I asked her for my cheque book and she said that I could not have it, a bit shocked that I demanded an explanation she said that I could not have it until their was some activity in the account, I explained that I had opened the account with cash and without a cheque book there would not be any activity, she said you can come in when you need to spend any of your money! [:-))] until there is some regular activity you cannot have your chequiér, I dont know what arrangement you had with him (the interlocuteur) maybe he will let you have it but I cant (wont) [blink]So yet another journey tomorrow for an appointment with the guy, he doesnt work Mondays or Tuesdays (nice work if you can get it) which he probably wont even know about because as usual it was written on a post-it and in my experience they all get filed in the bin at the end of the day.I have also been going into town and into Amiens pretty much every day for a week now to try and fail to resolve the problem of a bill I paid at La Trésorie but which the D.G.D.F.P. reckon I havnt and have placed under mise en demeur, this has happened twice before always with the same long frustration of wasted journeys, it really does begin to get you down eventually, how on earth do people who have to work and commute every day get by in this country? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Rotten luck, Chancer! [:(] Hope you get it all sorted out soon.I went to withdraw some cash from our CA account today to pay a plumber to fix a small leak. I've got the same account as you and I'd forgotten I can only withdraw €300 per week, and had already withdrawn €200 on Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Did they bestow you the honour and priveledge of holding your own cheque book or do you have to go in and ask them to tear each one out for you? When I recount stories like this in the UK they think that I am a mythomâne. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 No problems with getting the cheque book, and in fact the staff are very helpful and smiley - unlike the woman you came up against! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 French banks, well I haven't had that happen, but I have things that are bad, very very bad.I just don't know how they balance their books, really I don't. Chancer didn't you miss the opportunity to withdraw a euro from your account at that point, and then another euro, that way the account would have had some movement.......... don't tell me, there is a minimum you can draw of 1000€ even though they only allow 300€ a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 I can feel a plan coming together!!!I am still chuckling at the volume of paperwork that had to be signed for me to close the C.L. account, I have in front of me my copy of the sheet printed in triplicate, one of which I had to sign, it confirms that I was délivré 10 by €6 billets, 2 by 2cts pieces, " by 10cts pieces and one by 5cts piece from caisse one, there is only one in the branch!!!I should add that there is only one caisse because bank is now a portakabin that was craned in to the Mairie car park to take over operations after the branch mysteriously caught fire [6]What goes around comes around [:)]Mind you 2 banks in one month in the same town might be stretching things [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 "it really does begin to get you down eventually, how on earth do people who have to work and commute every day get by in this country?"Well...My problem with the Water bill/Insurance is still not finalisedI have not received a centime of the wrongly charged 'plus-value' (I had a dégrèvement, but 10 days later a letter saying that they were still investigating my dossier )I have sent off the form that the tax authorities here have to send to the UK to stop them taxing me on my OAP 4 times, but they continue to deny that there is an attachment to my emails despite the evidence that there isThey are still taking monthly payments for Taxe habitation and Taxe foncière for a house I sold last year (despite me cancelling) My Orange(spit) 3g card still doesn't work and they continue to take 9.99 per month as I am engaged until April (that's the one that has never worked because they cancelled it when the facture was returned as non-delivered because they sent it to a non-existant address that figures nowhere on my contractI changed my Mutuelle, but the old one didn't release the link to the CPAM so the new one is having problems connecting, but I can't access my account on their webpage as it is always down...The only things that have gone through smoothly are my payments of 3000€ + for rewiring, and 1200€ for plumbing work.Those cheques went out of my account like a flash.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Well as Hannibal used to say, 'I love it when a plan comes together'.Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 Norman that is so depressing and would overwhelm many people.I am beginning to think that not having a bank at all avoids loads of problems in France, at least the ones where they help themselves to your money, there are only 2 things that prevent me from being without one:My prélévement to Free although for €400 I could avoid that but I bet they wont accept payment by a UK card.The charges that I now pay on my Nationwide account.It took me 6 years to grind down the Trésorie Publique to let me pay my bills by card even though everyone has the absolute right to do so, now they faire chiér to me by losing my payments, they operate by cutting bits off the bottom of the bill, sticking them on a piece of paper and faxing them through, when they can be bothered, I think the computers are only used as things to stare into to avoid serving the great unwashed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 [quote user="Chancer"]I have also been going into town and into Amiens pretty much every day for a week now to try and fail to resolve the problem of a bill I paid at La Trésorie but which the D.G.D.F.P. reckon I havnt and have placed under mise en demeur, this has happened twice before always with the same long frustration of wasted journeys, it really does begin to get you down eventually, how on earth do people who have to work and commute every day get by in this country?[/quote]My sympathies Chancer. We also have a wicked witch of the North at our trésorie who managed to "lose" 2 cheques, resulting in a final demand with dire consequences for non payment. WWotN mumbles at the best of times, is incapable of making eye contact with anything higher than the counter, cannot work the computer and insists that if anything is wrong it must be your fault.* The Dutch and Belgians hate her. Even the French in our village have been known to come back later when she is on the desk. * "This bill does not exist" - "so why does it say final demand and insist I pay it here within 7 days then?" " I don't know it must be something to do with you! You will have to wait 15 minutes while I sort it out." For sort it our, read, wait until my collegue comes in from breakfast. No wonder so many people have a downer on the fiscs, if they have to deal with their WWotN. Madame at the Impots on the other hand is a real gem so please don't think I lump all fiscs into one pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Actually my bank (Crédit Agricole) is on the whole much better than any of the big 4 I used in the UK.When I was made redundant I was stupid enough to be straight with Lloyds, who sent me a letter inviting me to come in and discuss 'how I was going to manage my reduced income with my account Manager'When I arrived it was a quick meeting. He just wanted my card back, the one that acted as withdrawal, cheque guarantee and for payments.Needless when I got a small lump sum in compensation I put it in a different bank and closed my Lloyds account.On the other hand I did have one of those absurd French farce moments with one 'lady' at the guichet.After 15 years with the bank I got a letter saying that they needed a "justicatif de domicile"I took it in and it was quite beyond her comprehension that I found it odd to send such a letter to an address they claimed they didn't have.The conversation took an even odder turn when I asked what counted as a justicatif de domicile.She said a utility bill (which I no longer have in paper form as I have opted for electronic) or....A LETTER from the bank [:-))]I pointed out that the letter I was holding asking me for my address was ...A LETTER from the bank.She said "No Not THAT one a letter from ANOTHER bank"...That is when I cracked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richardbk Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 A farmer friend of ours dumped several buckets loads of pig slurry into a local CA, after they refused to make an insurance payout. The place was unusable for a few days - well worth the couple of hundred fine ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 Curious as to why you opened an account with CA after problem with CL, they are both the same group, CA owns CL,maybe CL is colluding with their masters to cause problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Possibly PPP.Off to see them now with the silage trailer [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Well that was a real lift the spirit moment, I am still laughing and smiling now, that boy is a real smooth operator, smart, thinks on his feet and disarmingly charming, a pearl amongst swine! I foresee a bright future for him, he will probably end up being a Fred Goodwin [:)]He said that the Mastercard was because he had discussed my account with his director, told him what a nice guy I was and got his agreement to give me free of charge the carte bleue instead of the carte libre service as he could see that I would be an important and valued customer of the bank and worthy of better than the carte libre service [;-)], followed by - dont be alarmed to see the fee go out of your account, its normal but it will be re-creditted tout de suite [:-))]He gave me my chequiér with an apology and a convincing, plausible yet fabricated explanation as to why the dragon would not give it to me, I pointed out that there was no risk to the bank with the chequebook yet she would give me the carte bleue without asking for une piéce d'identité. Quick as a flash he replied that he had scanned not photocopied my passport and that my face would have appeared on her ecran just as it did on his, except when I had a peek when he went out for the carte (he thought I had already taken it) it wasnt [blink]To cement our amitie he told me that he had been on conge Tuesday and wanted to share his joy with me on the acouchement of their first child, finally and just to cover his bases he said that if for any reason the card fee was not re-creditted to my account (no doubt intending to action it himself) that I am to E-mail him and he will see to it personally, straight away.I think that we have the measure of each other now and we both know to count our fingers after shaking hands, I look forward to doing business with him in the future and if ever I need a salesman he would be top of my list.So for the moment, free banking and with a carte bleue, I will make sure that it is for life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 I hope you have enough in the account to pay the fee for the card...or you will be charged for an unauthorised overdraft and there will be an 'incident' on your record ..[:-))] [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 Tell him how nice a transfer to deux chèvres would be...congratulations....a good harvest...happy frog pressing...fine cépage.[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benjamin Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 [quote user="Chancer"]So for the moment, free banking and with a carte bleue, I will make sure that it is for life.[/quote]Chancer, Chancer.........will you never learn? [:D]The magazine , you idiot! You don't know you've done it but you've signed up for the monthly/bi-monthly/quarterly magazine (I can't remember the actual frquency).It comes foc to begin with and tells you all sorts of useless information but some time down the line there'll be a little tell tale debit from your account and then they've got you. [:'(]Ron would be so disappointed you got conned so easily. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 Benjamin.Of course I realise what will happen in a years time, just as I know what really happened with the so called "gift" of the card.I havnt signed for un forfait, the card is factured at €35 per annum, it will be refunded, I am confident that in a years time the fee will be debitted again and I look forward to my next meeting with my new friend where I probably wont even get the chance to explain that "offerte" means to 2015, the validity of the card not just one year as I am sure once again he will slickly explain away the error before I have sat down.If not then he gets the "free" no longer card back.If I get the magazine in the meantime then thats a bonus in that I will have another enjoyable negotiation to look forward to, thanks for the heads up though [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pachapapa Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 But then I have met some migrants from the UK who are able to avoid the high all in one lump annual Master card fee and are allowed by the friendly CA staff to pay monthly.[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Judith Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 [quote user="idun"]I just don't know how they balance their books, really I don't. [/quote]I do - they charge you because even though you transfer enough money online to cover the amount you took out in the guichet 5 minutes before you made the online transfer (we are that distance from the bank, on foot), the online transfer is not credited until the next day (even though it shows as done immediately online) - so they charge you for being overdrawn.And they charge for bank cards, for direct debit set up etc etc. Need I go on?Needless to say, the service you get in return is dire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pommier Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 When we were moving department, we popped into the CA in our new town to enquire about transferring our accounts from the old department. The miserable woman on the counter claimed that it was terribly complicated and would take weeks - so we went to Banque Postale who sorted it out quickly and cheerfully. Some company employees definately see customers as a nuisance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardengirl Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 The basic card we have with CA is free, and we don't pay for the direct debits we have with them - taxes and electricity. So they don't make money from us that way. We do have a government pension paid in, and it's at a good rate, so we feel we benefit from that quite nicely. If I remember rightly, we weren't offered the magazine mentioned earlier; maybe because I stressed that we only wanted a very basic account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted February 22, 2012 Share Posted February 22, 2012 [quote user="Judith"][quote user="idun"] I just don't know how they balance their books, really I don't. [/quote]I do - they charge you because even though you transfer enough money online to cover the amount you took out in the guichet 5 minutes before you made the online transfer (we are that distance from the bank, on foot), the online transfer is not credited until the next day (even though it shows as done immediately online) - so they charge you for being overdrawn.And they charge for bank cards, for direct debit set up etc etc. Need I go on?Needless to say, the service you get in return is dire.[/quote][:D] I didn't mean make a profit, I meant actually balance their books at each branch every night. And I know that they cannot, because of some of the things I have seen them do, in fact from what I have experienced, they do not do this weekly or monthly either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 What basic card do you have Gardengirl? Does it do what you want it too and are there any disadvantages? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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