Graham, we tried to get a landline when we moved in. They just can’t fathom that it’s an old house and not a new build. We therefore have no construction permit number. …We are now with bouygues and our mobile internet is more reliable and cheaper than everyone else’s landline. Orange internet died yesterday afternoon and nobody has bothered. The mairie has tried on behalf of everyone etc, but orange have shrugged their shoulders. The entire town is up in arms!!! We won’t be bothering. I suspect that landlines are something of an “Auslaufmodell” before long anyway. Sorry, can’t quite find the right word in English. 
I got an email from Mint saying I could call them to discuss the monthly DD. Since I never indicated this was the reason for abandoning the transfer and they have assumed it was maybe others don’t like it too. I might give thme a bell to see if the do actuals. I’m not having them decide how much to debit me based on some model they have.
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John for me I just gave my last years usage (based on my EDF bill) and then they chopped that up and gave me a monthly price. I’d been paying the 2 monthly bills (which dh prefers) - I then asked EDF who much it would be if I changed to monthly and it was a i think €9-12/month difference. The man shape agreed one the over €100/ year savings and I’m happier knowing what my bills are each month! There is the opiton (I think) to upload your usage on the site or it can be done through Linky (which I don’t have yet). I understand that it is monthly DD on a set amount though but interesting to hear yoru conversation with them.
Oh and to add I’m coming up to my yearly whatever they call it so will be interesting to see if I ‘owe’ anything over what I’ve paid (I think not as our eldest left home accidently a year ago).
If you shop at Leclerc, you can change to them and gain 15% of your monthly instalments on your card - a quick and easy on-line application does all the work for you. i don’t know if any of the other large retailers have a similar offer but worth investigating. The extra credit value will be a bonus if and when we can have visitors and at Christmas.
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John that would be very useful to know if you wouldn’t mind.
didn’t he intend to go?
I’ll do it on Tuesday John.
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Old hat?
Another defenestration?
So EDF and Mint – is that it? I do rather miss the cornucopia of providers I’m used to back in the UK… Octopus especially…
One of my favourite words.
No there are plenty of others but Mint AFAIK have the best deal.
Hi This thread go me thinking, our electricity comes from SICAE du Carmausin, based in Carmaux, Tarn. I had not really thought about it as they were the suppliers to the previous residents when we bought the house in 2013. I have just been to look at their web site and they were founded in 1927 to supply electricity to the agriculteurs in the north of the Tarn.
Now I want to find out how the cost of their electricity compares, are there any French comparison sites?
As for service they have been great, after the first year we wanted to go to three phase (pool with heat pump and a separate hot tub) as well as the house and then wood pellet burner solar thermal panels. We went in to see them and the receptionist was a bit sceptical as to our need for three phase as it was very expensive to connect. She called over a technician and after going through our electrical équipement he agreed that we needed three phase. The cost to connect us was about €200
No he didn’t! Not last March anyway!
His GF is Dutch and for a couple of years they’d been spending holidays here or there (Bergerac - Rotterdam cheap as chips!). The plan was that he was going to move there last summer, work for 2 years, improve his Dutch and then start uni next September (2022) once he’d saved some money to do a teaching degree to become an English / French language teacher. He left with just a cabin bag and a quick kiss and hug and ‘see you in 3 weeks’ early March for a 3 week holiday with her. Lockdown happened, flights all cancelled. Come i think April or early May things there were OK and shops open and he got a full time job through a friend of the GFs dad. He is earning good money, stable (FAR better than he’d have any hope of here for a youngster tbh) so decided to stay (only bringing it forward by 3 or 4 months BUT I was so looking forward to those last months with him at home). He then booked to come home for his holidays in August - he was going to fly down then pack up his stuff and I’d drive him back, Belgium then turned red - no way I can drive over 3 hours without a pee break 
- so we would hav ehad to have had a pit stop there. His GF has a pacemaker (heart issues as a baby) so it was just not safe so very sadly he didn’t come. So I’ve not seen my first born for over a year now 
And I do understand that lots of us are in the same position but he is only 19 (was 18 when he left). 
Ah yes, I recall that now you mention it. Sorrry… 
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You need one of these @tory - got one a few weeks ago and have “test-driven” it and it works very well
https://www.amazon.fr/gp/product/B07QTGN86N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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I called them this morning John and after a rather long wait I got through only for the line to die (could be my connection). I’ll drum the courage to have another go tomorrow.