Delay in getting water bills

We have normally received water bills every 6 months, Dec and Jun.
But we have had no bill since last December. A close neighbour had also seen no bill this year, but in mid August did get a bill.

According to our neighbour, it seems that there has been a change in the interval water bills are sent out and charges are now made in advance.

Can anyone please throw any light on this?

There was an earlier topic on this subject in July 2022 -

Who do you get your water bulls from? For us it is the Mairie who oversees the water supply and the bills. When they changed the computer our bills were delayed by 6 months while the secretary (who is not the brightest button in the box) learnt to use it.

…Jane, always (for years) has been Suez. We have had diddly squat from them; even asking their service centre online what is happening got no response.

I received a demand from the water company with a late payment included. I did not receive the original invoice. The billing seems out of synch. I contacted them , paid the amount but have not had the courtesy of a reply.

did you pay the extra?
I went in to the local office (see my linked posts above) and they deducted it from the account.
We decided in the end to pay by DD on presenting the invoice in future to avoid this in the future.

yes, paid the extra, i did not want any more added on. They didn’t even reply to my message

they have you by the goolies don’t they

STILL no bill. Normally are online at the end of June and end of Dec each year. I really need a recently-dated bill for i.d. Three messages online completely ignored.
We only have mobile phones and we are on TotalEnergie online elec account, which does not issue bills in the normal format. They do however issue attestations, dated day of requesting it, but that has been refused, even though it shows address details.

I’ve lost track… sorry

Have you spoken with your Mairie?
Have you spoken with neighbours?
Have you sent a letter by recorded post with proof of delivery… to your water supplier???

EDIT the mairie might be able to advise about what can be used as id…

Stella - yes, one neighbours had bill in July, another in September. Haven’t asked Maire; I’ll recommande a letter to Suez…

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Young man came round this week… reading the water meters…
most in the village are external… but we do have one in the cellar, so he has to ring our bell… and thus we do know when “he’s been”

Bill should be out Dec/Jan if I recall correctly… our bills are 6-monthly with the summer one being “averaged”…

:flushed:
Does he inspect the loo as well?

Just to bring this topic back.

Today, after several attempts online on my Suez account; a phone call to Suez from my french neighbour and then 2 recommandé avec réception letters, they have replied.

No apology, of course, just what looks like an incorrect bill, heavily in their favour, of course.

To recap, I had always had 6-monthly (dec and jun) bills. I didn’t get a June '22 bill, so I started to hassle Suez so as to normalise the account.

At last, today, a bill covering the period from 01/01/22.

My 2nd half 2021 bill (june to december '21) was €59 for 36 cubic metres of water.
But this demand, for 103 cubic meters, is for €353.

I reckon they are charging for discharging to mains sewer; however, we have a fosse septique.

Can anyone please help?

@lebeuil1
The Bill should give you a complete breakdown of exactly how the charges are arrived at …

Are you able to scan and post such details of your bill on this thread ?

We got our bill on Friday with an apology for lateness. Sent by email from SIVOM.

Haven’t had our Tax d’hab yet - not sure when/how that will arrive.

if this is your main residence and you live in France, hasn’t the TdH been abolished? TF still exists of course…

Maison secondaire. Essentially we’ve not had any ‘house tax’ yet, having bought in Feb last year. I suspect that we’re going to have to get in touch directly with the impots.

@Ancient_Mariner
If you were not the Owner 1st January 2022… then I think you are not going to receive the THab Bill…
On the face of it… it’s the person who owns the property 1st Jan… who pays the THabitation Bill.

Thus the TH 2022 would be issued in the name of the Seller … unless it was his Main Residence and the tax was not applicable.

As your Maison Secondaire…you will be due to receive the TH Bill 2023 in the autumn of this year.

edit: be interesting to see this play out…

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Thanks Stella. And Tax Fonciere?

BTW our water bill was for the first half of 2022 - still waiting for the second half bill. :stuck_out_tongue: