I am picking up the keys to my new flat in Perpi on the 11th. The flat was an estate sale, so it’s been empty for a while. The vendors are being useless, all the utilities are switched off.
- I’m assuming I need to nag the bank to get a move on as I’ll need a French bank account to open utilities?
- Is there an easy way to contact the utility companies to open an account?
As the flat is going to be renovated there’s no pressing urgency apart from it being good to be able to use the bathroom while I’m showing builders etc around!
Is there an estate agent involved? I would expect them to help.
But if you don’t have a bank account I don’t know if the utilities can set something up for you.
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EDF didn’t want to know until we had a French bank account and everybody else wouldn’t set up anything until we had an EDF attestation as proof of address.
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If you get an attestation de vente sans prix many companies will accept that for address. But you do need something with a Frence IBAN for bank account.
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Forget EDF, they didn’t want to know us either so went with Mint who arranged everything quickly. Others are available like Octopus who are now also in France.
That might be easiest as I am with Octopus in the UK
Hopefully the French arm has been suitably trained to behave nicely to customers like they do in the UK
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Hmm!
My experience with HSBC France (tried them because I had a First Direct account`) was that they were fully French in their attitude to customer service 
Hmmm would never assume any international company you’ve dealt with fine in another country, or even several other countries, would be at all the same in F.
IME absolutely cannot be assumed.
It was more of a hope than an assumption 
Rebecca, we signed up with local utility companies: Sorégies for electricity and Eaux de Vienne for water. They were both very helpful. Maybe there are similar companies where you are, to enable you to avoid the big ones.
No it can’t - when I moved to Turks & Caicos in 2003 I foolishly assumed that because I had banked with Barclays in the UK for 20-odd years, Barclays over there would welcome me with open arms.
No, they didn’t! “We are a different company” was the response.
I had to get my brother to vouch for me in order for them to condescend to look after my money!
There is a pattern here with banks, is there not?
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Yes and it starts with a W
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Remember that the collective noun for bankers is “Wunch”.
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