Paying water rates by direct debit

I have been trying to dfind a way to pay my water rates by direct debit - I’ve wasted hours on it. Can anyone help. I’m going mad!

I can pay by TIP SEPA or by checque but I’m at a total loss when trying to set up a Direct debit,

Desperate for advice as my French is OK but not brilliant so I’m reluctant to ring Mairie.

Might help if you tell us who your water supplier is?

Some Marie’s haven’t yet set up that facility. We’ve had to pay by TIP until this year, when we can now pay directly by bank transfer (but still no DD).

@Feilds

Our Water Supplier is SAUR. They provided the means to pay by DD… a form to be completed and returned to them with a RIB (if I recall correctly)…

I wonder if other water suppliers do similarly… :thinking: perhaps it is something you can do on-line… in your “personal space” on your Water Supplier’s site.

why not contact your Water Supplier and ask them the question… ??? A simple email, using basic French… short sentences… you should be able to manage that. Remember to quote your water-account details…

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Don’t assume that every supplier accepts every payment method! Recently a UK client decided they wanted to pay their Orange telecoms bills by bank transfer and they asked me to arrange it. I read the Orange website carefully and it offered several payment methods but not that one. However for some reason they were set on paying by bank transfer so they insisted I ring Orange up and ask them for their bank details. I did try, as instructed, but I wasn’t at all surprised to be told in no uncertain terms that this wasn’t an option.

TIP SEPA seems to the preferred payment method of a lot of companies these days. It’s like direct debit but it gives the customer that bit more control. Why not go with that?

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Thanks for suggestions. The Facturation Eau comes from my local offices de Finances Publiqes and I’d prefer a direct debit to save having to sign and post TIP SEPA every time. With a direct debit you can still keep tabs on what is got on but it saves a lot fo hassle.

Sara Feilden
M: 07801 040 759
sarafeilden@gmail.com

Thanks Stella, good advice.

Sara Feilden
M: 07801 040 759
sarafeilden@gmail.com

Most mairies don’t have that, and are still working in the dark ages.

It doesn’t actually come from the local mairie but the regional offices who should SURLEY be able to offer a direct debit by now, shouldn’t they?

Sara Feilden
M: 07801 040 759
sarafeilden@gmail.com

Sara… sorry I’ve just seen you latest info… which makes my post here… rubbish… arrrrgh

At the end of the day it’s up to them what payment methods they offer, no?

Sara… can you put up a photo of both sides of the Bill… (blank out your details of course)… then let us see if we can figure out something…

The TRESOR PUBLIQUE in fact (as that is to whom you make your cheque out, or is written on the order when you send the TIP off). The fact that the local tax offices, which are entrusted with recovery of water rate debts in many communes, is still incapable of offering a mandat de prélèvement, or a DD, in spite of income revenue, taxe d’habitation and taxe foncière all having transitioned to online remote automatic debit setups, is the epitome of France’s 2-speed digital transition.

On the other hand… it could simply be that, bearing in mind how many folk query a water bill… making the User responsible for making payment does at least prove that the User is aware of the amount of water being charged for… rather than something like “I never got the Bill”… :woozy_face: :woozy_face: :woozy_face:

Perhaps this particular part of France/Water Supplier finds the current situation works well… so why change it… (who knows… we certainly don’t) :roll_eyes: :zipper_mouth_face:

Not at all – thanks for taking the trouble to reply. All the responses I’ve heard make it clear to me that I just need to get on with sending that TIP SEPA!!

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Perhaps when you are next in France you can visit the offices and discuss things face to face… even with limited French, if you go prepared it is amazing how things can work out… :hugs:

Good thinking and BTW, I like the hat!

Sara Feilden
M: 07801 040 759
sarafeilden@gmail.com

Ha ha… those were the days… more likely to be a woolly whatsit now… :wink: