Unexplained "credits" on (Veolia) water bills

Property & Home
1

Apologies for a very minor FYI just in case, like me, you are puzzled about certain “credits” appearing on your water bills…

I was recently pulling together several years worth of water bills* and noticed, ahem, rather late in the day, that on some, but not all bills, I was being credited with amounts of +/- €100. This is stated as ‘l’acompte ou avance sur consommation sur vos factures’ (ie advance instalments). Although delighted to find amounts reducing my bills, I couldn’t understand either the figures, or the basis for the credits, not having (knowingly) ever made acomptes. I wrote to Veolia and asked them to help me understand what they were.

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They replied:-

“Vous nous avez sollicités pour savoir à quoi correspond l’acompte ou avance sur consommation sur vos factures.
Cette déduction provient de votre facture d’acompte, elle intervient une fois par an au mois de décembre.
Celle-ci est estimée par rapport à vos consommations de l’année précédente à hauteur de 50.
Elle sert donc à réduire le montant de votre facture de solde, réalisée avec le relevé réel de votre compteur. Cette facture intervient quant à elle au mois de juin.”

I had to read it through a few times, as it seemed a rather complicated explanation but - I think - I now better understand what the credits are…It probably wouldn’t do them any harm to explain this on their bills, in case others wonder what’s going on.

  • I need to evidence that I’ve been living in France for every 6 month period since my arrival, for my EU carte de séjour renewal.
2

The December Bill puts things straight… as the June Bill is estimated (and often over-estimated for new accounts).

Once a householder has a decent “client history” with the water company, they seem to manage the “estimated June Bill” much nearer to reality.

Some people pay a fixed amount monthly… me, I pay when the bill drops on the mat :wink:

3

In our village everyone now has a latest generation water meter that is fitted with a battery that enables the water company (Veolia) to accurately read the meter from outside in the street every 6 months. Estimated Bills are therefore a thing of the past.
Apparently Veolia will now only need to access our meter in the cellar once every 8 years to change the battery on the meter. I wish I knew which make of battery they use that lasts 8 years. I must try to remember to ask when they eventually come to do it.

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4

It’s the opposite for us. December is estimated and we get the corrected bill in June. They read the meter the first week of June.

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5

Just confirms what we often say… things might well vary according to where in France one lives.

Our water meter was last read 11 November 2024
and our latest Bill shows the current estimation

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