Last year, after our burglary in France, Lady M and Kimbo went over to the house to change the locks, tidy-up the house, and try to make the place secure again.
After a few days work they returned home having turned everything off, locked-up, and mostly cleaned off a white sticky film that covered everything, after the idiots had let-off a couple of Fire Extinguishers all over the house.
Before they locked-up, they drained the water system (it was mid Winter, and there was a risk of pipes freezing), and turned off the main outside tap, leaving the kitchen tap open (as is recommended).
(N.B. The above photo isn't our meter, but a stock photo as illustration only)
Little did they know, however, that the outside tap, on the far side of the meter, which belongs to the French water Co (SAUR), was broken and didn't close properly. When we returned in June, water was running from the kitchen tap.
We phoned SAUR, and they sent their plumber. He replaced their tap, and all was well. Before leaving he wrote on his report that the fault was with THEIR tap. I joked with him about not wanting to pay for all that lost water, as it was basically their fault; he assured me that we wouldn't.
About two weeks ago we received our water bill from SAUR. It was for £1,500.
Since then we have tried to reason with SAUR, but they will have none of it. The water came out of our tap, so we HAVE TO PAY FOR IT.
You can't fight these people, they are typical effing French bureaucrats. When my son went to see them recently he was insulted and in effect told to 'eff off'. So we have decided to pay-up, try to forget about it, and look forwards.
Even so, it makes my blood boil knowing how they've actively cheated us. We did everything right, the broken tap was THEIRS, yet WE have to pay.
I can only imagine what would have happened to us if it had genuinely been our fault!!! The Guillotine?
I'm really beginning to dislike France; and it used to be such a lovely country (50 years ago).
I sympathize, Cro. Yet I am surprised you cave in so easily - and pay up a considerable sum. Sometimes the best way to preserve sanity to just ignore such demands; let it all wash (!) over you. What's the worst that can happen? Not a lot.
ReplyDeleteMain reason why I feel compelled to comment, you can't write off a whole country [in your case France] because of some more or less minor inconveniences. If I did I'd have fled England a long time ago.You talk about French Bureau Crazy. Fact is, every country in the world has their own version of slow burn torture and form filling. Swing with it.
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I'm not going to write about all my complaints about France (which have become annoyingly numerous) until I've quit for good, but I can assure you that my little hamlet has been wrecked by newcomers. For over 45 years it was heaven on earth; now it no longer is!
DeleteFrance is just like many others countries when it comes to paying bills. It doesn't matter who is in the wrong you've got to pay the bill. Water, electricity, phone. IF you're lucky with your complaint you MAY get a refund. If you don't pay up they simply cut you off. It's happened to us. Fortunately not for such a large sum
DeleteMakes your blood boil though!! Even a barrage of annoying phone calls makes little difference unless it's something local and you know someone on the inside
DeleteWe've tried everything, and have had to give-up. There's no point trying to fight these people, even after having admitted it was their own fault.
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