# Paying a bill into a French bank account.



## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

We have a mobile home in France which recently had its boiler serviced by a local tradesman.
We are normally in France at this time of the year and would pay the cash when the work was done or leave money with another owner to pay on our behalf.
This year I've got some heart problems and have not been able to go over yet and there is a good chance that we may not go at all.

As previously arranged, the site owners have allowed access to our mobile home for the boiler to be serviced but as we have already told them that we will not be there until at least mid-May (we live in hope!) we have been asked to pay the bill direct through the tradesman's bank account. 

I have a copy of the account and have been asked to pay by "bank transfer on the IBAN" (a long number on the bottom of the account)

I have never been asked to pay this way before. I would welcome help from one of you with the knowledge, to enable me to pay the relatively small sum requested through Nationwide, my bank.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I've used this service and paid using my debit card. It's a good service and not expensive as far as I recall. https://transferwise.com/send-money/send-money-to-france

I did ask my bank but their fee was high.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Should perhaps have mentioned that I also looked at using Caxton since I have one of their Euro cards but they had a minimum amount which I think was €100 which was more than the bill I was paying.


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## Garcia (Mar 5, 2010)

It should be very straightforward using the IBAN. I have done and still do use it many times. Even easier if you have an on-Line account. Do it from the comfort of your armchair. Your bank's online system should have facility for international transfer. Certainly Nationwide online does. Fill in the form with the IBAN and there you go....
Garcia


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## autostratus (May 9, 2005)

Thanks for your replies.
I have sent the payment using transferwise.com and Debit Card
Cost £2 (up to £400 transfer)

Very easy and relieved to get it paid.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I think my bank wanted to charge me £25 when I asked them. That's why I used transferwise.


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

I think my bank wanted to charge me £25 for the transaction I asked about, which was more than the amount I wanted to send.


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

My bank (Santander) charges £25 as well...robbing so and so's!

Graham :smile2:


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## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

autostratus said:


> Thanks for your replies.
> I have sent the payment using transferwise.com and Debit Card
> Cost £2 (up to £400 transfer)
> 
> Very easy and relieved to get it paid.


I use Transferwise for exchanging and transferring cash and for paying bills, and have done for 4 years. No hassles and not very expensive. Information by e-mail at each stage. I have my Debit Card info stored on their system, but for security I have to enter the 3 digits CCV(?) on the reverse of the card for each payment. It takes me about 2 mins. or less for each transaction.

Geoff


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## GMJ (Jun 24, 2014)

Its always a pain trying to explain to some campsites abroad that it will cost me more doing a bank transfer than it will to stay the night. Luckily those without secure servers to pay on, mostly let me pay when I get there. I had to use worldpay which cost €4 or so, once but so far its been mostly OK.

Graham :smile2:


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