How do non-residents cope with paying electricity bills in Italy? Our electricity was recently cut off by ENEL for non-payment of bills. We hadn't paid because we hadn't received any bills! The backlog of bills was eventually traced to the local post office, but our property manager had to spend hours sorting this out with ENEL and queuing at the post office to pay. We could have our bills paid by direct debit from our post office account (Poste Italiane) but we have been told that to do this you have to be a resident. As the house is not our prima casa, we do not want to declare ourselves resident, especially as we only visit it 3 times a year.
Here are member responses:
You need to check this with the post office, as this would be the best way to manage the problem. When I bought my holiday home I opened a bank account, solely for paying the gas and electric bills by direct debit. I know it's an expensive way, because of the phenomenal standing charges that the bank levies, but it does give me peace of mind on the bill-paying front. I top the account up whenever I'm over, and it has the added bonus of giving an emergency cash supply. Also, it is sometimes useful to pay by cheque for some larger items bought in Italy, or if you have work done to the house.
Enter the electric company web site, get yourself an user ID and password. Enter the selection to pay online and pay with your credit card. While you are online, make a request to get your bills electronically to your email.
We pay by direct debit through our bank account and we are not residents. We have been doing this for more than five years now. I don't think that there is any restriction regarding direct debit and we always do this providing that the payee accepts it. I do not know whether the post office account allows for this as we are not with them. We possibly pay more in account fees and charges, but service-wise it is an advantage, particularly when you are not a permanent resident.
We too pay our bills via DD from our Italian bank account and have always done this. However, if you register on the Enel site it is possible to have your bill sent via email rather than to receive a paper copy - it is exactly the same format as the paper version and on one of the pages it lists the various payment methods - it states it is also possible to pay via bank transfer, all the account/IBAN numbers etc. are provided and it does say you can pay via credit card if you are registered via the Enel site. So I would ask to receive your bill via email, that way you will get it wherever you are and also speak to them and see if either of these alternative methods of payment are open to you as non-resident, I would have thought at least one of them is!Â
We too pay our Enel and water bills by direct debit through the bank, and so far no problems at all. I can log on to our bank account and can also pay other bills through them from England. Does make life simpler.
I have managed to register online with Enel, but they say you can only pay online with an Italian-registered credit card. Also they will only accept certain cards. We have an Italian Banca posta card but it is Maestro which is not one of the accepted types. I am reluctant to open an Italian bank account just to pay bills.
Is the card for a Poste account? If so can you not pay online on the Postesite via this a/c? The fact you are on the ENEL site at least allows you to view your bills and know they are due. Now all you need is to find some way (person) to pay them. There are Italian (or other Euro) accounts that cost nothing to run, most are online a/c only, but that would be ideal if you can pay via the account. Think ING, Poste Click and Intesa are/have such accounts.
I pay ENEL by DD and also registered with them on-line. I get an email from them advising me what the payment will be and when it will be requested, then a further email advising that the bill has been paid. I am happy despite the bank charges as is gives me the peace of mind that nothing will be cut off when I am not there to pay the bills (Gas & Water by DD too). I still get a paper copy of the bill sent to the house in Italy, so have a paper record as well.