San gimignano area, any English speakers?
Aug 8th 2018, 6:03 am
#1
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San gimignano area, any English speakers?
We have just bought a house in Tuscany and I am getting a headache with fathoming out the bills and systems here. The electric bill for one is very high with lots of hard to understand extras and I'm not sure we have been registered for domestic rate or even the right rate etc (can go into more detail if necessary) that is just one thing I am finding hard to clear up, not to mentioned wifi, TASI/TARI/IMU (if I can calculate my own without paying for an accountant). As I have a number of questions I wondered if there is anyone around in this area as it would be nice to get to know other English speakers too, but if not any general advice on the above would be very much appreciated. Thanks
Aug 8th 2018, 8:52 am
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Re: San gimignano area, any English speakers?
Welcome. First thing to do is take a big gulp of air and realise it is you that is the problem and not the systems here! I know it's not what you want to hear, but really it is a lot to take in and buying a new house is in any case (or place) very stressful. It will all sort itself out in the end if you give it time
Okay, electric bill, get out google translate (assuming the Italian is not with you just yet) and see what some of the big items in the breakdown are. I would hazard a guess the television (paid on your electric bill here in Italy these days) is on there at €9 per month for us. Possibly a deposit if you are a new customer. What’s the period and how much was the bill?Taxes on the house you can calculate here on this site. It might take you a while first time around, but you soon learn and it becomes very easy. TARI (rubbish collection charge) you should get a bill for, but you need to tell them at the comune. I take it you are not resident?
Okay, electric bill, get out google translate (assuming the Italian is not with you just yet) and see what some of the big items in the breakdown are. I would hazard a guess the television (paid on your electric bill here in Italy these days) is on there at €9 per month for us. Possibly a deposit if you are a new customer. What’s the period and how much was the bill?Taxes on the house you can calculate here on this site. It might take you a while first time around, but you soon learn and it becomes very easy. TARI (rubbish collection charge) you should get a bill for, but you need to tell them at the comune. I take it you are not resident?
Aug 8th 2018, 9:25 am
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Re: San gimignano area, any English speakers?
Hi Gordieborn thanks that was really helpful, you are so right it is stressful it has taken 10 months but we are delighted now with a lovely barn but now the hard work of making sure all the services are set up correctly, with the help, supposedly of our agent,....umm! So here goes electric bill, I have spent an hour on google translate, it is good but some areas are ambiguous e.g. Spesa per oneri di sisterma - expenses for services, could this include tv license, but what else it seems very high. Deposit was refunded. Tariffa is BTA3 not sure how to find if this is right and what the kW charges are etc. Will we get a refund when they eventually change us to domestic as ATM it says Altri usi in tipologia clients? Sorry this is such s boring first question but maybe others out there will benefit from it too, I'm sure I'm not the first to be confused.
Aug 8th 2018, 10:04 am
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Re: San gimignano area, any English speakers?
It is not boring for anyone wanting to know what they are paying and you are quite right in saying it will help others. I suspect "Spesa per Oneri di Sistema" is admin charges and should be low, unless they are charging you a one off as a new customer? Our last bill it was €5.97. The tv license should be very clearly marked if it is on there, something like "Canone di abbonamento alla televisione per uso privato", ours is bi-monthly and therefore €18. Our total bill for June & July was €64 including the €18 for the tv we do not have and can't be bothered to stop...
I'm sure they used to have a breakdown of the different types of account on their bills, but just looked and it is not there on our latest bill. Perhaps their web site may be of use?
I by the way got " Expenditure on System Charges " from google, but have noted even capitalisation or punctuation can make a big difference.
I'm sure they used to have a breakdown of the different types of account on their bills, but just looked and it is not there on our latest bill. Perhaps their web site may be of use?
I by the way got " Expenditure on System Charges " from google, but have noted even capitalisation or punctuation can make a big difference.
Aug 8th 2018, 12:44 pm
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Re: San gimignano area, any English speakers?
The bureaucracy in Italy is sometimes quite difficult even for Italians to understand and if you don't do what is required you can end up being fined. You could always go along to an English School and ask if they have a translator available. You pay by the hour and the cost is quite reasonable at least in Umbria.
Aug 8th 2018, 1:38 pm
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Re: San gimignano area, any English speakers?
Thank you again, no mention of tv and I think you will agree the bill is a lot at €317 (€ 156 energia, transport, 43 and oneri di sistema is €113 the then tax on top) hence why I am so concerned to sort it, we had a connection bill as well of €60 so only had house for two months and stayed in it for 10 days. Do you mind me asking which energy firm you are with ours is servizio elettrico nazionale. If then next bill hasn't sorted it out then I may have to resort to a translator.
Thanks
Thanks
Aug 8th 2018, 3:28 pm
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Re: San gimignano area, any English speakers?
Hello, my leccy bill averages around 130 per quarter - and that is including the tv licence. I would be surprised if you were on the 'industrial rate' not many private homes are. You could check by doing a load of washing and trying to boil a kettle at the same time. In my house that is enough to blow the circuit breaker.
Aug 8th 2018, 3:34 pm
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Re: San gimignano area, any English speakers?
Same servizio elettrico nazionale , our sub-part of it is called "Servizio di Maggior Tutela" on the bill = old ENEL. Have a look at the bill as it should give you a breakdown of the units and when they were used. €153 for units is high, so have a look also at what period it covers. Did you get a copy of the last paid bill from the old oowner? Was that or your bill paid late?
Aug 8th 2018, 6:45 pm
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Re: San gimignano area, any English speakers?
Hello, my leccy bill averages around 130 per quarter - and that is including the tv licence. I would be surprised if you were on the 'industrial rate' not many private homes are. You could check by doing a load of washing and trying to boil a kettle at the same time. In my house that is enough to blow the circuit breaker.
Aug 9th 2018, 5:38 am
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Re: San gimignano area, any English speakers?
Bills have gone up by over 15% this year and will go again next January by another (POSSIBLY) 20% - It is the smallest bills which are hit hardest. Just so you know where your money is going:
spesa per la materia energia - this is the electricity you use. You will pay per kilowatt hour, on a single or dual system depending on your contract. The more kilowatts you have available (3/4.5/6/10) the more you will pay per Kw hour. If you are non resident you will pay a bit more than a resident per Kw hour.
Spesa per il trasporto dell'energia eletrica e la gestione del contatore - this is a bit of a lie. Its the network fee, but nobody has done maintenance on the grid for years, and most of this fee is given in grants to the largest companies in Italy to reduce their bills. It is not negotiable.
Spesa per Oneri del sistema - <This is the bit that has risen so sharply and is not negotiable. It is you paying for companies to install energy efficient machinery - and other gifts to big business passed by Renzi last Xmas. This will rise further onJan 1st.
You then pay VAT on the whole lot.
If you resident at your address you will have your TV licnece added to that.
spesa per la materia energia - this is the electricity you use. You will pay per kilowatt hour, on a single or dual system depending on your contract. The more kilowatts you have available (3/4.5/6/10) the more you will pay per Kw hour. If you are non resident you will pay a bit more than a resident per Kw hour.
Spesa per il trasporto dell'energia eletrica e la gestione del contatore - this is a bit of a lie. Its the network fee, but nobody has done maintenance on the grid for years, and most of this fee is given in grants to the largest companies in Italy to reduce their bills. It is not negotiable.
Spesa per Oneri del sistema - <This is the bit that has risen so sharply and is not negotiable. It is you paying for companies to install energy efficient machinery - and other gifts to big business passed by Renzi last Xmas. This will rise further onJan 1st.
You then pay VAT on the whole lot.
If you resident at your address you will have your TV licnece added to that.
