Hello! So nice to have found this website! I hope someone can help me.

I inherited my parents home (condo) in Italy (mom died 4 years ago, dad died recently). I live in the USA, yet I want to maintain the condo in Italy. How do I set up automatic bill paying for the utility companies - gas, electric, water? I have a codice fiscale which I got years ago on one of my visits, but I am not an Italian resident. I speak fluent Italian and I am a USA citizen.
Any suggestions? thanks so much.... D

Hello! So nice to have found this website! I hope someone can help me.

I inherited my parents home (condo) in Italy (mom died 4 years ago, dad died recently). I live in the USA, yet I want to maintain the condo in Italy. How do I set up automatic bill paying for the utility companies - gas, electric, water? I have a codice fiscale which I got years ago on one of my visits, but I am not an Italian resident. I speak fluent Italian and I am a USA citizen.
Any suggestions? thanks so much.... D

Ciao Daniela

Sorry to hear about your parents passing...go to your family lawyer make sure your property inheritance documents are all in order as next of Kin. He or She will advise you as you may need certain documents to take to the bank so that they can set up direct payment. Your lawyer should have records of the bills that were paid on the property. Request also to fill out the proper forms for dual citenship which you are entiled too. It sounds to me your family lawyer has not followed up with you. Thats shameful practise or contact the notaio or lawyer in Italy who handled the property transaction and give it too your family lawyer so he can get all your documents in order.

Salve
Frank Tarsitano

That is an excellent question - I bought my house in Italy last summer and I had to face the same problems -
I have a bank account in Italy however and I filled up the forms from enel ( electricity ) and other utilities so that they can take the money off the bank account automatically - There was also a credit card option but I was not sure if that would have worked since my credit card is US based.
I am going to Italy on Wednesday, let me know if you have a specific question
Paolo

Ciao Frank, Molte grazie... indeed, when my father died this year, I went to Italy in Feb to ensure that the notaio filed the property in my name... when I went to the bank to open an account in Euros, they gladly took my money, however they told me that I could not have direct debit of my utility bills because I was not a resident. (They didnt care that I wasnt a citizen, just that I wasnt a resident.) I temporarily solved this problem with a family member's help, but I am returning to Italy this summer and I need to have a more permanent solution in place. It seems like this is an Italian banking issue rather than a property ownership issue.
Anyway, how do I obtain a certificato di residenza? May I obtain one just by virtue of owning property in Italy or must I actually reside there for an extended period of time?
Thank you so much for your attention to this... I am at such a loss... searched the internet for similar circumstances and I have not found anything.
Daniela

Ciao Paolo,
Going to Italy on Wednesday? how wonderful for you! I have to wait until the summer... however, yes I do have many more specific questions... how were you able to obtain direct debit on your account from the Italian bank - did you have a certificato di residenza, or did they accept the contract/closing papers from your home in ITaly?
When I opened my bank account (as explained to Frank above), I had not finalized the papers with the Notaio for the transfer of the condo to my name yet... I wonder, if I prove to an Italian bank that I own a property in Italy, would they allow me to direct debit my bills? even without a certificato di residenza?
in the meantime, I went to Enel, AquaLatina, etc, - they all were happy to electronically deduct their bills from my bank account - it was the bank who would not allow it because I was not a resident.
Obviously I would want internet access to my bank account - so that I can monitor payments and balances - I dont have that now because a family member is handling it for me in their name.... I need to change all of this.
I have been so discouraged for months now thinking there was nothing I can do...
Daniela

Well are you a double citizen ? I had no problem because I am registered to Aire ( Associazione Italian residenti estero ) so I am treated as a resident even though I am am living in the US -
The bank gave me also a mortgage to buy the property so they did not treat me any different from an Italian living in Italy -
I had no problem at all - I filled up the papers and that was it ! Well - almost - I am now stack with a mortgage in Euro and paying the bills...

Ciao Paolo... I have always wanted dual citizenship and never gotten around to it... both of my parents were born and raised in Italy, they came to the USA and became American citizens just before I was born (I think just before, not after - not sure on the exact dates).
ok, I guess now I will figure out how to get dual citizenship, and I'll look into AIRE... any further suggestions or advice?
Thanks again for your time... I love this website!
Daniela

Ciao Daniela - Parli Italiano ? If you are not Italian AIRE will not help - Call the embassy and get your double citizenship first I would say - It is useful for you and your kids if you have any since at that point you will have the opportunity to work / live anywhere in the USA or Europe -
Thanks for the comment on the website -
Grazie per i commenti sul sito
Paolo

Ciao Paolo, Si parlo e scrivo in Italiano... pero non l'ho mai studiato, percio sono sicura di sbagliare! Since your email I checked out some websites to help me get Italian citizenship... looks like some of it depends on when my parents became American citizens - either before or after my birth. I have both of my parents death certificates (since they were so recent) but I dont think I have either of their birth certificates. Ironically I think I DO have their naturalization forms.
I have a 7 year old and I hope to live in Italy for a year when she is about 10 - just for the experience and pure joy of the adventure! It would be great to have all these proverbial ducks in a row by having the proper documents.
Of course, my immediate need still remains the ability to pay my (utility) bills via an accomodating bank and modern technology.
Daniela

Ciao Daniela
Io ho un figlio di 8 anni ( quello nella foto ) -
Did you try to just fill up the enel and other forms using as a residence the apartment address ??
That is what I did and I have my doubts that they actually went and double check with the AIRE database. Plus there was a field for credit card payment as well -

Tu dove sei negli Stati Uniti ?
Paolo

Ciao Frank, Molte grazie... indeed, when my father died this year, I went to Italy in Feb to ensure that the notaio filed the property in my name... when I went to the bank to open an account in Euros, they gladly took my money, however they told me that I could not have direct debit of my utility bills because I was not a resident. (They didnt care that I wasnt a citizen, just that I wasnt a resident.) I temporarily solved this problem with a family member's help, but I am returning to Italy this summer and I need to have a more permanent solution in place. It seems like this is an Italian banking issue rather than a property ownership issue.
Anyway, how do I obtain a certificato di residenza? May I obtain one just by virtue of owning property in Italy or must I actually reside there for an extended period of time?
Thank you so much for your attention to this... I am at such a loss... searched the internet for similar circumstances and I have not found anything.
Daniela

Ciao Daniela

Prego, as Paolo mentioned and is trying to explain...but let us not confuse residency status with your residency permit. These are two separate issues of course.
Italian Resident status is applied for at your local Italian Consulate. I not quite sure if this is what the Bank requested or just a residency permit certificate which can be obtained from the local commune or post office in Italy.
While I was waiting for my dual Citizenship papers to be finalized, the way I got around your situation was by presenting my property documents to the local commune and requesting they issue a letter (certificate) confirming my address of residence in Italy as a property owner. To be honest, at my local commune did not even what to see my documents because they were aware of my family history in our small town. The secretary prepared a certificate titled (Ceritficato di Residenza) and the mayor signed sealed and certified my residence certificate so that I could show it to who ever requested it in Italy. At that time, I was presenting the certificate to a custom officer at the shipping docks for a container of building materials arriving from Canada to determine how much % IVA to pay. I would call your notaio in Italy and have him or her deal with this request as I understand it to be the same certificate I received and not your residency status. The Notaio should be able straight out the situation with the bank in Italy for you with no problems.
Paolo is right the “faccia di merda” at the Italian bank does not even check to see if you are a Permanente resident of Italy which of course is another issue and as I mentioned that must be obtained and addressed at your local Italian Consulate in NY. If you do go there, I suggest you apply for dual Citizenship which allows you the same privileges of a local Italian resident. It’s great that you are 1st generation born of Italian parents as from my experience with dual citizenship; this is viewed by the Italian Government as having the legal rights to an Italian citizenship. All you have to do is fill out the proper forms, get your Italian (Euro Passport) as well. Besides your codice fiscale having a Italian Passport helps when dealing with the bureaucratic bullshit.
Deciding on a Permanente residency status in Italy
It’s always best to speak to a legal advisor at your local Italian Consulate back home. Discuss your options with an Accountant before choosing a status of citizenship as you may have to determine and consider what effect your status selection will have on your current employment, benefits, income package and tax structure, then out weigh the advantages of the status type selection before making your final decision. Some countries request you give up your residency status at home in order to have another residency status in another country.
For now... I recommend keeping your Permanente residency status in the US until your ready to retire or move to Italy permanetely. Please note when you have dual citizenship no one will bother you in Italy. With dual citizenship you are legally allowed to stay in Italy for up to 6 months each year.

Salve
Frank Tarsitano

Paolo, I live in New Jersey...
As far as the utility companies go, they were happy with any address at all... they basically just needed to know the address of the condo, my name, and the routing number and account number of the bank to debit. It was the bank who said they would not allow the direct debit to pass through the account. (In the USA, they dont check things like this.)

When I go back in July, I will have the finalized "successione" - the legal papers that the notary prepared for me to say I am the owner of the condo. As Frank suggested in this thread, I will contact the notaio before I go and see if he can obtain a residency certificate for me. Then armed with both of those, I will head to the bank.
The only other problem I foresee is that I was told that utility companies send a contract to the residence for you to sign and return when you want a direct debit arrangement... I wont be there that long that I can wait for it, so I'll have to get family to pick up mail and handle those forms.
such beauracracy!!!
Thank you Paolo and Frank! You've been a great help.
Daniela

Paolo, I live in New Jersey...
As far as the utility companies go, they were happy with any address at all... they basically just needed to know the address of the condo, my name, and the routing number and account number of the bank to debit. It was the bank who said they would not allow the direct debit to pass through the account. (In the USA, they dont check things like this.)

When I go back in July, I will have the finalized "successione" - the legal papers that the notary prepared for me to say I am the owner of the condo. As Frank suggested in this thread, I will contact the notaio before I go and see if he can obtain a residency certificate for me. Then armed with both of those, I will head to the bank.
The only other problem I foresee is that I was told that utility companies send a contract to the residence for you to sign and return when you want a direct debit arrangement... I wont be there that long that I can wait for it, so I'll have to get family to pick up mail and handle those forms.
such beauracracy!!!
Thank you Paolo and Frank! You've been a great help.
Daniela

Ciao Daniela

Your welcome, ask your American Bank with which bank in Italy do they deal with as every bank has a contact bank normally it is the central bank of Rome before monies are then transferred to the actual bank branch location in your towns destination. If the teller tells you otherwise they are lazy or full of shit! All branches have their trading codes for transferring funds and they must provide you with that info if you are a client.

One suggestion go to the nearest HSBC Bank they have many locations across Italy and US. I found them to be efficient. I think there is also a Banca Intesse or Banca Commerciale di Italia in New York which you might find even easier to communicate directly to these Utility companies in Italy. It might be worth opening a small account at these banks to serve your purpose. If not what the hell, you could always buy a pair of new shoes in Manhattan and than go home to New Jersey. ;) You deserve a break after all this running around " gira la testa"

Good Luck
P.S Let me know how you make out
Saluti
Frank Tarsitano
www.italysouth.org