If you notice that your payment was declined or rejected, or if you received a notification about it, don’t worry! Here are a few steps to help you resolve the situation quickly.
🧐 Check your account details
The first step is to verify the payment details you entered. Make sure that:
The recipient account number (Colonies) is correct. To do this, check your invoice or your tenant portal (under the "My Payments" tab) for the correct IBAN. Remember, you cannot use any IBAN other than the one assigned to you – it is strictly personal.
Your account has sufficient funds to cover the payment and was adequately funded at the time of payment.
🏦 Check your bank restrictions
Some banks may set limits on payment amounts, monthly caps, or restrictions for international payments. Check your banking app or contact your bank to ensure there are no blocks related to these criteria.
⚠️ International bank accounts: Some international banks may flag these transfers as potentially fraudulent (especially for first-time payments). If this happens, inform your bank that the recipient bank account is trustworthy.
You can also use our partner WISE by clicking on the following link: https://wise.com/invite/ahpc/fa34ed0
As a last resort, it may be necessary to open a French bank account. There are digital and secure solutions.
Many Colonies tenants open a bank account with our partner Revolut to easily pay their rent and simplify their purchases during their stay in France or Belgium.
💳 Try a different payment method
If you are having problems with your direct debit, you can try another payment method for the rent in question. Try paying the rent by bank transfer. You can also set up a monthly automatic transfer via your banking app.
Please note: If you activate SEPA direct debit, it will apply from the following month's payment, but you must activate it more than a week before the 1st of the following month.
📞 Contact us
If the issue persists after checking the details, reviewing your banking authorizations, and trying a different payment method, contact our team via your tenant portal. We will assist you in finding a solution.
⏳ Pay as soon as possible
It is important that the payment is made promptly to avoid any late fees and to ensure that you meet your contractual obligations.
(1) Tenants are free to choose their preferred payment method and banking intermediary, in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in their rental agreement.