# Mexican bank accounts



## jackflash355 (Jul 18, 2011)

Trying to work through the process of opening a Mexican bank account & one item still stands out; "proof of address". As we will be renting to begin with, is it ok to have a utility or light bill without our name on it, do we have to have it verified by someone? Is there any other options?


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2011)

My bank just needed a recent bill (any official bill) with the address on it, and the name didn't matter. Some things make sense here, others (like providing a bill in anyone's name) will never make sense to me. Part of the culture I guess.


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## jackflash355 (Jul 18, 2011)

GringoCArlos said:


> My bank just needed a recent bill (any official bill) with the address on it, and the name didn't matter. Some things make sense here, others (like providing a bill in anyone's name) will never make sense to me. Part of the culture I guess.


Thanks for shedding some light on this, starting to get an idea of how things work or don't.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

GringoCArlos said:


> My bank just needed a recent bill (any official bill) with the address on it, and the name didn't matter. Some things make sense here, others (like providing a bill in anyone's name) will never make sense to me. Part of the culture I guess.


This happens to all renters where the electric, water, or telephone bill isn't in their name. Generally, any bill will be accepted as proof of address if you can provide a copy of the owner's IFE (voter's card) so they can match up the names.


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2011)

joaquinx said:


> This happens to all renters where the electric, water, or telephone bill isn't in their name. Generally, any bill will be accepted as proof of address if you can provide a copy of the owner's IFE (voter's card) so they can match up the names.


When needed, they have just asked me for a copy of a utility bill. No one has yet asked for a copy of the house owner's IFE. Wouldn't help anyway, as the utility bills are all in the name of several other past renters and not in the owner's name. 

The utility bill copies help them do their job and fill another filing cabinet with low value paperwork, and I maintain a lower profile.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

GringoCArlos said:


> . . . as the utility bills are all in the name of several other past renters and not in the owner's name.


Sounds like a bunch of ****** renters. They're the only ones who believe that they should have the utilities in their name. Considering the time and cost of changing the name on the utility, why would anyone do that as a renter?


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## Guest (Oct 1, 2011)

joaquinx said:


> Sounds like a bunch of ****** renters. They're the only ones who believe that they should have the utilities in their name. Considering the time and cost of changing the name on the utility, why would anyone do that as a renter?


Nope, they're all Mexican names. Some renters might have cut off services in their names as they moved out, which means the next one had to go through the hoops to re-establish service. Not many gringos frequent this area other than passing through to somewhere else. I've only run into two other foreigners here in 5 years.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I'm not sure about CFE ... but it's probably like Telmex. The bill is tied to the address ... not the person that opened the account. If you walk out on a Telmex bill and no new renters move in and take it over .... the billing will continue and eventually have to be paid by the landlord or the next renter. Don't pay ... no phone and no Internet

CFE is will just cut the power eventually ... but not Telmex.

In the US the account is tied to your name ... not the address


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## AaronD (Feb 24, 2010)

FACED with a potentially large Telmex bill from a past renter, and the landlord tells you to eat it? If you live in an area with alternate phone and Internet providers, such as a cable company or Wifi provider Axtel, switch to them and avoid Telmex. Not a bad idea to avoid Telmex anyhow. At least in Merida, Telmex is slow by days or weeks to respond to service installation or repairs. If in a small town, consider yourself lucky to have Telmex or just Telcel available.


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

:focus:

I have opened more than one bank account here in Mexico and all wanted was a current utility bill. I asked one banker why since the bill is in the name of the home owner and I'm just a renter. I was told that all it shows is that I have something with an address on it and they need that to verify a mailing location. No other questions asked, no other information given regarding utility bills or current address. Offered to give them a copy of my lease and I was told that wasn't necessary, the utility bill was just fine.

I got the feeling that this was something similar to the military. Just follow the procedures and don't ask questions. _We have the answers, don't confuse us with facts._ :clap2:


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## FHBOY (Jun 15, 2010)

pappabee said:


> :focus:
> 
> I have opened more than one bank account here in Mexico and all wanted was a current utility bill. I asked one banker why since the bill is in the name of the home owner and I'm just a renter. I was told that all it shows is that I have something with an address on it and they need that to verify a mailing location. No other questions asked, no other information given regarding utility bills or current address. Offered to give them a copy of my lease and I was told that wasn't necessary, the utility bill was just fine.
> 
> I got the feeling that this was something similar to the military. Just follow the procedures and don't ask questions. _We have the answers, don't confuse us with facts._ :clap2:


 Ain't it da truth! Ain't it da truth!


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## jackflash355 (Jul 18, 2011)

pappabee said:


> :focus:
> 
> I have opened more than one bank account here in Mexico and all wanted was a current utility bill. I asked one banker why since the bill is in the name of the home owner and I'm just a renter. I was told that all it shows is that I have something with an address on it and they need that to verify a mailing location. No other questions asked, no other information given regarding utility bills or current address. Offered to give them a copy of my lease and I was told that wasn't necessary, the utility bill was just fine.
> 
> I got the feeling that this was something similar to the military. Just follow the procedures and don't ask questions. _We have the answers, don't confuse us with facts._ :clap2:


Don't ask questions, just following the bouncing ball eh.

Thanks.


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## kcowan (Jul 24, 2010)

They just want the valid mailing address. They get this from any utliity bill that you actually received in the mail. Why is that so hard to grasp? Even for gringos?

After all, they are sending you bank statements, not bills.


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