Telephone accounts

Press, 29 May 1981, Page 16

Telephone accounts

Sir,—For some reason, my telephone account was not paid in April and, much to my consternation, my latest account was for two periods (almost $5O) with a ' very peremptory note to say that if it was not paid by a certain date, the telephone would be cut Off forthwith, with a reconnection fee of $2O. AU this withjust three Bays notice! * Any firm, even the M.E.D.. will give you a gentle reminder if an account has not been paid, realising perhaps that anyone can make an omission, but not the Post Office. As a subscriber

for 35 years and not having had this experience before, I resent the treatment and would like to see some improvement in the system. It is no good for one’s blood pressure when one is getting a little older to be threatened in this way. — Yours, etc..

M. E. HEWINSON. May 18, 1981. .

[The Chief Postmaster, Mr D. Page, replies: "An account covering telephone rental to April 15, 1981, was posted to Mr Hewinson on March 11 or 12; payment being due by March 27. As payment was not received by the due date a further account was posted on Monday, May 11, 1981, stipulating the last date for payment to be Friday, May 15. The "peremptory note” advising the possibility of disconnection represents the statutory 48 hours notice in writing to the subscriber. It is mentioned that the practice of sending out reminder notices was abandoned a little over three years ago.”]