Utility 'Rant'

I guess occasionally we all like to have a laugh and a giggle about utilities, the way in which they bill confusingly, the frequent up-front payment of standing charges, the great deals that actually are not so great, the regimented bullying collection strategy and all too frequent ‘estimated’ readings and charges.

I have an admission to make – historically I have left payment a little late on occasion, a reaction I guess to frustration at service levels and continued pressure to meet their driven demand to cut cost.

In May 2013, I received yet another marketing splurge from BT suggesting I switch to paper-free billing. I had of course already committed to pay by direct debit each month, in an effort to avoid what I felt were added charges to cover any expected late payment.

The letter says that from 1^st July 2013 BT will charge a fee for BT Broadband customers who get a paper bill each month to cover, (wait for it).... costs such as printing and postage. This will be £1.50 for each paper bill sent from this date. It says that it currently emails me when my bill is ready and also sends me a more detailed paper bill each month. It tries to sweeten the notification by saying I would get access to extras like BT SMartTalk and BT Cloud too.

Its interest is not in saving trees as it suggests I log on and print my bills. They are simply passing a cost on to me that in the past would be an accepted supplier cost. I want to know the amount they are taking out of my account and should not have to log on and fish for this information.

So, here we are in a situation in which the consumer is being forced to pay a supplier’s direct costs in operating, ergo print and postage costs. This is daylight robbery.

Okay, so I am computer savvy but what happens to those millions of people that do not have access to computers or the web? Their only recourse is to pay a bill that arrives in the post, for which they will now be charged an extra £1.50.

Southern Electric billed me as usual for the quarter on another estimated reading (it was estimated in the prior quarter too). Seven days later of course the expected reminder hit the mat and 7 days thereafter a ‘notice of disconnection’. I had in the meanwhile paid the bill after the first reminder.

I marvel at the skills in collection strategy here, they must be so refined and honed to work in such robotic fashion with threats of disconnection, visits to collect with added charges and also additional costs to reconnect supply.

Utilities stuff you and get you to pay not only for what they supply but some of their costs too, they bill you frequently on estimated readings and then threaten to cut you off and to cap it all, fail to respond to client issues via wholesale outsourced call centres that keep you on hold for ages and then fail to respond adequately.

Next time I get an estimated bill, I may respond by saying I’ll pay an estimated amount. In the meanwhile, I’m not giving BT the chance to charge me an extra £1.50 a month but they can expect more demanding information on call charges and bolt on supposed packages.