You can change your date

NEILL FOURIE of Van Riebeeck Park writes:

Every month around the 6th I get an SMS notification from Ekurhuleni to say that my utilities bill is due for payment on the 18th of that month.

Now, I don’t know about other people but I am only paid at the end of every month. Should I not pay by the 18th, then early the next morning my door bell gets rung and a little final notice love letter gets stuck under my nose to say you now owe us another R80 for late payment and having to get someone to deliver the final notice to my door.

And if I don’t pay this additional R80, I get another notice and am charged interest.

I feel this is grossly unfair that the municipality can hold us to ransom and insist that they get paid almost immediately, especially since their service in our area leaves a lot to be desired with daily water cuts and the odd power failures.

Please assist as I am sure there are a lot of other people in Kempton that feel the same way.

Mr Sam Modiba, metro spokesman, replies:

If a consumer fails to pay the full amount due and payable on or before the account due date, the amount is in arrears and a final demand notice shall be sent and be hand delivered to the property address shortly thereafter.

An administrative fee will be levied against the account of a customer in terms of the tariff provisions of the council, in respect of any action taken in demanding payment from the customer.

The council or its duly appointed agents may, in addition to the normal civil legal steps to secure payment of accounts that are in arrears, terminate and/or restrict the supply of water, electricity or in the case of pre-paid electricity, withhold the selling of electricity in terms of the prescribed disconnection procedures, or discontinue any other service to any premises associated with the customer.

On application by the customer, a request for a permanent alternative monthly payment due date can be considered. The customer must supply full personal particulars, including acceptable means of identification, contact details and account number in respect of which the application is made. The extension of an account due date may be moved to any of the following alternative monthly due dates, being 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th or the 30th.