DEAR Editor,-
My wife and I are pensioners living in Leisure Bay.
Our normal water bill averages approximately R320 per month.
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Ugu Municipality failed to read our water meter or issue invoices for four and a half months.
Each month my wife phoned and was given a sum which we paid – this turned out to be the basic water rate.
In June we received an invoice for a massive R3 224,45.
Ugu had invoiced the whole consumption for four and a half months on the June invoice (208 units)
This resulted in rate one and rate two penalty consumption rates being charged.
My wife went to the Ugu offices in Oslo Beach to sort out the issue and the receptionist was rude, unsympathetic and could only remark: “You have to pay the bill. Are you going to pay the bill?’’
Surely the consumption should have been spread over the four and a half month period, thus avoiding the penalty rates.
I am sure there are many consumers in the same predicament.
Is this legal? My opinion is that Ugu is charging us excessively for its incompetence and inability to send monthly invoices.
Do we have to pay this excessive bill? Comments from the well-informed would be appreciated.
DEREK AND PAULINE ANTROBUS
Leisure Bay.
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