In his letter entitled Water and electricity bills (TMID, 12 March), Giovanni De Martino from Mosta complained that although he had paid a bill dated 3 January, his subsequent bill received some four weeks later did not have the previous amount deducted.

We checked our records and discovered that we received (or rather cashed) Mr De Martino’s cheque dated 30 January, on 6 February. By coincidence, this was the same day that we sent him his February bill, which is why his January payment had not been deducted.

Mr De Martino would have been given this simple and reasonable explanation had he bothered to enquire by using our freephone 8007-2222 service, or sent us an email asking for a clarification. Instead, he jumped the gun and wrote to the press without checking with us first.

Stephen Zerafa

Head Public Relations

Water Services Corporation