In December for the first time since CVA was introduced in Valletta I had the comfort of parking inside the gates. I have to say that this seemed to me a great idea and after all the rates are very reasonable.
I had forgotten all about it until the last week of March when I received the bill from CVA Technology Ltd. Oh well, it was only Eur0.82 so I decided to go ahead and pay it immediately. Unfortunately on the bill it said that I had to log on to the internet, register and pay on-line. That’s easy, if you are computer literate, have computer access and an internet connection. Too bad for me at the time I was without internet since I was moving and so I left it a bit on the side. The due date on the bill said 13 April so when I realised that I would not have internet installed in my new house before that date I asked if I could send a cheque. The answer was yes, and I did so.
Settled, or at least that is what I thought till I received a late payment fee, I now had to pay Eur5.82. Oh, sugar, the cheque must have got there late, but how can it be since post usually takes two to three days and I had surely sent it a few days before.
I called CVA Technology Ltd where a very helpful young lady, after hearing what I had to say, asked for my details. After a couple of clicks she answered politely that my payment was received late and that now I had to pay a fine.
Usually I would tend to just reach into my pocket and pay but I could not understand why this delay. I hang up thanking her and wishing each other a nice day, but I kept on thinking. This is daylight robbery. I used a service which cost Eur0.82 in December, was billed in March – that is three months later – I sent a cheque to pay which got there late for some reason and I end up paying Eur6.64, you know that is 810% interest. This must be against the law.
Is there somebody out there who can justify such an absurd situation? I never tried to avoid paying 82 cents, it just happened that after receiving the bill three months late, I must have sent the cheque a few days late myself or maybe was slightly delayed in the post.
Mark A Theuma
Marsascala