I have lately noticed advertisements from Melita Cable encouraging customers to pay a year television service in advance and receive a month free. About a year ago, I was one of those customers who decided to take this service; obviously I was told that this way I will have a hassle free year during which I would not receive any bills from Melita until 13 months after.

What a lie! One day in February I received a bill. At first I thought my year had elapsed but upon checking my receipts I found that only four months had gone by. I phoned Melita Cable. After waiting on the phone with an answering machine repeating how important my call was for the company for 25 minutes, someone answered me. Upon telling them about my problem the person on the other side said that I shouldn’t worry, that he took a note, and that I won’t be receiving any more bills.

But after two months I received another bill; higher obviously. I again did the same call only this time it took me about four calls (over an hour on the phone) to get through to someone. Eventually they said that again the bill was sent by mistake and again that I wouldn’t receive any more bills. After two months, I found a bill, this time for Lm51.78. I also received a reminder to pay my bill immediately or all my services will be cut off.

Taking into consideration I have television, telephone and computer service with Melita I started to panic. This time the person I spoke to on the phone continued to insist that according to their computer I had to pay for the last six months because I had not really paid for a year. I was told that I must be stupid to think I had paid for a year because on their efficient computer it was not stated so. She said the only way she could believe me was if I took my bank statement, which showed that I had really made a cheque in Melita’s name back in October for a year’s payment.

So I had to go to the Embassy complex on a Saturday to show them that I had paid a year in advance. Again I repeated everything in person to someone in charge of accounts there. She eventually passed me to the supervisor there, to whom I repeated again the entire story, showed her my bank statements and Melita receipts that I had really paid for a year.

She finally admitted that someone had inserted wrongly the amount on my cheque, and this resulted that their computer showed them that I had only paid for four months instead of 13 months. She assured me that all will be amended and I won’t be disturbed again.

But punctually I received another bill this time for Lm74.77 plus a couple of reminders of termination of service. Again I called. This time it took me four phone calls because each time after hanging on for 20 minutes I got fed up and hung up. Eventually I got through but this time the person I spoke to cut me off and did not return my call when I left her a message on the answering machine. So eventually I went back to the Embassy to the same supervisor, again reminded her all the story and again was told that the mistake will be amended.

But I received a bill again, another reminder and again I went to the same supervisor after two months. Finally she told me that it’s impossible for her to change the mistake in my bill before the end of November when the year payment would have elapsed! Why? Because that was the way their computer system worked! Couldn’t anyone have checked and told me this back in February?

The supervisor told me she’d talk to her manager with regards to a compensation for all the hassle I went through this year and get back to me in a week. This was six weeks ago and I heard nothing from Melita. So obviously, as I had told the supervisor I decided to write my experience with Melita’s Customer service in the papers so the new customers who decide to pay for a year in advance will know what to expect!

Sue Bonnici

Birzebbuga