The notion of providing customers with pieces of hardware equipment and demanding a refundable deposit in return has ingrained itself into the Maltese society during the past couple of decades. A typical example of this situation is the deposit paid on set-top boxes necessary to watch television channels or modems for internet connectivity. When a customer opts to terminate the agreement with any of the two main service providers, they are requested to return the hardware to receive their deposit back.

Generally, the system has worked well and presenting the hardware usually suffices for the company to issue the refund since the different hardware used makes the set-top box easily identifiable. Nevertheless, simple things still manage to complicate themselves and such a circumstance presented itself last week with regards to gas cylinders and the necessity of conserving the gas cylinder deposit receipt was never of paramount importance for customers, until now.

Customers are now faced with a situation which has all the indications of hampering competition forces in a liberalised market while going against the established practices of refunds on hardware. Liquigas is refusing to issue full refunds to customers wishing to return back their gas cylinder without a valid receipt. Presumably, the issue arose after customers decided to switch providers and opt to purchase gas cylinders from the new company which has just started operations, Easygas.

In the first instance, this is an unfortunate situation for customers who were hoping that competition would bring down the cost for liquid petroleum gas. It is more unfortunate for customers when one realises that Liquigas should not be objecting to refunds in the first place since the practice of returning gas cylinders should be a straightforward affair.

The incumbent company itself last week stated that gas cylinders painted yellow and green belong to it. Thus it can be naturally deducted that whoever wishes to return a yellow or green cylinder, which by default belongs to Liquigas, should expect the full €25 refund payable.

It is somewhat senseless for Liquigas to argue that customers are not entitled to a refund unless they produce a valid receipt. Green and yellow cylinders undoubtedly belong to Liquigas since these were inherited when it took over gas operations from Enemalta Corporation and customers are entitled to a full refund for these cylinders. Obviously, customers producing a valid receipt are bound to obtain a refund without a problem.

The reality is that households and businesses have had no option throughout all these years and could only use Enemalta gas cylinders which have now become property of Liquigas. Thus, this company should not have any issue with refunding in full customers returning yellow or green gas cylinders. The company seems to fear competition and the issue of withholding a full refund look like feeble attempts to protect its market share. Irking customers in this way will only serve to reinforce the decision to switch to the new company. Competing on the level of service provided, customer care and price should work to retain a loyal customer base.