John Carmel Navarro, Senglea
How long must we put up with Arms?
ARMS, which has undertaken the billing and customer services roles in regard to the water and electricity bills, is simply not coping with all the complaints. Every day horror stories emerge of people finding it impossible to receive any response (I speak from personal experience; I have been waiting for a reply for well over two months). It has now gone beyond a joke. This is not a political colour issue, it is total incompetence by those who are responsible.
The blame has to be laid at the door of the ministry responsible. Surely a trip to their offices would very quickly expose the state that the billing system has become, and it's a lottery. Bills seem to be dished out like confetti, with little or no time for the recipient to pay.
Letters from Arms personnel in the media have proved totally futile even when promises are made in print to look into particular cases. It is time for someone who was elected by the people to deal with and sort out the shambles. I think that the Ombudsman has a duty to act on behalf of the Maltese people.
The government is very lucky that we Maltese, although totally dissatisfied with the service, are still paying the extortionate and incorrect bills. I wonder what would happen if every citizen elects to make a stand.
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John Inguanez
May 21st 2010, 18:21
Arms has been established for more efficient handling of billing. We are in May they were efficient to send my bill which I have paid. But they have been INEFFICENT TO THE UTMOST of not sending me the receipts for two bills I have paid in February - THREE MONTHS. Could any one from ARMS, armed with the latest technology, tell how much it takes to input an amount in a computer and print the receipt. Not more than 10 seconds, I have been waiting for three months, and how long I have to wait, I don't know.
Paul A. Camilleri
May 21st 2010, 18:06
I strongly recommend that ARMS Ltd., should copy the same customercare service of GO PLC and HSBC. I think that ARMS LTd., needs someone with experience in this field. If all this is lacking due to Management deficiencies, then off with their heads and have them replaced without further delay.
R Axisa
May 21st 2010, 17:52
I have been phoning 188 and 80072222 for 2 days. 188 always engaged and 80072222, either engaged, or if I manage to get through, no one answers the phone! I just gave up! Is this the service offered by a supposed new company?? ARMS - nispera li ma jridux iffissru xi par idejn sodi! Mill-hazin ghall-aghar, jew ahjar, minn got-tagen ghal gon-nar!
Adrian Borg Cardona
May 21st 2010, 17:49
I spoke about this situation last weekend with my brother-in-law who lives in in Canada. He tells me that there they can switch from one energy provider to another online. Bills come in regularly and there are no problems with billing. Can you imagine ARMS dealing with such a situation? They can't even cope with 400,000 people! My last bill was up to November. Will I get some'bomba' bill now demanding payment within 15 days?
laurence schembri
May 21st 2010, 17:19
Arms Ltd is Waterservices under an alias name and nothing more. My last bill was received last July, eleven months ago, since then zilch. some eight years ago we were promised two-monthly bills and nothing happened, now I`ll expect a full year bill and I`m expected to pay it in a lumpsome, in Malta most things never change, or if they do for the worse, Arms is a fine example.
Peter Shaw
May 21st 2010, 16:48
ARMS: Archaic , Really , Mismanaged, Strategy
P. Mallia
May 21st 2010, 15:30
Comments are superfluous. Action is what is needed. With all the grumbling why don't we take to the streets and settle this mess once and forever. Bring the Government down. For fairness sake, this is what we need really!!!! For our sake, it would be better if we do something about it, otherwise we are going to end up in a state of misery and usury!!!!
Come on all you gruntled Maltese - Just do something otherwise we are losing our hold!!!!
Charles Sammut
May 21st 2010, 14:52
I agree that it is a nightmare if one calls personally at the Luqa Head Office. Hundreds of people waiting outside for hours on end. A scene out of a third world country; which we are after all.
However, by persistenty dialling their freephone number, I managed to get through and got a good and prompt service. One has to be fair to the poor sods wo/manning the phones.
But you need a handsfree telephone with automatic redial facility.
R.Lewis
May 21st 2010, 12:04
I have been trying to get hold of water services/Arms for the last 2/3 weeks without success. All I need is to make another appointment with the meter reader cause I already made one in January and it looks I made it for nothing cause the bill for a closed premises still came to €960. It is impossible to get hold of them over the phone. I also sent 3 emails without even getting a reply. Sur Ministru if you are responsible for this Corporation take action and make sure things improve because this is unacceptable. One phones up and stay on the line listening to that terrible music for 15 minutes for nothing after of course pressing all the numbers on the phone set.
R.Lewis
May 24th 2010, 19:58
Incidentally this morning I managed to get through to the meter reader on the first attempt. Well done for the improvement.
Joseph DeGiovanni
May 21st 2010, 11:39
I wrote an email complaining about a delay in sending me a bill on the 11th March. I received an answering email on the 11th May. Eventually, I did receive the bill which I paid immediately. A month later I received the same bill all over again. How's that for service?
Godfrey Camilleri
May 21st 2010, 11:35
Arms Ltd is not a private company but still an Enemalta/WSC prodigy. Otherwise it would have been impossible to be to inefficient. I have the same problem with my direct debit mandate form.I signed it ages ago, bills keep coming showing that I have not yet paid (I expect that I will soon be charged interest!), attempts to phone are futile, sending emails is futile.......a complete mess. I keep being informed that they will soon get on top of the situation, but with every day they get more and more snowed under. The Minister responsible MUST intervene and not keeping feeding us statements that all is under control.
Tony Gatt
May 21st 2010, 14:19
If ARMS is still government-run, who is the minister responsible?
Simon Robinson
May 21st 2010, 11:32
I completely agree, why should the general public pay vastly inflated prices compared to our European cousins because a few persons negotiated bad terms for our energy supply. However the fault must also surly fall at the feet of the common local citizen who continues to accept this disturbing situation. As there is no sign in our general cost of living decreasing, or our salaries rising to counter this! It is simple economics, soon the majority of households will not be able to balance there income with basic spending!
Yvette Bugeja Ferro
May 21st 2010, 11:11
Last January my elderly mother filled and signed forms, presented my late father's will, together with his death certificate in order to change the billing name from my late father's to my mother's name. At ARMS she was told that now everything is in order and she should be receiving the water and electricity bills in her name. But bills still keep coming in my late's father's name. I try to call ARMS on behalf of my mother but unless you can spare a day off and stay gluded to the phone you can never get through. WHAT A SERVICE!!
s shaw
May 21st 2010, 16:31
Ms Bugeja Ferro
My father passed away on January 1999 and my mother still recieves the bill on his name !!!!!
Kevin vassallo
May 21st 2010, 11:04
Some 6 months ago I signed a mandate form so that my bills would be settled by direct debit from my bank a/c. Guess what? No such settlement was ever effected and instead I chose to settle through the WSC website. I tried contacting customer service a zillion times to clarify the issue so as not to risk double payment. I never got beyond the engaged tone even at 8.01 am !!...So i sent an email with my query on the customer services address. I got a prompt system-generated reply thanking me for my query and promising a reply as soon as possible. Guess what? No reply was ever forthcoming. Its 10 days now and counting !
Daniel Jones
May 21st 2010, 10:27
Not only are complaints ignored, when you do finally get through to the customer service helpline printed on the bill, the people on the end of the line tell you that they cannot deal with your query and / or give you completely incorrect advice as to what to do.
This ARMS service is completely useless. I assume the government has contracted out the income collection service to a third party provider. Well now its time to sack this incompetent organisation and employ professionals.
All you are advised to do when presented with a bill with a reading far in excess of the actual reading is to pay the amount on the bill and it will be taken off the next one. - Yeah sure, and when the next one is wrong also,? and the one after that!
I think the PN has already thrown in the towel and know they have no chance at the next election and have stopped caring about the citizens. Examples:
1. Non-existent public transport reforms.
2. Corruption in the VAT office
3. Failing infrastructure - constant powercuts
4. Spiraling inflation
5. Increasing utility bills with falling standards
6. Loss of EU funds
7. etc.
Peter Shaw
May 21st 2010, 10:22
Maybe Mr Sean Barbara of ARMS can give us an explanation for this disgraceful situation. He was quick to reply to letters on this matter.