Arms Ltd failure is government failure - PL

Dennis Zammit

Sep 13th 2010, 21:39

Just received an email from ARMS stating that since they allegedly called twice at my home during my normal working hours; 8.00-1630, without leaving any note in the letterbox of their attendance and without leaving a note for another appointment, they are slashing me with a Legal Notice from 1948 (62 years ago) which states that if the meter reader cannot read the meter, then they decide an estimate and the estimate is actual.

Where have they come to now!! Since my meter was never read, being a new service, how can anyone come up with an estimate and worse than that, declare that fictitious estimate and actual reading and effective for payment?

Dear Prime Minister . . . sack them all tonight before tomorrow. You are being dragged into ARMS's inefficiencies which seems to be a PANDORA BOX.

Joseph Vassallo

Sep 13th 2010, 18:42

If the Hon P.M. is seriously apologising for these utility failures and wants to comply with EU directives on the rights of individuals supposedly being served by ARMS Ltd, he should start by revoking L.N. 165/2006 which dictates that complaints against WSC/Enemalta/ARMS Ltd can only be handled by the Malta Arbitration Centre against whose decisions there is no possibility of appeal. The European Convention on Human Rights requires that each member state must provide an independent body that will quickly, CHEAPLY and efficiently, process complaints and provide redress. Developed countries have consumer tribunals and Ombudsman offices. Malta Arbitration Centre has a minimum charge for a referred complaint (mandatory if you please) of €116.47 (non-refundable). Does that sound cheap to you people? In UK, a drawn-out complaint I referred to the Ombudsman against my energy supplier, cost me nothing, but here I stand, overcharged for the last three years by some 30%, being told that I have to pay to obtain a refund. The Ombudsman in UK awarded me my refund plus £200 for my troubles. Think about that, Dr Gonzi and Dr Fenech, would you please?

Muscat Pat

Sep 13th 2010, 18:13

Government blaming ARMS Ltd ? "Il-Hmar iwahhal f'denbu"!

N Muscat

Sep 13th 2010, 17:35

Il hajja hekk ,min jaghmel li jrid....u min ma jistax jghix bil kwiet....povru il-malti....allahares ma jkollokx biex thallas ghax iddamdmuk......Dr Gonzi dur dawra madwarek u ghara xi kjask u gungla ghandek f'dan il-pajjiz ...Qrati ma jwahhlu xejn li min haqqu....u l-istess jaghmlu l-gharja ma xi ragel li jkun qabizilu il-mantiniment...povru il-gahan malti...tlifna id-drittijiet kollha!! thanks to GONZIPN

j.schembri

Sep 13th 2010, 17:31

The biggest was the way the government had unjustifiably raised utility bills, even when the price of oil had been falling. Hekk tghid Marlene Pullicino. Nistaqsi jekk u meta hija jew xi hadd iehor ikun ministru jew seg. parlamentari il-P.L. se jrahhas il-kontijiet tad-dawl u l-ilma? Jekk iva tghidilna min fejn se jgib il-flus, se jaghmel taxxi gooda biex jaghmlu tajjeb? Marlene mill-paroli ghal fatti hemm bahar jikkumbatti u lil tal-labour nafuhom daqs kemm nafu lil tal-P.N. Jiena wiehed min dawk li nezercita l-vot ghax huwa dritt u dejjem ivvutat fejn bejn tnejn hziena ghazilt l-ahjar. L-elezzjoni li jmiss nahsiba differenti u ma mmurx nahli hin sabiex nivvota.

m.farrugia

Sep 13th 2010, 17:24

@Charles Micallef Erba sighjat biss biex tinqeda huma ftit meta wiehed jkun ilu jikteb sabiex jircievi il-kont aktar minn 14 il-gimgha. Ircevejt kont esagerat ta' mijiet ta liri għal post maluq. Il-meter qatt ma inqara f'15 il-sena. baghat diversi emails lil customer care u dejjem ircevejt l-istess risposta. Wara li kkumentajt fuq stazzjon tar-Radju tal-P.N. f'programm li kien hemm ufficjal tal-ARMs tlett tijiem wara ircevejt telefonata mill-customer care biex nispjega l-problema tiehgi. Nghatat appuntament meta inspector kellu jigi fil-post. gie. iccekja ghal affarijiet tieghu u qalli kollox insolvu. Xahar wara rcevejt telefonati u staqsewni jekk kontx applikajt sabiex inehhi l-arlogg tal-ilma. Infurmajtu li kont applikajt sena u nofs ilu u tnehha 9 xhur ilu. Qalli kollox sewwa mela. Sal-lum, minkejja l-ispezzjoni il-kont ghadu qed jinhadem u ma wasalx ghandi. Inefficjenza grassa min-nara tal-ARMS. Jiena nahseb li din l-agenzija saret sabiex certi nies li kienu fl-enemalta hadu promotion u xejn aktar. Bqajna bl-istess mentalita. Xejn kontroll, u kulhadd jaghmel li jrid. Pajjiz tal-mickey mouse.

John F. GALEA - San Gwann

Sep 13th 2010, 17:20

Customer serrvices at ARMS Ltd are in the dolldrums, these could not be worse. Managment is to blame and should be brought to book and perhaps replaced. Unfortunately, as yet, Arms have no competition so it affords to be arrogant and runs roughshod on all of Malta and Gozo residents. We cannot go and seek same service from another company, its hobson's choice imposed on us all. Also, we suffer of another substandard customer services from a telecomunications company, however, in this sector, we do have a choice to opt for better services from other companies. It is high time that State appointed Regulators intervene and perhaps start withdrawing licenses.

Charles Micallef

Sep 13th 2010, 16:49

No wonder the nation is up in 'arms' about the incompetence of ARMS which exploit their customers’ time when they attempt to settle their electricity bill.......!

Where are the consumer’s rights? If this payment system was introduced anywhere else in the world the bills simply would not be paid and there will be so many of Enemalta clients (using the word clients loosely)and they will not be able to act,

Waiting 4 hours to settle a bill is down right arrogant and disrespectful towards the customer in any language!

gcForte

Sep 13th 2010, 16:37

To make it clear...Those who are benefiting from the energy vouchers,given every time we receive a bill, ARE NOT entitled for the one time energy benefit. So, if you are depending on the government social benefits, while the cost of living is getting higher everyday, your income are decreasing everyday, because the government are not compensating every time. That is why the poverty line is getting bigger day by day.

Joseph E Briffa

Sep 13th 2010, 16:01

I hear that one can take the vouchers with him/her and settle the bill at all the Post Offices. The total value of the vouchers is simply deducted from the bill and the balance settled. and the whole thing can be done in 10 minutes. If there is this facility what makes people go to Luqa and wait for hours in a long queue in this summer heat? I am led to believe that a lot of people simply have time too much time on their hands and nothing better to do. They seem to love these charades and make a party out of it.