Two months ago I paid my mobile telephony bill through internet banking. I paid this bill two weeks before it was due. A month later my mobile line was disconnected. I went to one of the service provider’s branches to check why this happened and the company’s representative told me that the last payment did not appear on their database. I informed them that I made the payment through internet banking. I was requested to present the bank statements to show the payments I made and to confirm that the details I used were correct. After I did this I was assured that the issue would be resolved.

Now the service provider wants me to pay a €20 disconnection fee which I feel is very unfair as I paid the bill before its due date and hence the service was unjustly disconnected. When I complained about this they said that they cannot waive the charge as it is their policy when a service is disconnected.

Q. Do I have to pay this disconnection fee?

A. Since you paid your bill on time and since you can prove when you did the transaction, then it is not your fault that the service provider could not find the transaction in their database.This means that you should not be charged any penalties or extra fees.

You should make this clear to the service provider and if they insist that you have to pay the disconnection fee you may then file a complaint with the Office for Consumer Affairs. You may do so online through the following link: http://www.mccaa.org.mt/en/online-complaints-form .

Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority
Office for Consumer Affairs
Mizzi House,
National Road,
Blata l-Bajda
HMR 9010

Freephone: 8007 4400
Tel: 2395 2000
Enquiries: info@mccaa.org.mt
Consumer complaints: fair.trading@mccaa.org.mt
Website: www.mccaa.org.mt

MCCAA office hours for the public:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8.30am to 12.30pm
Wednesday from 8.30am to 4pm

European Consumer Centre Malta
(For complaints against traders in other EU states)

47A, South Street,
Valletta.
VLT 1101

Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 3pm.

Tel: 2122 1901
E-mail: ecc.malta@gov.mt

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