Consumers taken aback by water and electricity bills, which stipulated a payment time window of just 15 days rather than 45, can breathe a sigh of relief because the incongruence will be "revised", according to the Finance Ministry.

Bills issued by the newly-formed billing company Arms Ltd, a joint venture between Water Services Corporation and Enemalta, had a payment date printed beneath the amount due that was only 15 days away from the invoice date. However, at the back it was stipulated that the bill could be paid up to 45 days from the date of invoice.

Confirming the payment time window was still 45 days, the Finance Ministry said instructions were given so that the payment date would be revised to reflect this. The company had received a number of complaints on the matter as did The Times.

A spokesman said the invoices issued by Arms Ltd were not erroneous but reflected the wording of the Electricity Supply Regulations.

The regulations stipulate: "If an account or a request for payment, duly presented to a consumer, is not paid within 14 days of its presentation, or if the deposit required in terms of regulation eight is not made within 14 days of the request, the supply of current to any account held by the said consumer may be suspended without any previous notice being given."

However, the same regulations give consumers 45 days from date of invoice to pay their bills but if they don't, interest on outstanding payments will be charged from the 15th day onwards.

The legalese has only helped to confuse consumers and now the company is in the process of changing its invoices to reflect the 45 day time window.