On 2008-02-29 18:40:54 +0000, Ed Sirett said:

On Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:28:49 +0000, Andy Hall wrote:

On 2008-02-28 22:37:51 +0000, "Clot" said:

Richard wrote:

Before she became SWMBO my wife was a BG customer and paid by
continuosly variable direct debit. BG consistently increased the sums
debitted and refused to believe any suggestion that they were taking
more than they were entitled so to do. They took no notice at all of
the actual units of gas used. The only way that she was able to get a
refund was to move house and not continue using gas.

This is why I still pay elec and gas bills by cheque and check the
meter readings!

I don't write cheques unless there is no alternative organisation from
which to make a purchase. Last year I wrote two. This year, I hope
not to write any. They aren't necessary and are a distinct disadvantage
to the consumer.

I'm trying to get my customers to pay either cash or by bank transfer.
There is a significant minority of people who I can't get off cheques.
I think I'll have to either offer a surcharge/discount for cheque/bank
transfer. Alas I might even have to turn down customers who write cheques
but I hope it won't come to that.

I agree completely.

Receiving them is even worse than writing them because one has to make
a trip to the bank or use some other time consuming means to pay them
in. Total waste of time, when one considers having to find parking
and paying for it, the time taken queuing in the bank and all the rest
of it.