It’s that time of year again when municipalities (certain persons inside municipalities, certain debt collectors acting for municipalities, certain disconnection contractors, and sometimes even fraudsters outside of municipalities too) take the opportunity to attempt to extort money from municipal clients because they know that at the end of November many people get bonuses, and they want to monopolise on the cash available to boost debt collection.
We would like to remind our customers at this time that it is imperative that you have properly raised your query/dispute with your municipality, and that whilst this dispute/query is pending, if you have complied with all of the relevant laws pertaining to making payments of the average/undisputed amounts, you ought to be protected from credit control (including disconnection). Theoretically you will be safe, from a legal perspective at least.
Sadly, however, law and practice are not always the same thing. Even if you have followed the laws to a tee, you still might be unlawfully threatened with disconnection or even actually disconnected.
This communique is intended to remind you how best you can protect yourself. Unfortunately, there is no protection against fraudsters, corrupt officials and ‘mistakes’.
Here are three very important articles, from our archives, that deal with how to log a query/dispute:
We wish all of our clients and members of the public an unlawful disconnection free festive season!
