Southern Water prefers payment by direct debit and offers a discount of £5 per annum off your bill if you sign up for this method of payment.

Unable to resist this magnificent offer I duly signed up. They sent a payment schedule - and guess what? When I totted up the payments, they came to exactly the same as the original bill.

I rang, but after 30 minutes of waiting (after connection, so it was costing me) I gave up and sent an email to the accounts address.

That was two weeks ago but, apart from an automated acknowledgement, I've heard nothing.

I wonder how many others are not getting their discounts and do not even realise it.

  • Terence Reed, Graham Close, Portslade