Energy rip-off
The way electricity and gas companies are allowed to charge consumers is a complete disgrace. British households pay what they are told to pay by the service provider on direct debit. This figure is supposedly based on projected usage. Like many bill payers now, I have a significant amount of money (over and above what I spend each month on electricity) stuck in an electricity company account which I can’t have returned to me. The amount I pay on direct debit bears no relationship to my electric usage otherwise I wouldn’t have such a big credit balance sitting in my account. A couple of months ago I was advised my monthly direct debit amount was going up significantly despite having this large balance. Are we not all just providing the cash flow for these companies to run and pay their senior staff huge bonuses? If the government really wants to help us with energy payments, then they need to sort this situation out once and for all.
FJ Holder
London
Poor show BBC
The BBC’s coverage of the Glastonbury festival has been substandard to say the least. How is it possible to have an icon such as Paul McCartney playing live (at his age!) and not to transmit this live? And worse still, it was delayed being put on iPlayer for over a day. If the BBC wants to claim that it represents “good value” for its licence fee, and it doesn’t want to give the government any excuses to take it away, then they had better start putting on a good show.
M Heron
Kent
Bye Bye Boris
What ever happened to the time honoured practice of disgraced leaders falling on their swords? Instead, our Dear Leader jets off to prove what a jolly place Rwanda is as a tourist destination for asylum seekers, how matey he is with other world leaders, and to give lectures on toxic masculinity. At least with that subject he knows what he is talking about! The electorate have few tools with which to send the powers that be a message, but thumping by-election swings are one of them. Johnson suffered two of those on the same day, and lost his party two seats. The people want him to go, and every opinion poll on the subject confirms this. He is a liar, a cheat, and worst of all, a complete embarrassment as our prime minister. If he can’t find the door, it’s time his colleagues showed him where it is.
Marlene Williams
Sussex
Disruptive bank
Like most people trying to keep up with the technological change over the past decade, I have been drawn into using banking apps of the so-called “disruptor” banks such as Revolut, Starling and Monzo. I settled on the first of these and began to use it for both personal and then business banking. After a year or more, I suddenly received a letter stating that both my business and personal accounts were being closed, without any reason being given. I have not changed anything about what I am doing or trading, and nothing I am engaged in is in any way illegal. What’s worse, is that I was told that no further payments into the account would be accepted. To do this without even enough notice to set up an alternative account is simply outrageous. It had an extremely detrimental effect on my business and caused me to lose at least one customer. I have finally managed to get myself sorted out with a proper bank. Disruptor banks indeed!
Name and address withheld
Queen of camp
I thoroughly enjoyed Philip Hensher’s article (Perspective, June ‘22) about a certain type of gay man’s fondness for the Queen. It was on point and I found myself laughing out loud. I wonder if Camilla will take on that mantle when the time comes.
Jo Lindley, by email
