On Friday 30 May 2014 I received a letter dated 26 May from Karen Benjamin, Revenue Team Leader, Watercare Services Limited, stating “We are writing to advise recently your account was internally audited and it was discovered that you were being undercharged Wastewater fixed on this account; however Watercare has opted not to recover these costs from you.
This has now been remedied from the date of the attached invoice and future charges will be reflected accordingly.
We apologise for this discrepancy on your account.”
Here are the ensuing emails.
From: Gary Osborne [mailto:gary.osborne@vodafone.co.nz]
Sent: Saturday, 31 May 2014 1:57 p.m.
To: EJames (Evan)
Subject: Explanation Please
Dear Evan,
I received the enclosed letter yesterday by surface post.
It implies I have been undercharged fixed Wastewater costs on my account.
I have checked accounts for the previous 18 months and find on every occasion fixed wastewater costs have been deducted at the correct rate of $190.00 per annum.
Perhaps you would care to explain.
I would suggest it is your internal auditing procedures that need checking, not my account.
I endeavoured to ring both Karen Benjamin and you at 3.35 pm yesterday but neither of you were available. I left a message for you to ring me urgently as my departure overseas is imminent.
Not having heard from you by 5 pm I rang again but was told again you were unavailable.
Yours sincerely,
Gary Osborne
From: EJames (Evan)
To: Gary Osborne
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 10:52 AM
Subject: RE: Explanation Please
Gary
You are correct.
The letter was sent in error and your fixed waste water charges are correct.
Your invoice was sent back to our offices for review as a result of the incorrect estimate a few months previous.
The team inadvertently sent out a standard fixed waste water cost letter in error.
Apologies for the confusion.
Regards
Evan James
Revenue Manager
_______________________
Watercare Services Limited
73 Remuera Rd, Newmarket
Private Bag 94010, Auckland 2241
TEL: 09 539 8321, MOB: 021 873 759
http://www.watercare.co.nz Email: ejames@water.co.nz
Accountability in Auckland Council 