Maltese authorities urged to clamp down on communication companies over extra charges

Alex Agius Saliba has urged the Maltese authorities to act against communications companies for levelling extra charges on consumers who do not pay bills by direct debit.

The Labour MEP said the authorities should show the same zeal in tackling communications companies as they did in helping consumers bitten by the second-hand car mileage racket.

He said the communications companies – GO, Epic and Melita – were in breach of the European Payments Services Directive by charging a fee on consumers who opted not to pay by direct debit. Agius Saliba urged consumers not to pay the extra charge, insisting the law was on their side.

“You have a right not to pay these charges identified in your bills as ‘non-direct debit fee’ because they go against the Payments Services Directive 2… I will continue applying pressure on these companies and I urge the authorities, who acted immediately and efficiently to protect consumers in the second-hand car scam, to do the same with the communication companies that are breaching European directives,” the MEP said.