Dead Bristol woman chased over 5p phone bill
A Bristol woman who lost her mother to cancer is furious that Virgin is hounding her for a five pence phone bill.
Joan Audrey Purnell, who had worked at W.D & H.O Wills in Hartcliffe and Brooke Bond tea in Feeder Road until she was 72, died on March 30 aged 86 after battling cancer.
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Mrs Purnell had survived breast cancer in 2007 but just two months later and to the despair of her family she was diagnosed with lung and liver cancer.
Her daughter Margaret Jewell, 59, who is also known as Marney, looked after her mother from the day she was diagnosed with cancer until the day she died.
After her mother's death Mrs Jewell from Paybridge Road, Withywood dutifully contacted her utility companies including Virgin who provided her mother's landline.
She immediately paid the £3.19 that was outstanding but on Wednesday received a bill asking for five pence saying it would be increased by 35 pence if it was not paid swiftly.
Mrs Jewell, who used to work at Somerfield before retiring, says it is insensitive of the company who were informed that her mother had passed away.
"It is just another dagger to the heart," Mrs Jewell said.
"I can't understand why they have done it and what the point of it is. Presumably it costs more to send out the letter than what the bill is worth?
"I paid them in full last time so where has this bill come from anyway? This is just another reminder that I have lost my mother who suffered so much in her final years.
"It is so upsetting. I also had a letter from the Bristol 600 Day Centre saying they were sad to hear of the loss of my mother but that she owed £2.77 for a meal.
"It feels like I am being hounded for money when all I want to do is be allowed to grieve in peace with my family.
"I know these companies need paying but when it is such small amounts you feel why do they bother? All it has done is upset the family and remind us that the woman who loved us and who we all loved so much is not here anymore."
A Virgin Media spokesperson said "Mrs Purnell's account had a small remaining charge automatically billed after being over-credited with VAT adjustments due to the 15% rate which we pass on to customers. Whilst the charge was valid, due to the small amount involved, have now cleared the account and apologised to Mrs Jewell for any distress this may have caused during this difficult time."
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by hannah, henleaze
Tuesday, June 09 2009, 11:07AM
“There's really no need to be rude Diane. Ok, so the lady is dead. But her next of kin is then responsible to tying up accounts and estates. This is what everyone has to do. She owed the money, why doesn't the daughter just pay the bill. It's a couple of quid - what's the point going to the press?
If every company wrote off bills of this nature we would all ebd up paying higher prices as we absorb it as a cost...”
by Paul Wilson, Brentford
Monday, June 08 2009, 7:30PM
“I've had a similar thing happen, and it was Virgin. I just sent them a message saying "See you in court". They gave up”
by Lulu, Bristol
Monday, June 08 2009, 6:41PM
“My sympathy goes to the family.
One way the day centre coud stop this is if the people who eat there pay up front every week then if the person dies they'd owe the family the money and the family could contact the charity for the money.”
by Spotter, Bristol
Monday, June 08 2009, 4:58PM
“My comments pointing out that, as usual, the BEP was reporting a non-story was deleted earlier. Good to see that the BEP believes in free speech as well as pointless reporting!!”
by George, Bristol
Monday, June 08 2009, 4:19PM
“Here, here, bemmy, admin will probably remove your post, just because you highlight this "news" item for what it is - sensationalism...
Sloppy, lazy reporting from the BEP”
by George, Bristol
Monday, June 08 2009, 4:18PM
“This isn't news. I worked in a company and we used to get loads of people ringing in saying that we're trying to contact the dead and to cease doing. Obviously it is a sensitive matter to those concerned, but once you explain to them that it is computer generated then they willingly accept it.”
by michael, Bemmy
Monday, June 08 2009, 4:13PM
“Pure BEP sensationalism,,,this is the reason I no longer buy the paper.”
by Claire, Whitchurch
Monday, June 08 2009, 4:03PM
“I agree, why is this a story? The very title of the piece is misleading. I don;t think |virgin 'chased' for their 5p, it was an automatic, computer generated letter. Yes, it may have been upsetting but hardly warrants a news item. If you don't want to go through the 'pain and distress', why prolongue it by running to the press? I do feel for the woman, to lose her mother after such an awful time is something none of us would wish to go through but debts still have to be paid. I hardly think the day care centre deserve to be told they are disgusting, Diane. They are admirable people who struggle on limited funds to provide a wonderful service to those who need it the most.”
by Rachael, Bristol
Monday, June 08 2009, 3:25PM
“Diane,
while I have every sympathy for the woman, if a day care centre (obviously aimed at the elderly, and therefore, sorry to be blunt, but have a higher customer mortality rate than an average business), waived every bill it had where the customer had passed away, the service would not be economically able to survive.
In order to continue to provide a worthwhile service to the elderly, they will need to claim the monies owed to them, regardless of how delicate the personal situations may be.”
by Steven, North Bristol
Monday, June 08 2009, 2:55PM
“My apologies, Diane. However, if the Day Centre were owed for a meal, then they should be paid.”