Expensiquiries

I nearly fell over when I read my last phone bill. I didn't, because I was sitting down, but if I'd been standing up I bet you I would nearly have fallen over.

There was an item for which I was charged nearly 10 Euros. It was about 8 cents short of 10 Euros. That's a lot of money in anybody's currency!

There was also a note from the phone company next to it saying that they take no responsibility for this item and if I wanted to know what it was all about, I needed to call this other number which looked like it also cost a barrowload of money per minute.

I called this other number and after several false starts I finally got through to the right person (phone menu hell, plus heightened tempers (mine) delayed this process somewhat) and I was informed what the famous 10 Euro item was all about - I had been charged nearly 10 Euros for a call to Phone Inquiries!

Yes you read correctly!

I had called Phone Inquiries once for 272 seconds, which is 5 minutes or parts of a minute. Each minute costs... er quite a lot which I can't remember right now, and then you get sales tax (VAT) at 19% on top. Which comes out at nearly 10 Euros.

As I don't tend to discuss the weather, my business, my children or any matters other than the phone number I am looking for when I call Phone Inquiries, I would suggest that it was not me who had called them for 272 seconds, but they who had failed to deliver the goods in less time! Anyway, I shall definitely not be calling them e.v.e.r. again.

Next time it might be cheaper to take out an advert in The Times "Lost and Found" column!