Dear Claudienne,

On June 6, 2014, I transferred $36,000 to UTech’s account with the intention of taking the Fundamentals of Project Management course at Jamaica Institute of Management (JIM). The course was slated to start June 21, 2014.

Prior to beginning the course I realised that I would not be able to make the time commitment and so decided to withdraw and request a refund.

As per UTech’s website “if you write to cancel five days prior to the start of the course, you will be refunded fully within a month”.

I sent an e-mail to UTech on June 12 to advise them that I was withdrawing from the course. In addition, I phoned the university and also delivered a hand-written letter to JIM’s office myself.

My efforts to get a refund have been unsuccessful and I have become frustrated.

I have called JIM numerous times, only to be told that they have delivered the documents to UTech and cannot help me to get a refund.

I have also spoken to the manager at JIM several times to no avail.

I have also gone to UTech, but they have told me that no paperwork was submitted to them by JIM on my behalf. I have continued to try to find out about the refund, but getting anyone on the phone at UTech is a waste of time. I have also tried to e-mail the director of the course, but he has not replied and his assistant keeps telling me that he is in a meeting.

Frankly, I am fed up at the lack of professionalism and common customer service standards, both at UTech and JIM. No one seems to know anything about anything.

I would greatly appreciate your looking into this matter for me.

LS

Dear LS,

We contacted the Registrar of UTech on October 29, 2014. Tell Claudienne notes that UTech has apologised for the delay in refunding your money. We see that you were able to collect the refund cheque on November 9.

Good luck.

Electricity problem

Dear Claudienne,

My problem is with JPS, who keeps sending me an estimated bill every month even though I do not have any electricity. They cut off my light from May 2013 for approximately $28,000, but I now have a bill for $50,531.30.

I am from the inner city and I do not think it is fair for them to be sending me an estimated bill each month, even though I have no light. I have contacted JPS’s customer service four times and asked them to rectify the situation, but until now nothing has been done.

I do not want the JPS to increase my bill to $100, 000. Why do they continue to send me a bill even though I have no service? And each month it goes up by at least $3,000.

I am willing to pay the amount that my light bill was cut off for, but not the additional amount.

It is unfair and I need help.

MR

Dear MR,

We asked the Customer Satisfaction Department of the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) to investigate your complaint. The JPS sent the following e-mail to Tell Claudienne:

“The matter has been investigated and the charges incurred after the disconnection will be removed. However, before the disconnection, MR had an outstanding amount of $38,941.20. This will still have to be settled.”

Please contact the JPS and try to work out an instalment payment plan with them so that you can have your electricity reconnected.

Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.