• I HAVE been trying to contact Veolia-Camden for nearly two weeks.

I would like to pay my £40 for the over-70s garden cuttings collection.

I first rang the number in the leaflet I received and it took me 15 minutes to get through. I was told Veolia would contact me to take my details and take a card payment.

After a week I rang again and this time it was nearly 30 minutes before someone spoke to me. I was assured a Veolia employee would definitely ring me before the close of the day, and that the time on that day of closing was 8pm due to the new contract starting on April 1. Eight (pm) came and went, so I rang again and the recorded message informed me the line had closed for the day at 6pm! Why was I told 8pm?

Being smart, I then decided to go online and try to do it all there. Camden-Veolia online website doesn’t work. It failed to recognise my postcode. The same one that has always worked for me here for nearly 11 years.

I was unable to register anything with them online, be it a request or a complaint. I then tried ringing again the next day but after 25 minutes of waiting I gave up. How hard is it to contact the council for anything?

As a one-time Camden employee I recall when we were instructed to answer all phone calls within five rings in my office – and we mostly managed it.

What has happened these days and why is Veolia answering Camden phones? I thought they had a contract for recycling and rubbish; are they making a bid to take over more services?

I’m not impressed and I’m still waiting to sign up to a garden contract! The council used to be so good but, my goodness, times have changed!

DAVID GEAUGHEN-POWELL
Burrard Road, NW6