I ALSO welcome the decision made by BT to scrap charges for calls to 0870 and 0845 numbers (HAS, Jan 16).

Perhaps BT and similar companies will now drop the absurd charges levied on customers who do not pay by Direct Debit. I accept BT has shown some flexibility on the issue, but Virgin Media still levies a charge of £5 per month.

I have been unable to obtain an adequate explanation of the charge since each payment goes directly from my bank account into its account with no human intervention.

If such charges are lawful, then the law ought to be changed. Virgin insists it has calculated the charge, but will provide no more information than this. Since when are the overheads of a company the concern of customers?

In light of its refusal to reexamine this charge, I am collecting information in order to take a complaint to the Office of the Telecommunications Ombudsman and Ofcom. I would be obliged if readers who disagree with the charge, or similar charges by other companies, would send on details to my email address: david_griffiths14@hotmail.co.uk David Griffiths, Darlington.