How much is convenience worth to you?
By convenience, it means being able to pay your City of Burnaby utility bill online using a credit card.
But not everyone sees it that way. Several Burnaby residents have contacted the NOW recently upset that being able to pay that bill online with the credit card means being charged a “convenience” fee.
“I am just outraged by the fact that paying the Burnaby utility bill online (with a credit card) on the city's website has a $12 ‘convenience fee’ (1.75%) that isn't even listed on the receipt,” said Burnaby resident Ricky Cheung. “This is highway robbery to me. I know at least a city like Coquitlam has never charged any fee for utility payment on their city website.”
The utility bill amount Cheung received was $728.65, but when he paid the bill, he got charged $741.40 because of the convenience fee.
“What a joke,” he said.
But according to the city, the fee is necessary because there is a cost to having this online service set up to pay by credit card.
“The City of Burnaby does not receive any revenue from the 1.75% convenience fee,” says a response from the city. ‘The convenience fee is charged to cover the cost the city needs to pay to the credit card company for payment processing.”
The city also says this should not come as a surprise to residents.
“When a resident pays via My Property Portal they are informed twice during the payment process that a 1.75% non-refundable convenience fee will be charged,” said the city’s response. “Additionally, this fee is communicated on the City of Burnaby website and it is included on the back of the utility notice under payment options. We also include this information on the front page of the brochure that is sent with the notice.”
