I keep getting letters that arrive many days after the date of writing stated on the letter. Sometimes the letter asks me to pay by a certain date and to allow a number of days for payment to reach them.

However, by the time the letter actually turns up here, it is impossible to meet the requirements.

For example today (20th), a payment reminder from Northumbrian Water. The ‘issue date’ on the letter is 14th. It asks me to make a payment ‘immediately’ and no later than 24th. But also to allow five working days for payment to be credited to the account.

Five working days from today is the 27th… Needless to say there is no postmark date on the envelope.

Manchester City Council does this too. You might receive a letter in answer to a complaint which gives a deadline by which time you must respond to continue with the complaint. However the letter arrives on your doormat a week or more after the date shown on it.

I don’t think this is the postal service. So, is it just incompetence and a failure to send out mail promptly? Or is it something more calculating? Maybe a deliberate attempt to cancel payment schemes so the company gets full payment earlier?