Payment system receivership doesn't fit the bill [Messenger - East Torrens (Australia)]

CONFUSION reigned amongst ratepayers after the bill payment network used by Campbelltown Council collapsed last week
     Bill Express went into receivership on July 8, and Campbelltown Council immediately cancelled rate payments through newsagents that use the service
     However ratepayers who tried to pay their dog registrations with credit cards over the phone using Bill Express encountered an engaged signal, because administrators were unable to put a recorded message on the line informing callers of the problem
     Three people, however, got through and paid their fees
     A total of $517 is now being held in trust for the council from the three transactions, which the council hopes to recover soon
     Council Corporate Services manager Michelle Hammond said ratepayers who had got through on the Bill Express phone line did not need to worry about losing their money, as the system had recorded their details and they would be refunded
     Ms Hammond said council had received several irate phone calls from ratepayers who had unsuccessfully tried to use the Bill Express system
     She said payments can still be made online or through BPay, and phone services would be operating again by the time rates notices were distributed at the end of the month.