If you are a Thames Water customer and arrange to pay your bill by direct
debit, which you have to stay on between now and the closing date, 31st May,
2005, you will be entered in a draw to win a luxury holiday in Sydney. The
draw takes place on 10th June 2005.

The rules seem to suggest that existing direct debit customers don't count
(it could be automatic, but the rules don't imply that).

It also does suggest that only customers who implement this change are
eligible. There is no "no purchase route". Is this not an illegal draw?
Surely setting up a direct debit is a purchase, as you are purchasing a bank
service - you would have to have a bank account, so that must surely
constitute a purchase. And indeed, you would have to be buying Water and
Water Services, so is that not a purchase? Or doesn't it count if it's
within a company?

Can someone pleeease let me know? Jane, you're the expert! I really want the
answer, because I hate Thames Water - so any chance of arguing with them
would be fun and I'd like to take advantage of the prize.

I apologise if anybody works for this company - it's not personal!

The website has no details of the prize draw, so probably this post is
irrelevant, if you needed to know about it, you would do, because as a
customer you would have been sent the details. But I really am interested in
this issue as a point of comping law.

http://www.thameswateruk.co.uk

Good luck and best wishes all,


Seldiy B

On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 12:24:59 GMT, "Seldiy Bate"
 wrote:


>It also does suggest that only customers who implement this change are
>eligible. There is no "no purchase route". Is this not an illegal draw?
>Surely setting up a direct debit is a purchase, as you are purchasing a bank
>service - you would have to have a bank account, so that must surely
>constitute a purchase. And indeed, you would have to be buying Water and
>Water Services, so is that not a purchase? Or doesn't it count if it's
>within a company?
>
>Can someone pleeease let me know? Jane, you're the expert! I really want the
>answer, because I hate Thames Water - so any chance of arguing with them
>would be fun and I'd like to take advantage of the prize.


I think it's just about within the law - they are allowed to select
eligible groups to enter their comps and I'm pretty sure "exisiting
customers only" would count as a group they could specify. And
although you are purchasing a service, it isn't actually from them,
it's from your bank. 

It's a very grey area though - maybe if you email
complaints@isp.org.uk they will be able to clarify it. 

Jane
remove PICKLE to reply

The Competition Grape Vine for postal comp news
read about it at www.compersgrapevine.co.uk

"Jane Willis"  wrote in message
news:09jc6116qfrdk5f082u15led3th764fiua@4ax.com...

> On Wed, 20 Apr 2005 12:24:59 GMT, "Seldiy Bate"
>  wrote:
>
> >It also does suggest that only customers who implement this change are
> >eligible. There is no "no purchase route". Is this not an illegal draw?
> >Surely setting up a direct debit is a purchase, as you are purchasing a
bank
> >service - you would have to have a bank account, so that must surely
> >constitute a purchase. And indeed, you would have to be buying Water and
> >Water Services, so is that not a purchase? Or doesn't it count if it's
> >within a company?
> >
> >Can someone pleeease let me know? Jane, you're the expert! I really want
the
> >answer, because I hate Thames Water - so any chance of arguing with them
> >would be fun and I'd like to take advantage of the prize.
>
> I think it's just about within the law - they are allowed to select
> eligible groups to enter their comps and I'm pretty sure "exisiting
> customers only" would count as a group they could specify. And
> although you are purchasing a service, it isn't actually from them,
> it's from your bank.
>
> It's a very grey area though - maybe if you email
> complaints@isp.org.uk they will be able to clarify it.



Thanks Jane, I tried to say thanks last night, but my message was rejected -
so hopefully this one will send. I will do as you say and if I hear anything
interesting, will let everyone know!

Seldiy B