I am a creature of habit and know exactly when my Barclaycard statement is due and when payment is expected. I always pay in full every month. Last month I was caught out by the payment date - instead of being August 18, it was August 7. I realised too late and my payment arrived one day late. I was charged a late-payment fee of £12 and £7.77 interest.

I phoned Barclaycard and was informed that it is policy randomly to bring forward the payment date by ten days for customers who clear their balance in full. The representative agreed, as a gesture of goodwill, to remove the £12 charge, but not the interest.

I feel indignant that I should have to pay this.

JOANNA CLAYPOLE, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire

Barclaycard refunded the interest “as a gesture of goodwill”, after Troubleshooter called. This is such an aggravating phrase. It means: aren't we nice, but don't get the wrong idea; this is an exception, not the rule.

Goodwill should be a matter of course, not a gesture. But if companies fail to add this caveat, they have no protection from legions of other customers with the same problem, demanding the same concession, as well as dishonest chancers. In your case, Barclaycard would not comment on whether it randomly brings forward the due date for customers who pay in full, although you have been told this three times (other readers should contact Troubleshooter if it has happened to them, too.) Barclaycard says that it gives all customers a minimum of 20 days to pay from the date the bill is generated. All your bills have been produced between the 18th and 21st each month, but your due dates have varied, from the minimum of 20 days to up to 32 days later. Your July bill was produced on the 18th and the due date of August 7 was exactly 20 days later.

Barclaycard says that the dates can change because of weekends, Bank Holidays and “operational expediency”, whatever that means. So it can change the date as much as it wants, as long as you have at least 20 days to pay.

This makes it difficult to keep up, which undeniably benefits Barclays. Despite being misleading, the due date is on the bill and it is your responsibility to check when payment is due. In future, assume nothing, think the worst and maybe you won't be caught out.

I received a vitamin supplement brochure from Vitamail and ordered goods on two occasions, enclosing cheques for £13 and £19. The company has cashed the cheques but I have not received any goods. I have not received any replies after sending requests to the given addresses. Despite this, Vitamail sends more brochures and order forms. It does not give a telephone number. Am I the victim of a scam?

Mr B. GRAY, Cramlington, Northumberland

Troubleshooter is 99 per cent certain that you are. Health company scams appear to be relatively common, perhaps because people think that no one selling something as virtuous as vitamins could be a fraudster. A quick Google search shows that Vitamail has been vilified by hundreds of contributors to a forum on Moneysavingexpert.com.

Some say that Vitamail promises the chance to win money if they buy products, but the prizes are never forthcoming. Others claim to have paid for goods and not received them. Tellingly, the address given on the literature you have been sent is

9 Trident Way, Southall. This address, for a company called Spring Global Mail, a junk mail distributor part-owned by the Royal Mail, is commonly associated with scams.

The Office of Fair Trading has not taken action against Vitamail, which is surprising, as the first remarks began appearing online in early 2005. Putting a stop to this one requires some people power. Vitamail victims should report their experiences on the “report a scam” section of the Consumer Direct website at www.consumerdirect.gov.uk.

We attended a performance of Afrika Afrika on February 10, booked through Ticketmaster. We paid £65 each. When we arrived, we discovered that our tickets were at opposite ends of the row. We pointed this out to a steward, who moved us to adjacent seats. To our embarrassment, a couple of latecomers arrived and legitimately claimed the seats as theirs. After several minutes of looking foolish, we were given two chairs in the aisle, no doubt contrary to fire regulations. The performance was meant to be a birthday treat. We would like an apology and refund.

JEREMY & CYNTHIA LUDFORD, Salisbury, Wiltshire

Ticketmaster can't erase the social ignominy you suffered, but it has offered a £50 gift card, blaming the error on the venue's box office.

To tell us your problems, visit timesonline.co.uk/troubleshooter or write to Troubleshooter, Times Money, Times House, 1 Pennington Street, London E98 1TB

On the bright side

“I would like to praise E.ON,” writes Hilary Atkins, of Widnes, Lancashire. “Nearly a year ago I cancelled my father's utilities when he moved into residential care. Last week I received a letter from E.ON saying that it had given my father a discount on each of his bills in the past.

“Although this doesn't apply on the final bill when a contract is terminated, E.ON felt that it had not made this clear to him and so was offering a refund. I phoned E.ON and immediately got through to a very pleasant girl who confirmed that my father would be sent a cheque - only £10, but a creditable offer nonetheless.”

Readers to the rescue: Isa transfer trouble

“In March, I opened a fixed-rate Isa at Lloyds TSB. The account was to be credited with the whole balance of a Halifax Isa. The transfer took three months to complete. During numerous telephone calls, Lloyds and Halifax blamed each other. How can I find out who was to blame and also reclaim the £118 lost interest?”

DENNIS CARTWRIGHT, Wymeswold, Leicestershire

Mike Smith, of Dunstable, writes: “The best route may be to threaten them both with referral to the ombudsman if neither is prepared to treat customers fairly. Alternatively, suggest that they offer £60 each without admitting liability. If either, or both, reject this reasonable and cost-effective solution for all parties, refer them to the ombudsman.”

Meanwhile Gary Smith's e-mail wins this week's £25 gift voucher for his suggestion. He wrote: “First, I would contact Lloyds and ask on what date it made the transfer request to the Halifax. This information will be stored on its computer system. Ring Halifax and request the same information. If either refuses, make a request to obtain the information under the Data Protection Act.”

Can you help? E-mail troubleshooter@thetimes.co.uk with your answers to the following problem for a chance to win a £25 gift voucher.

“In May I closed my Alliance & Leicester (A&L) account and opened a new one with First Direct, which transferred all my payments. In August a standing order of £1,900 was sent out by First Direct but duplicated by A&L, causing me to be overdrawn on the old account. I was charged £25. A&L returned the £25 and agreed to reverse the standing order, but has not yet done so and is charging me £5 a day. I have sent a letter of complaint, but can I refuse to pay the charges?

TAJANA WELI, Hale, Cheshire

Do you have a problem you would like other readers to solve? E-mail troubleshooter@thetimes.co.uk with your query and write “readers” in the subject line.