RESIDENTS in Andover have been left angry and upset after being told by BT that they should go paperless due to the postal strikes, a councillor has said.

The Advertiser has been told by Test Valley Borough councillor, Iris Anderson, that BT has informed some residents in Andover that they will now have to pay their bills by direct debit if they are to be paid on time.

The news comes after postmen and postwomen across the country carry out strikes in an attempt to resolve a dispute over pay and working conditions.

She said that she received the letter in the post on Saturday, November 26 informing her of the news.

Since then she has been inundated with residents who are unhappy about the news.

SEE ALSO: BT landline cut "such a shame" says councillor Iris Andersen

She said: "Pensioners like to take their money out at the bank and know what their money is doing. I know we are in a new era but there are still those of us left who are in our 70s or 80s, once we go then the new system will be able to come through."

Reading out the letter to the Advertiser she said that BT had explained the move was also a way to go paperless.

Cllr Anderson said this seemed contradictory considering the letter was sent out on paper.

She added: "I know they have my phone number so why could they not have just called me to explain? They also have my email address.

"I have had a lot of residents complain to me after they had read the letter."

She has branded the move unfair, adding: "It is not our fault that there are postal strikes."

The letter, seen by the Advertiser, warns residents that if they don't pay by direct debit they may face a late penalty fee.

This is not the first time that Cllr Andeson has spoken out over BT and concerns for the elderly.

As previously reported, BT announced switching landline phones to digital.

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The announcement said that "digital" phones will replace traditional landline handsets, despite campaigners saying it will cause “unnecessary” worry for thousands of the most vulnerable customers.

Cllr Andersen said: "The elderly in particular can't get on with mobile phones. Some of them are brilliant but some of them can't get on with mobile phones because they can't understand how the technical side of things work.

"It's such a shame to take this service away, the explanation is 'why are they taking it away and why are they giving it up?'"

Cllr Andersen has been left feeling frustrated with pensioners being hit at again.

A BT spokesperson said: “We are very sorry that a letter we sent to customers has caused confusion. Our aim was to give customers the option to pay their bill by direct debit and also access their bills online if they didn’t do so already. Our customers can choose from a range of billing and payment options to suit their needs and preference, including at the Post Office.”