14 April 2007 - Residents in Wolverhampton are being charged more than £1 to pick up a piece of junk mail - after it was sent with postage underpaid.
The Express & Star reports that Wolverhampton City Council has sent out 16,000 copies of a housing survey to homes across the city. But hundreds are 5p short of the required postage, leading to people being charged the 5p plus a £1 handling fee - only to be given the council survey.
Wolverhampton Council blames an independent research company for underpaying the postage. The company has promised to reimburse anyone who has paid to pick up the survey.