Why is the council so horrible???

Dan2779

Came home after a long day at work to get a letter from the council demanding that we pay our council tax in full in the next 7 days :mad:

It is full of bold writing and capital letters and is threatening court and extra costs! Why cant they just say something like 'our records show that you are not up to date with your payments, please contact us to discuss'???

The ironic thing is that we are actually up to date with our payments. I tried to ring up and sort it out but they must have all gone home so have to wait until Mon to get this resolved. I have looked on line and thy have random payments for us that we def havent made!! We had the same problem last year and managed to get a letter of apology from them... I nearly framed it!

Sorry just felt like a rant because it has really bothered me as I am trying my hardest to get straight and dont need extra stress!!!
Even though I am sure its a mistake I am really annoyed at the way companies can treat people who are struggling.

Dan x

iwanttosave_2

See my post on this thread http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=272952 Councils don't really seem to care anymore.

msmicawber

Having just been through the mill with my own Council, I think it's because they don't understand their own systems a great deal more than you do and they don't communicate within the various offices. The office that calculates what you owe doesn't communicate with the benefits department, and neither communicates with the recoveries department. Whoever you deal with at any given time only has access to certain information, not the whole picture, so they mess up again and again. It's quite Kafkaesque and has given me dreadful stress over the years.

Rant finished ... I empathise with you, and would recommend that you always deal with them in writing, never in person or over the telephone.

msmicawber

P.S. You'll notice that they always give you deadlines of one day or one week, but think it's fine to take several weeks or months to reply to you. (Whoops, I'm showing how bitter and twisted I've become ... I'd better shut up before it all comes splurging out!)

Mike_St_Helens

I absolutly HATE council tax... I pay £30 a WEEK for them to empty my bin.

HATE IT !!!

Why cant we all simply stop paying and they will have to sort the mess out !! (mind you said that with tongue in cheek after not paying for 2 years .... oops !)

Dolly_Smith

me too - £127 a month!! it's outrageous and just goes up and up with no improvement in services. They reckon it pays for schools, etc. - oh yeah? is that why they come home with a letter EVERY SINGLE DAY asking for money for this n that n the kitchen sink!

Dan2779

Thanks for your responses!!!

I absolutely resent paying it too as dont see any of the benefits and their attitude is horrible!!

Will just have to try not to worry about it until I can sort it out on Monday and not let it spoil my weekend

xx

anniestar

Have also had horrendous trouble with a"manchester council" Used to live in Salford they are ok-if they make a mistake they sort it BUT.... others do NOT. Which council is involved? Really hope it dosen't begin with a T

happygal_3

I hate coucil tax too! £99 to have my bin emptied every other week and the pavement is so dirty where we are you have to clean the dog s"£$ of your pram wheel when you get in doors!

It took our council 18 months to send our council tax bill to the right addresss and 1 week for them to threaten us with court when we wree late paying!

kevin_M

I recived a letter 2 saying it was being passed on for a judgement order or something..

Worst part is IM UP TO DATE

anniestar

kevin_M wrote:

I recived a letter 2 saying it was being passed on for a judgement order or something..

Worst part is IM UP TO DATE

Write to the coumncil STRAIGHT AWAY; also send a copy to your MP(with dates of payment etc) together with a copy of your letter to your council. Best of luck.