My local council are a bunch of idiots.

smcaul

uktim29 wrote: »

I don't think it's a case of being better, just basic communication and negotiating skills!

Funny that, I have never had a problem in the past negotiating on multi million pound contracts, neither do I have a problem now I work for myself with my current client base - in fact the main places I have had problems is with our local council, like the OP, and with call centres. But obviously it is still my fault. Must just be that some of us are more used to negotiating at a different level to others, and therefore have different expectations!!!!

uktim29

smcaul wrote: »

Must just be that some of us are more used to negotiating at a different level to others, and therefore have different expectations!!!!

An assumption!

smcaul

An objective point of view.

uktim29

Also, an assumption! What is my lower expectation here then, "!!!!!!, I have to pay coucil tax". So is the higher expectation "no, I'm not going to pay it".

The outcome is whether or not you have to pay it. Going on about an original mistake will not change the outcome.

cherrylv

This is all very interesting

Wurliterwilly, I wish you well. I do not know what the outcome will be but I do sympathise with your situation and I do agree that we should not accept this kind of incompetense from Council employees who are paid well and are supposed to be trained.

I have had problems with their incompetence and arrogance for the last three years. They have continually denied receipt of information even though I have either proof of posting or have sent the information through the local Neighbourhood Office and still they have not got their figures correct and so I battle on.

I used to be a Tax Officer many years ago and our work was monitored, if it was not to a certain standard we could be dismissed, every fortnight we had to check working cases to see that they were still active and make sure that we had no post more than 14 days old.

I have sent letters and emails to my Council (only have partial hearing so not good on phone) and have never received replies, this would NOT have been tolerated for an instance in the Tax Office at the time of my employment. Therefore I put it down to incompetence or lack of training, neither is acceptable.

However these people seem to have all the power, so I have my fingers crossed for you Wurliterwilly. Good luck.

N.B. In my case even the local Neighbourhood Office cannot understand why the Council still have not got their figures right. :lol I have a suspicion too many cooks.

wurlitzerwilly

uktim29 wrote: »

Also, an assumption! What is my lower expectation here then, "!!!!!!, I have to pay coucil tax". So is the higher expectation "no, I'm not going to pay it".

The outcome is whether or not you have to pay it. Going on about an original mistake will not change the outcome.

As the OP I can tell you that the outcome will not be whether or not I have to pay it, but WHEN I have to pay it.
It has never been in dispute that it has to be paid. The WHEN is highly significant.

Regards,

Alan.

wurlitzerwilly

cherrylv wrote: »

......................However these people seem to have all the power, so I have my fingers crossed for you Wurliterwilly. Good luck.

N.B. In my case even the local Neighbourhood Office cannot understand why the Council still have not got their figures right. :lol I have a suspicion too many cooks.

No, I don't believe it's too few or too many, it's crass stupidity and possibly IDS (Inattention Deficit Syndrome)!
Thanks for your wishes. Looking at the letter from the Council, which also contains details of action by bailiffs, I suspect that the outcome will be less than savoury. I am prepared to go to prison over this rather than allow these idiots to distrain on my goods. Unfortunately, this may well result in the threat of the use of firearms, because I doubt they are capable of understanding any part of "go away". I am not a well person (some will no doubt say sick in the head) so I resign myself to the fact that I may never return.

Regards,

Alan.

uktim29

wurlitzerwilly wrote: »

No, I don't believe it's too few or too many, it's crass stupidity and possibly IDS (Inattention Deficit Syndrome)!
Thanks for your wishes. Looking at the letter from the Council, which also contains details of action by bailiffs, I suspect that the outcome will be less than savoury. I am prepared to go to prison over this rather than allow these idiots to distrain on my goods. Unfortunately, this may well result in the threat of the use of firearms, because I doubt they are capable of understanding any part of "go away". I am not a well person (some will no doubt say sick in the head) so I resign myself to the fact that I may never return.

Regards,

Alan.

If you haven't so been charged then the money should be in your bank if you budget. I really think paying it would be easier! It seems like you want to cut off your nose to spite your face.

wurlitzerwilly

uktim29 wrote: »

If you haven't so been charged then the money should be in your bank if you budget. I really think paying it would be easier!

Sorry, but you've missed the point entirely.
As you say, the money will still be in the bank as the idiot Council have not requested it from the bank. That's not in dispute and if they want to take out the entire sum owing to date, they only have to press the right buttons.
However, they have screwed up and are apparently not aware of the Direct Debit that THEY set up and of which I have details and reference numbers, so they are now ATTACKING me for the entire year in advance (well over £1000 which I do not have) because THEY failed to take the installments in a timely fashion and I am being slapped for it.
In short, they're a bunch of arrogant, ignorant w*nk*ers and I want nothing to do with them, but of course I do intend to pay my Council Tax, but not in advance.

Regards,

Alan.

liney

I have the feeling you would have noticed if the money going out of your account was the wrong amount, yet you didn't notice it wasn't being collected at all?

You won't being paying in advance, you will be paying in retrospect because you haven't paid.

If you enjoy the drama, fill your boots, but mistakes do happen. You are not out of pocket in anyway and it hasn't caused you personal injury, so i a afraid 'moutain and molehill' is springing to mind. Implying that you will use firearms over a direct debit payment is just bazaar, frankly.