My local council are a bunch of idiots.

wurlitzerwilly

liney wrote: »

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 'mountain and molehill' is springing to mind. Implying that you will use firearms over a direct debit payment is just bazaar, frankly.

Actually no, it is my wife's account and she is a busy person who has some faith in her bank, especially as we received communication from the Council that they acknowledged the arrangement.

'Fraid you've missed the point along with a lot of others and made a selective answer according to what you think you know.

I WILL be out of pocket, because although I owe a few months Council Tax and intend to pay it, they are penalising me for their mistake by insisting on me paying the rest of the year in advance, which amounts to well over £1000!!! Please don't go on about installments being a privilege. They have to allow installments or they would have a riot on their hands, and far more dissent than mine. 1 year in advance is an unreasonable demand and they know it.

The word is "bizarre" and I disagree. I still live by the premise that "an Englishman's home is his castle", and no bloody bailiff is going to enter my "castle" simply because some little twerp can't do their job and we have an arrogant bunch of !!!!!! who think that they're judge and jury and threaten action before the case is proven. Whatever happened to innocent until proved guilty (even on a technicality such as this)? Notice the onus is on them to prove guilt, NOT on me to prove innocence, or inform them of THEIR mistake.

Regards,

Alan.

advent1122

Go through the replies, add up those who agree with you, then those who disagree.
I am not sure what more can be gained from this thread as you seem to enjoy the thrill of the chase.
One thing I am certain of - you will pay up in the end.
As for the baliff malarky for non payment of council tax - once more - even with the chest puffing "englishmans home is his castle" speech you will lose.
The next step is a few months spent at her majesty's pleasure being used as Bubba's play-thing.

dangeroussports

Alan,

I hope you dont end up in prison wearing a really long blonde wig and shorts.

CIS

I WILL be out of pocket, because although I owe a few months Council Tax and intend to pay it, they are penalising me for their mistake by insisting on me paying the rest of the year in advance, which amounts to well over £1000!!! Please don't go on about installments being a privilege. They have to allow installments or they would have a riot on their hands, and far more dissent than mine. 1 year in advance is an unreasonable demand and they know it.

Instead of spending so much time complaining why not contact the council and see if you can get an arrangement - most councils will still make an arrangement once they have got the Summons and/or Liability Order.

advent1122

CIS wrote: »

Instead of spending so much time complaining why not contact the council and see if you can get an arrangement - most councils will still make an arrangement once they have got the Summons and/or Liability Order.

....because that would make perfect sense and the op's soapbox would be taken away.

taxcollector

In reply to smcaul may I just state just because a person works for a local authority they are not oblivious to what goes on elsewhere. Private industry offers bonus schemes and rewards. Council staff have no such luxuries. We are continually bombarded with customer service standards and I can honestly say a person gets better service talking to my place of employment than the local Marks and Sparks.

My OH would like to you know that the court costs are needed to pay for the office parties and the reduced rates we receive in respect of our Council Tax.
This is to all the people who ever deny receiving a reminder notice because they also accuse us of having such 'perks'.

uktim29

taxcollector wrote: »

In reply to smcaul may I just state just because a person works for a local authority they are not oblivious to what goes on elsewhere. Private industry offers bonus schemes and rewards. Council staff have no such luxuries. We are continually bombarded with customer service standards and I can honestly say a person gets better service talking to my place of employment than the local Marks and Sparks.

My OH would like to you know that the court costs are needed to pay for the office parties and the reduced rates we receive in respect of our Council Tax.
This is to all the people who ever deny receiving a reminder notice because they also accuse us of having such 'perks'.

I don't think smcaul does fact, only assumptions to suit the idea that an entire group of people are "incompetent".

People love to use that word to make themselves feel superior.

olly300

taxcollector wrote: »

In reply to smcaul may I just state just because a person works for a local authority they are not oblivious to what goes on elsewhere. Private industry offers bonus schemes and rewards.

You must be.

I don't call recieving a cup, pen or a glass worth £2-£5 a reward for working unpaid overtime to meet deadlines. That is what most people get in private companies as a reward. The people who get the cash rewards and bonuses you read about are either doing sales jobs, where they work ridiculous hours, or are senior management where they use the network.

Lots of my friends end up working in a job which is more demanding than their job specification as this is the only way they can keep their jobs. Oh and when they get "promoted" they don't get a pay increase it's just a change of title. The only people I know who get "promoted" are government employees.

Oh and if you work in a private company and
1. state that something is not in your job description, or won't serve someone when you have no work
2. go home early or on lunch when a deadline is due
3. arrange a holiday when the company knows they have work from a large client

Then expect either to be made redundant or not to have a job in a few months.

I've unfortunately worked with government employees (granted national government) and be treated to such behaviour by employees in a job centre.

Council staff have no such luxuries. We are continually bombarded with customer service standards and I can honestly say a person gets better service talking to my place of employment than the local Marks and Sparks.

Private companies main goal is to make money. If the company is not making money and cutting costs then you are made redundant. Plus if you complain about staff in places such as Marks and Sparks by name then you don't last long. (I've worked in shops where people have been sacked due to continual customer complaints about their laziness.)

My OH would like to you know that the court costs are needed to pay for the office parties and the reduced rates we receive in respect of our Council Tax.

This is to all the people who ever deny receiving a reminder notice because they also accuse us of having such 'perks'.

While it's a common complaint to cover a lie, the OP maybe telling the truth. Notice that he lives with his wife and both of them are jointly liable for the council tax bill so both names would be on it. If his wife forgets to tell or show him the letter then as far as he is concerned he wouldn't have received it.

BTW the OP should just sort out the problem and then complain to the Finance Director in writing. Going to prison because the council employees mucked up is extreme and a waste of time. Judges rule using commonsense and would ask you why you simply didn't contact the council.

smcaul

taxcollector wrote: »

In reply to smcaul may I just state just because a person works for a local authority they are not oblivious to what goes on elsewhere.

Really? You must be quite an exception to the rule!!

taxcollector wrote: »

Private industry offers bonus schemes and rewards. Council staff have no such luxuries. We are continually bombarded with customer service standards and I can honestly say a person gets better service talking to my place of employment than the local Marks and Sparks.

Hmm, me thinks you need to go for a few interviews to see just what these "Bonus Schemes etc" are. Many of them went out with the ark and the ones that remain really only take the wage up to industry norm.

regularsaver1

surely you would have noticed (or your wife) that no money was being paid to them each month. I mean £100ish out of your budget that was spare? - obviously that means you still have this money? or where else has it gone?

councils try and get you to pay by dd, my mum refuses and sends a cheque each month