I fudged up with my council tax now they want the whole lot in one go

sourcrates · 24 July 2016 at 11:29AM

fatbelly wrote: »

The automatic menu on 0300 1234 171 is a nightmare - most routes take you to 'thank you for phoning cornwall council. goodbye'

I think I have navigated it using 2, then 6 then 2. If you can get into a queue (even if it says ' your position is 32') you have done well.

Advice on this thread sounds good. I just hope the op gets someone reasonable on Monday as some staff are more helpful than others.

Its an utter disgrace having a phone system like that.

It almost guarantees the majority of people will just give up trying to get in touch.

These kind of practices should be outlawed, are they a Labour council by any chance ?

zenshi · 24 July 2016 at 11:50AM

Not sure if it's across the board but I was told several years ago when in a system like that ......is to not press any numbers at all and it will then usapually connect you with an actual person. You can then asked to be transferred to the relevant dept. It's worked for me 90% of the time. Maybe worth a go?

supersoup · 25 July 2016 at 10:29AM

fatbelly wrote: »

I don't know of any number for Revenues other than 0300 1234 171. Can you post it if you have one?

The automatic menu on 0300 1234 171 is a nightmare - most routes take you to 'thank you for phoning cornwall council. goodbye'

I think I have navigated it using 2, then 6 then 2. If you can get into a queue (even if it says ' your position is 32') you have done well.

Advice on this thread sounds good. I just hope the op gets someone reasonable on Monday as some staff are more helpful than others.

You're right you use options 2, 6 then 2. The 6 being the final notice hot key which isn't on the standard letters only the final notice. So far every time I call it's telling me all the advisors are busy and I should call back later. I wish they'd at least put me in a queue so I knew how long I'd be waiting. No way anyone could just do this on their lunch break (and I bet there's hardly any council staff manning the phones at lunch either).

sourcrates wrote: »

Its an utter disgrace having a phone system like that.

It almost guarantees the majority of people will just give up trying to get in touch.

These kind of practices should be outlawed, are they a Labour council by any chance ?

It's a shocking phone system. They only get away with it because they are not a private business whose customers can just go elsewhere.

Looks like they are mostly Lib Dem. Look up the Cornwall Council wikipedia page (I can't post the link as a newish user).

zenshi wrote: »

Not sure if it's across the board but I was told several years ago when in a system like that ......is to not press any numbers at all and it will then usapually connect you with an actual person. You can then asked to be transferred to the relevant dept. It's worked for me 90% of the time. Maybe worth a go?

I'm going to try this.

Edit: Holding just makes the current menu repeat. Then I got through to another menu that just repeats itself.

supersoup · 25 July 2016 at 10:39AM

Oh also I received the Final Notice 3 whole days after the date that is on it. When they say you must pay within 7 days do they mean from the date on the letter or the date you receive it? If it's the former then, with the weekend in the middle it only leaves anyone with 2 days. And with their phone service it looks like it could well be 2 or 3 days before I can speak to an advisor.

supersoup · 25 July 2016 at 10:59AM

I've been trying every 5 minutes for an hour now. Using option 2 - Council Tax, then hot key 6 - Final Notice Assistance, then option 2 - Discuss with an advisor if you can't pay the whole thing in one. Every single time I get the same message that all their advisors are busy. I don't get put into a queue. Makes me wonder if there's any staff in at all right now.

CIS · 25 July 2016 at 11:22AM

Oh also I received the Final Notice 3 whole days after the date that is on it. When they say you must pay within 7 days do they mean from the date on the letter or the date you receive it? If it's the former then, with the weekend in the middle it only leaves anyone with 2 days. And with their phone service it looks like it could well be 2 or 3 days before I can speak to an advisor.

It's from the date of postage, which will be the date on the letter.

Craig

supersoup · 25 July 2016 at 12:01PM

CIS wrote: »

It's from the date of postage, which will be the date on the letter.

Craig

Damn, so accounting for the 3 days postage time and the weekend I now have two days and there seems to be nobody to speak to at Cornwall Council. Granted I got myself in the situation by not paying the first time within 7 days but I feel like I'm really trying my best here. It's just lucky I'm off work today because I wouldn't be able to get through to them on my lunch breaks that's for sure. I feel like making a complaint about their awful customer service systems.

supersoup · 25 July 2016 at 12:42PM

I'm going crazy here. I've been trying to get through to an advisor since 9:55am. The thought of possibly ending up with legal proceedings against me is making me feel sick

supersoup · 25 July 2016 at 1:36PM

Alright so a little update. I finally got through to an advisor. They allowed me to bring my balance up to date by paying it over the phone. The remainder is spread over the remaining months. Such a relief.