Refund offered then refused

Blossom230350

I pay my local authority to provide a service for emptying my garden waste bin. Their policy is to invoice in mid November for the following year. I hold back payment in principle as the service does not restart until the end of January.
Due to Coronavirus the service was halted temporarily last year. The Council advised that they would make an adjustment to the following years invoice to reflect this. My invoice for 2021 did reflect this however, because I didn't pay until January they decided to cancel the invoice. I approached them to restart the service but I was told that I would have to pay the full yearly amount. 
This isn't so much about the money as the rules for the use of the service. Until 2019 you could join the service and you paid the yearly amount and paid again on the anniversary of that date. Because it is easier for them they now charge at the end of the year. They have a no refund policy. So, if you decide you no longer need the service, say because you move to another local authority area, you lose out - win for the Council. If you die the day after resumption of the service there is no refund -win for the Council. They will pay if you die after payment and before the service resumes - win for your estate. If you were to ask for a bin (or a second one) say later in the year you pay the full amount but you are expected to pay again in November for the next year - win for the Council.
I feel, in principle, that the Council have been a little harsh in not applying the refund to the new invoice when I paid the full amount the previous year and they said all customers would be reimbursed and this was shown as such on the original 2021 invoice.
What do others think?

davidmcn

I think you should have paid on time. 

MattMattMattUK

By not paying on time you have lost their good will, many companies a d businesses apply penalties for late payment, almost all remove discounts. In reality you are lucky that they do not apply a late payment marker to your credit file.

visidigi

Blossom230350 said:

I pay my local authority to provide a service for emptying my garden waste bin. Their policy is to invoice in mid November for the following year. I hold back payment in principle as the service does not restart until the end of January.
Due to Coronavirus the service was halted temporarily last year. The Council advised that they would make an adjustment to the following years invoice to reflect this. My invoice for 2021 did reflect this however, because I didn't pay until January they decided to cancel the invoice. I approached them to restart the service but I was told that I would have to pay the full yearly amount. 
This isn't so much about the money as the rules for the use of the service. Until 2019 you could join the service and you paid the yearly amount and paid again on the anniversary of that date. Because it is easier for them they now charge at the end of the year. They have a no refund policy. So, if you decide you no longer need the service, say because you move to another local authority area, you lose out - win for the Council. If you die the day after resumption of the service there is no refund -win for the Council. They will pay if you die after payment and before the service resumes - win for your estate. If you were to ask for a bin (or a second one) say later in the year you pay the full amount but you are expected to pay again in November for the next year - win for the Council.
I feel, in principle, that the Council have been a little harsh in not applying the refund to the new invoice when I paid the full amount the previous year and they said all customers would be reimbursed and this was shown as such on the original 2021 invoice.
What do others think?

I think, in principle, your approach to this is the cause of the outcome.

Aylesbury_Duck

Agree with the others. This is a consequence of your payment principle.  You didn't pay on time so they've elected to treat you as a new customer, which means you miss out on the concession. A win for your principles, a win for the council.  The very definition of a win-win situation.

Supersonos

Blossom230350 said:

I pay my local authority to provide a service for emptying my garden waste bin. Their policy is to invoice in mid November for the following year. I hold back payment in principle as the service does not restart until the end of January.
Due to Coronavirus the service was halted temporarily last year. The Council advised that they would make an adjustment to the following years invoice to reflect this. My invoice for 2021 did reflect this however, because I didn't pay until January they decided to cancel the invoice. I approached them to restart the service but I was told that I would have to pay the full yearly amount. 
This isn't so much about the money as the rules for the use of the service. Until 2019 you could join the service and you paid the yearly amount and paid again on the anniversary of that date. Because it is easier for them they now charge at the end of the year. They have a no refund policy. So, if you decide you no longer need the service, say because you move to another local authority area, you lose out - win for the Council. If you die the day after resumption of the service there is no refund -win for the Council. They will pay if you die after payment and before the service resumes - win for your estate. If you were to ask for a bin (or a second one) say later in the year you pay the full amount but you are expected to pay again in November for the next year - win for the Council.
I feel, in principle, that the Council have been a little harsh in not applying the refund to the new invoice when I paid the full amount the previous year and they said all customers would be reimbursed and this was shown as such on the original 2021 invoice.
What do others think?

Is this Bucks council by any chance?

Jumblebumble

MattMattMattUK said:

By not paying on time you have lost their good will, many companies a d businesses apply penalties for late payment, almost all remove discounts. In reality you are lucky that they do not apply a late payment marker to your credit file.

Are a council really able to put a late payment marker on a credit file if someone does not settle an invoice where no credit or upfront service is involved ?
I have never heard of such a concept and I would be stunned if their T and C contain permission to do so.

Ganga

Our local council ask you to pay by the end of Feb for collections starting in March ,you can pay anytime in the year but it is the same price and there are no refunds ,the T & C are long but that is some of the basics.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

Jumblebumble said:

MattMattMattUK said:

By not paying on time you have lost their good will, many companies a d businesses apply penalties for late payment, almost all remove discounts. In reality you are lucky that they do not apply a late payment marker to your credit file.

Are a council really able to put a late payment marker on a credit file if someone does not settle an invoice where no credit or upfront service is involved ?
I have never heard of such a concept and I would be stunned if their T and C contain permission to do so.

As you say it isn't a credit arrangement so as far as I'm aware it can't affect your credit score.

OP your council will have a complaint procedure detailed on their website which you can follow. 

neilmcl

MattMattMattUK said:

By not paying on time you have lost their good will, many companies a d businesses apply penalties for late payment, almost all remove discounts. In reality you are lucky that they do not apply a late payment marker to your credit file."

"In Reality" that's never going to happen. The invoice is simply a request for payment for the upcoming year's service, you don't pay it's assumed you don't want the service, simple as. There's no concept of "late payment" here so no penalties are appropriate.

@Blossom230350 you're not in an ongoing contract with the council to provide the service, as mentioned they simply send an invoice as a request for payment to continue the service for the following year, your "principle" in paying late has led the council to believe you no longer want this service. This is an optional service, you don't want to abide by their payment terms then they don't have to provide the service to you. You've brought this on yourself.