D7PNY Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I'm not up on the English system but here in Scotland the business rates are based on the rateable value of the property occupied. If they have the wrong address down for the debt etc, how can the rates bill stand? it must be on the wrong address also? Like I say, system might be different in England but if not, I'd be telling them to credit the original invoice and re issue to the correct address upon which you will pay as per your credit terms. Cheers, DAve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain m Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Councillors are paid allowance for attending all meetings and the cost of travel/food involved in these meetings. Details are available to the public, in our area claims can be from £5k up to £15/18k a year, the more effective the Councillor the less they seem to claim . I am having a battle over a minor claim with my wife's car with AA insurance, sorry it's Saga, no it's Acromas, they all hide behind each others incompetence, oh and their preferred repairer Opollo who made a £150 repair and then caused £300 worth of damage, lucky they photo every panel on arrival but 8 month later it's still not sorted. It seems the bigger the organisation the more incompetent ( and overpaid ) the management which filters down through the staff very quickly. You need to phone Council arrange a face to face meeting with the finance department and not leave till things are sorted in your favour . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhett Turner - Black Country AO Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 If you can't sort it out with the council then you will probably need to pay the bailiffs in full and then take the council to the small claims court to recover the excess costs to you caused by their incompetence. If you end up doing this make sure your costs add up to more than £600 (I think this is the correct figure). I had experience of taking a company through the small claims court and winning, they just ignored it. When I tried to follow up I found there was almost nothing I could do unless they owned more than £600. Just make sure you account for your time and expenses and that it does not unreasonably add up to £600 plus. I would be sweet justice to get he bailiffs to recover there own costs though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveD Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 the guardian have been on the phone and are chasing the council for there side , im on the phone at 1pm to see what happens 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wile E. Coyote Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 the guardian have been on the phone and are chasing the council for there side , im on the phone at 1pm to see what happens I'm probably not alone in hoping it makes the front page. Vastly preferable to you appearing on page 3. Seriously, hope the media interest focusses their attention on putting it right. I think I've also got an argument pending with the council... not looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveD Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 right then got no where and I have to pay it , they cannot prove the letters were sent or provide me with copies at all they are not interested in that they have the wrong post code and the letters most likely sent to the wrong place or undelivered or whatever ,its like dealing with a robot , I think they are so used to getting f***** around by tax dodgers etc and rate dodgers that when they have a genuine case they just treat them the same as the scum that don't pay , so time to bend over and get shafted by the system again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhett Turner - Black Country AO Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Sorry to here that but not surprised. these departments are totally process driven and if you ask a question they don't have a process for you are shafted. I had a problem quite a few years ago with British Gas that took months and months to resolve because they had no process to deal with it, I purchased a house from someone who built in the garden, when they moved they took there British Gas account with them and it was only have 12 months or so I realised I had not had a bill or anything, I was using gas and I knew that eventually I was going to have to pay and was worried about building up vast arrears so could not ignore it. they just did not know how to deal with it, I am sure had I not realized I could have easily ended up in a similar situation to you. It may be worth looking to take them to the small claims court to recover the difference though. The costs are not large and they don't seem to have any evidence that they took appropriate action before calling in the bailiffs. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveD Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 yeh I really cant be arsed in chasing it ,il just wait for the next bailiff as it will happen because no one is wanting or willing to change my postcode they are all saying its some one elses job ,it must be down to one of them but I might as well stick pins in my eyes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhouse Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I still reckon it's worth a call to your loca Citizens Advice Bureau. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark (smokey mow) Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 yeh I really cant be arsed in chasing it ,il just wait for the next bailiff as it will happen because no one is wanting or willing to change my postcode they are all saying its some one elses job ,it must be down to one of them but I might as well stick pins in my eyes Steve, i can't assit with your situation per say, but can I suggest that once everything is resolved with the payment that you submitt a formal written complaint to the council for their method of handling your case. Formal complaints within our Local Authority are escalated to a higher level outside of the department you are dealing with and are considered impartially by a senior manager. If there is a genuinely obstructive person then they will be answerable to this process, and steps will be taken by the person managing your complaint to ensure that any errors in address details etc will be completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveD Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Steve, i can't assit with your situation per say, but can I suggest that once everything is resolved with the payment that you submitt a formal written complaint to the council for their method of handling your case. Formal complaints within our Local Authority are escalated to a higher level outside of the department you are dealing with and are considered impartially by a senior manager. If there is a genuinely obstructive person then they will be answerable to this process, and steps will be taken by the person managing your complaint to ensure that any errors in address details etc will be completed. yes cheers wuv ,that's a job for bev as I really have had enough of the whole situation as it stinks ,you could tell the woman on the phone did not believe me at all when I said I had received no letters ,I asked if they had been sent recorded and asked why no one had rang me she just said do you realise how many people we would have to employ if we needed to ring every person who didn't pay and how much work it would be to send everything recorded , I said yes but I have a court judgment against me now through some one from the council not doing there job and have to pay a few hundred pounds more because of it , makes me wonder sometimes if its really worth all the agro and if it would be easier just to go and work for tescos or summat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M444TTB Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 If you can't sort it out with the council then you will probably need to pay the bailiffs in full and then take the council to the small claims court to recover the excess costs to you caused by their incompetence. If you end up doing this make sure your costs add up to more than £600 (I think this is the correct figure). I had experience of taking a company through the small claims court and winning, they just ignored it. When I tried to follow up I found there was almost nothing I could do unless they owned more than £600. Just make sure you account for your time and expenses and that it does not unreasonably add up to £600 plus. I would be sweet justice to get he bailiffs to recover there own costs though This was the same thought I had. Be nice to see the sherrifs going in to the council offices and taking stuff away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Steve, you do not have to prove you didn't receive any rates bills. You only have to show the court the council provided the wrong address and the summons wasn't delivered (bad service). The court will not say anything like what the council are saying. The court will find in your favour as the address on the summons, as provided by the council is wrong. You aren't interested in proving whether or not you got the bills, the summons has the wrong address on it and, in this case that's all that matters. I'm not even sure you would need to provide any documentary proof as the court will have that on the plaint. Bev can do this in a few minutes online. Assuming the plaint does have the wrong address, you can request a copy to be sure, then it's almost an automatic win. Many people claim bad service when the plaint has the correct address. They get nowhere. If your address is wrong the court will have to find in your favour. You cannot ramp the claim up. You can only claim the court fees. If Bev has difficulty in doing it ask her to send me the details and I'll do it for you. I'm so confident you'll get the court fees back I'll pay the cost ot the new plaint if you lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2rrr Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Steve,Find out when your local MP has his surgery and bend his ear a bit, accessible via tinterweb. Give him the details including your hospitalisation its suprising how a word from them can grease the wheels. I had cause to use mine a few years ago and mission accomplished. The contacting the council bit and threatening to sue will cost money possibly but the MP should be able to get any extras waived. My MP was Paul Goggins and he was spot on. Not sure how far George Osbournes empire stretches suspect he may be worse than useless but you never know. Don't let the barstewards get away with the pain and suffering they have created.Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexander72 Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I got a bill for £36,700 in backdated business rates for a hay barn..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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