Council Tax Collection Rates - Page 4

jaysay · 01-03-2011, 19:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

Well, I can happily inform you that the person involved in this little escapade was none other than, myself.

It had even got to the stage where a 'Council Tax-Notice Of Liability Order had been taken out against me with threats to send in the Bailiffs if I didn't fill in a 'Request For Relevant Information'.

Well, I didn't fill it in instead I emailed the Council and asked for a record of my payments so that I could check them against my bank statements.
A very polite but I imagine extremely harrassed lady replied Giving me the details required and also informing me that on checking these details, I was in fact up to date with my payments and that The summons and liability costs have been removed.
She did go on to say that the reason for this error was that my pay by date was the 14th of the month and some of the payments have been received after this date.

If, I was to be really bothered I think looking through my payment records I would find that in actual fact I was probably several weeks in front when making my donations to the buttie bar, but the system employed down there doesn't seem able to work that out.

However, I won't hassle the girl just on a minor technicality, instead I will thank her for her prompt action, and ask that the overpaid person in charge will try as hard and has the manners to check the figures they have before issuing their next summons to some other poor soul.

Not sure Less but I think the person your talking about may well be a computer called Fred

lindsay ormerod · 01-03-2011, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Not sure Less but I think the person your talking about may well be a computer called Fred

You may find this hard to believe but benefits assessing is done by real, live humans, who can and do make the odd mistake, (usually as a result of people supplying inaccurate info or having ineligible handwriting!!). The only thing the computer does is the adding up and generating the letters.

( I should know, I'm one of those real, live humans!

)

Less · 01-03-2011, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Not sure Less but I think the person your talking about may well be a computer called Fred

No, it's called neglect, whatever system it's based on, the damned thing isn't checked for the GIGO, let it generate heartache and fear amongst the populous, if they are daft enough not to check, we get more revenue.
Not the sort of attitude I expect from a 'place to be'.

Less · 01-03-2011, 20:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindsay ormerod

You may find this hard to believe but benefits assessing is done by real, live humans, who can and do make the odd mistake, (usually as a result of people supplying inaccurate info or having ineligible handwriting!!). The only thing the computer does is the adding up and generating the letters.

( I should know, I'm one of those real, live humans!

)

Lindsay, if you notice, I have nothing but praise for the human intervention, it solved a misunderstanding the council were prepared to dump on me.

lindsay ormerod · 01-03-2011, 21:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Less

Lindsay, if you notice, I have nothing but praise for the human intervention, it solved a misunderstanding the council were prepared to dump on me.

No problem Less, my comment was more directed at Jaysay who seems to think that all the work is done by computers, granted the pc does all the calculations but it's only as good as the information fed into it, by the humans!