Housing Exchange

[treeve]

If you are considering the number of bedrooms that you occupy is surplus to requirements, and out of the goodness of your heart consider it would be of advantage to the Housing association and the recipient family .... DON'T. Stay where you are. Your Council Tax Relief and your Housing Benefit is Suspended for you without Notice, and it takes forever to get it back, in the meantime you are sent Bills for an amount that presumably pays for their inflated incomes, and ensures that you are living on the edge of poverty. On top of which the Water company siezes the opportunity to make a fast buck by ensuring that your water bills are now linked to your Rateable value ... and that is serious stuff. Added to which the Housing Association informed me upon asking the specific question as to whether or not they would handle all matters in Housing Benefits and Council Tax Relief, and there reply was an assured yes.... it is a lie. You are on your own. I will report as the bureaucrats proceed.

 

[treeve]

Did I tell you that the form that you have to submit was massive, and could be deposited with the "One Stop Shop". Fine provided you wait for over an hour just to hand the form over for checking only to receive a written receipt for that form and no approval of the contents or consultation as to benefits. Great stuff as it has to be a climb up to the offices, as there are no buses, and with a severe back problem it was rather traumatic, and considering the benefits had been suspended without warning or option I find all of this to be less than condusive as to assisting the needy public.

 

[tabtab13]

Sorry to hear this treeve - and all because you put the needs of others before yourself. It's just not right. Bureaucracy stinks.

 

[46traveller]

Genuinely sorry to hear treeve, the Council seem to be a law unto themselves lately in every case you hear about. Disgusting attitude, lots of employees only interested in getting paid for doing very little to help the genuine cases. If you get angry in their offices, they throw you out, I'ts no wonder they sit behind bulletproof glass, they need it sometimes, and you can't wonder at it with their "that's your receipt, we hope to deal with your claim within the stipulated time limit" attitude. Don't you just hope that one day they themselves will be "Your Side Of The Screen".

 

[treeve]

Thank you both ... here is the unhelpful reply from Revenues and Benefits "Customer Services" ... granted a fairly immediate reply, but what exactly is the point in asking a frightening bill, and then to have to recalculate. Rather beligerant and oppressive. "An adjustment notice starting from 1/11/2010 has been sent out (the one which I complained about) .. We will not be able to extend the instalments any further at this stage. Benefit side of your account will need adjustment and recalculation ... and hopefully some reduction may occur. ( rather putting the cart before the horse) I will also pass a copy to Mr Michael Hopkins... It closes that she "hopes this clarifies your query at this time"... This was sent from the Penwith One Stop Shop .. First it is unclear as to why the demand was sent in the first place. Secondly there is a reasonable assumption that the figure will change. So why frighten people with such a demand, and make work for themsleves.

 

[P_Trembath]

So why frighten people with such a demand, and make work for themsleves.

To, make work for themsleves.

 

[treeve]

I have been informed by the Benefits Officer that the Council Tax demand is to be witheld and the Housing Benefit will be included with the calculation ... Common Sense, Initiative, I like it.

 

[treeve]

I have had a reply from Mick Hopkins - he has coodinated the benefits and the Tax Payments and all is resolved. Speak to someone with intelligence and initiative, and all is well. The benefits office has been under pressure, but not so much pressure as I was under having to pay such a Bill.