Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey Council is making me MAD!
Hi Everyone,
In the 5 years I've lived in Haringey, I've never found them to be anything but a pain in the arse to deal with, but this last week they have been driving me up the wall with stress/anger as I receive letter after letter demanding money I do not owe them.
So far this week I've received an invoice demanding repayment of housing benefit I supposedly claimed 3 years ago to an address I've never lived at, another letter today informing me that they will be adding £55 to my Council Tax bill for overpaid Council Tax Benefit which they never paid as I was already back in work, had informed them and they had confirmed it had stopped in writing several times (not to mention the fact that the yearly bill was already paid off by that point), and last but not least an NTO for a parking fine which I had already contested weeks before and have not heard a decision on yet (obviously the NTO doubles the fine).
I can't help but feel they are either so incompetent to the point that some sort of enquiry should be set up investigating their poor practices, or that they are so desperate for money that they are picking on anyone they can with made up over-payments and invoices.
Who holds these people to account? Imagine if English wasn't my first language, or if I was a bit mentally challenged? (some might say I am) It's stressful enough as it is, sending emails which they don't reply to, whilst they are demanding money from me. Which is the best route to take? I have 2 ideas:
1. Get some legal advice (if it's free)
2. Start an online petition asking for them to be investigated
Sorry for the lengthy rant! All suggestions welcome 
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Colinloves on
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Most people give up and pay......it might empty the bank account, but its just more easy to pay, that stand up for the truth. They have all the powers on their side and you have none. A pointless fight. so might as well pay and be done with it.
So have a moan, bend over, and pay up.
Im so happy you aint thinking like that. Allow your truth to give you the strength you need.
As long as you got all the paperwork, you can keep playing ping-pong with them, until it sinks in. Legally, unless you can get a harassment order in place, I dont see benefit for going down the legal road.
Sadly I dont have any experience in this, nor know of anyone who has. But I can suggest contacting some community groups, like Haringey Solidarity Group, who would be much more knowledged in such matters.
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Permalink Reply by Seema Chandwani on
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:( I had a similar problem after I graduated, they sent me a court summons in the end for unpaid Council Tax despite me telling them I was a student at the time & exempt!!
Have you spoken to your local Councillor? Or even Cllr Joe Goldberg as I think the benefits dept is under his responsibility... If you're on Twitter he is on @joedgoldberg or his email is on council website...
Ive seen him deal with similar issues before (yes its happened to others) & some fedback his intervention helped.
Keep a log of emails & confirm verbal communication in writing to a named person(s). Judge rolled his eyes at my case & threw it out. But that was 10yrs + ago
Hope you get a result with Joe, if not my advice is to put in a formal complaint as that would go to a Manager would have to look into it & respond in 20 working days
Good luck
Sx
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Permalink Reply by Louise Wallis on
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You need to ring them about the parking fine, I contested and heard nothing either. Got it cancelled when I rang up.
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Permalink Reply by Karen Alexander on
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Happy to take these issues up for you with the council if you would like to DM or drop me an email on karen.alexander.haringeylibdems@gmail.com
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Permalink Reply by Jo on
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I used to regularly receive threatening demands for council tax payments that had long since been made. Whether or not it made a difference I don't know but I always copied the Chief Executive into all my correspondence, and the 'problem' would be quickly resolved.
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Hi Suzy
Any contact with this council is both frustrating and annoying. I kept receiving emails asking if I was interested in taking an apprentice. And guess what? You answer them and they ignore you.
I did write to the new Chief Executive as the Tottenham regeneration team were also not answering emails and I received a response from them in a few days. It might be worth writing to him?
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Permalink Reply by Christopher Fowler on
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I sympathise. For almost a year I've been having problems with the Council Tax and Benefits office about their claims against me for outrageous amounts of "council tax arrears". It took me months to get a reply to a basic letter of enquiry, and the reply only arrived a couple of days before they'd summonsed me to appear in magistrates' court, as they were attempting to get a liability order. I turned up and managed to stop that, with a deferment to allow them to provide more information. This they never did, but despite me defending my case vigorously in court, the compliant, rubber-stamping magistrates (what a parody of justice!) gave them one liability order. They are now claiming I have been running an HMO (this is our family home, and we have a couple of friends staying with us, for free), and this allows them to charge huge amounts of arrears. They have become very threatening, and threatened to bankrupt me. They've backed off a bit, and are now just seeking a charging order. Initially, it was impossible to get through at all on the phone - the customer service staff told me that "they don't take phone calls". I wrote (recorded delivery) and sent email, but the responses were slow (in one case more than three months) and I often received conflicting responses from different people. I am currently drafting a complaint to the head of department, and a demand for an apology for one particularly threatening and hostile email message. The whole department is chaotic, incompetent, and treats the residents of Haringey like serfs. They think they can shelter in a kind of bunker, anonymous and unaccountable. My local councillors hold a "surgery" every Saturday at my local library, so I'll be taking copies of correspondence to them, and try to get them to take the matter up with the head of the finance committee, Councillor Goldberg. This department is a disgrace, and their treatment of residents of Haringey is despicable.
My advice - don't give up, only communicate by letter (recorded delivery, otherwise they will lie and claim not to have received it), never talk to them on the phone unless you record the conversation. Get free legal advice (Citizens' Advice?) if you can. I've been holding them at bay for a year now, despite horrible threats, and I have only paid the tax which I know to be due.
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This is good advice. I saw a local ward councillor Saturday. He was appalled at what he called "maladministration". He advised me to complain first to the Chief Executive, and then, if the outcome was not satisfactory, to the Local Govt Ombudsman.
Remember, as advised above, always by letter, recorded delivery. Don't talk to them on the phone, even if they start to be conciliatory, just tell them you will only communicate in writing. I usually add "a letter over the signature of a responsible officer". They hate signing things.
And, in the end, when you win, hit them for costs for all the time you've used. My former employer (now retired) costed my time there at a "notional value" of about 15 pounds an hour, so that is a minimum I use. And if they refuse to pay up, take them to small claims court, at which point they will usually give in, out of court; and if they don't, they'll have to pay all your legal costs as well. The only language they understand is _money_.
Good luck!
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I support you contacting your local councillor who operates in a confidential way. They are available through councillor services in the town hall. Visit Haringey borough website. you may be able to send scans of documents so not needing face to face communication.
best wishes
Liz
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