THE HOUSING BENEFIT OFFICE
(Use your back button to return after seeing the Word documents)
Complaint One.
The story told about the rent office (see the item above on the menu page) started with a problem involving an error of £7.28 that I had with the BDC Housing Benefits Department, which I tried to get resolved via the local rent office. The local office was useless, but when I contacted the main office, it was resolved straight away.
Complaint Two.
Less than a year later, July 2003, the Benefits Office had excelled itself, and instead of a mistake of £7.28, had got even more efficient at making mistakes, and upped the ante to £65. After giving a lot of advice to the staff, I was (once again!) proved to be right. (See my email here) This email had a reply from the manager (See here) You will see that the letter is very detailed. It is an excellent letter, and the lady had the grace to confirm what I had suggested, that the computer program had a glitch. After getting this letter, a warm glow came over me, and I KNEW THAT I would be OK in the future.
Complaint Three.
How wrong I was! In February 2004, I had a set of documents from the Benefits department that said that I had had an increase of income, and that my benefits had been reduced. Thinking of the service that I had had, as above, I phoned and explained that I had not had any increase in income. Also, I said that it appeared that my income for 2004/5 had been applied to 2003/4. Nothing happened for three weeks, so I sent this email. You will see that it is very clear as to what I think had happened.
One week later, I received this letter (Word format) from an apparently sadistic, frustrated old frump. I'll just put here a copy of the email I shot off to the Benefits Department manager - copies to the department, and to the Director of Housing, who was impressed with last year. Should be self -explanatory. I was fuming!
I had a prompt reply to my email from the manager I respect. True to form, it is comforting! I have to trust her re the comment about my council tax! (See here)
Wednesday, 10 March 2004. Once again!!!! I have been proved correct! Had a letter today. It is a very long one, very detailed, with an apology. I have put a couple of
paragraphs here. I replied with this email.