A client in the Sydney City Council area has told me this week they got a waffling 5 page letter from the Council on their rates. Buried within it is an innocuous declaration: That their council rates are being increased immediately by 11.5%. This is already on top of rates being thousands of dollars. As the client says: "And they do nothing for us." The council doesn't collect their rubbish, they need to pay a contractor for that themselves. The footpath outside is filthy old bricks, never pressure cleaned. The street drains are always clogged when it rains. It took months of waiting and thousands in application fees for 2x car spaces outside to be made 1/4 hour so the customers actually can visit them and adjoining shops. Someone in the council threatened to fine them for repainting their signage (4x 1metre by 1metre painted signs where the exterior wall meets the awning) without a development application. They had to make a development application to shorten the pre-existing security screen to fit in a DVD retailing Kiosk in the front door. The screen has been there in some form for 20+ years! All cost cost cost to business which is passed on to consumers. It's like the Council wants to drive business and employment out of its' jurisdiction. What experiences do you have with nuisance costs from councils? (Edited for grammar)
Well, Paying them to register my dog would be a nuisance if I actually decided to contract with them.* *This post is a fictionalised account. For entertainment purposes only. edited for grammar
One of the councils I deal with has a really aggressive ranger. Our public liability policy had an expiry date (it was renewed of course). Within a day of the original expiry the ranger was in at our hotel demanding to see see a certificate of currency for a new policy and firing off letters demanding same and threatening a fine if we did not comply (she did the same 4 months previously). All it needed was a simple email request and I could have had it to her in 1/2 hour (she knows me and has my contact details). Instead it was drama and threats. I swear she was just looking for a reason to fine us. Sadly, this is all over a small sign we have on the (wide) pavement out the front of the hotel. Not entirely sure it is worth the bother. I was reading some info a while back that councils all over will be looking to up their rates, especially on apartments. If Sydney Council are upping their rates by 11.5% I would not be surprised.
Filled with self important martinets who've read the latest management books and think they're smart and entitled.
Complain to the councils' insurers - not the council. My understanding is, that if a council employee receives three (3) complaints, then the insurance company will not cover them. Not surprisingly, the council cannot have someone on their books that is not covered - voila problem solved!
Local councils are like TSA employees. Give them too much power and they will make sure that they use it. Badly.
One time me and my friend parked the car and I hop of to use the ATM. My friend toy puddle jump off from the window to walk around where I was standing. I got scared because someone just casualy point at me and say the dog got no leash. I said I am leaving now (after finishing my withdrawal). The guy then flash his badges, and said " I do mean the dog need to get off the foothpath right now, or you will get a fine". This was at 9pm...my friend fired up "go get a life" comment, only to be returned with "do you want 2 fine?". Man...some does need to get a life!
These are people too incompetent to survive in the private sector and their inflated sense of self-worth is a reflection of them loathing themselves for having a completely pointless and irrevelent job they feel the need to justify.
Sydney REALLY sucks.... Honestly who would bother/want to live there......Apart from the Chinese lol!
