MissBetty

Ok that cracked me up! I must admit I always said that I didn't want to be 50 years old, working nights with a 21 year old uni grad with some abusive drunk vomiting all over the back of my ambulance but here I am, at 46, STILL doing just that and time is marching on!

Hence my return to the UK and my cunning plan to get onto a paramedic practioner course! I'll be treating people in their own homes, no more lifting (the back will have gone by then!) or I'll be working in a NHS walk in centre or minor injuries clinic dispensing tea, advice and a few plasters!

If all else fails I'll go get a job on an oil rig so I can sit on my fat a*** at 60 years old, handing out bandaids and panadol. Or I can get a job as a uni lecturer boring all those irritating 21 year olds with my stories - sweet revenge indeed!!!!!!!!

MissBetty

Snap Shot

Oh you make me smile........

P.S. we are the same age

lf1

That would indeed be sweet revenge on those 21 year olds. Remember to wear your Loubitons whilst lecturing, that will really get up their noses. Just remembered you are a Jimmy Choo's girl, either way, that'll get their goat.

MissBetty

Are we?! That's cool, I used to think 30 was old but now I keep changing the goal posts ha ha ha! In my head though I'm still 23 - just a little bit wiser

MissBetty

Ok so its 9 weeks today and things are going full steam ahead, my sister sent me some pics of the flat and its looking great. New lights all in place, new cooker, new bath and loo and a new built in wardrobe with lots of shelves for the Choos - of course!!!!

So now April is nearly upon us and what does that mean? Yes, of course, BILLS. Its annual bill time so I thought I'd share with you my experience with my local council and the dreaded bloomin council tax! My bill has come through and its just over 1000GBP but, as I live alone, I am entitled to a 25% single persons discount.

So I ring them only to be told I'm only entitled to a discount when and only when I am actually living in the property - WHAT???!!!!!

So the following conversation ensues:-

Me "You mean to say not only do I have to pay the full council tax bill, even thought the place is empty, I have to pay MORE than when I am actually living there? Seriously?"
Council Guy "Er yes"
Me "Well thats ridiculous, I'm not even in the country!"
CG "Well yes there are a list of exemptions on the website but I don't think you qualify madam"
Me "Well clearly not as I have checked them. It seems if I was in prison or a mental health institution I wouldn't have to pay anything at all - correct?"
CG "Well um er yeah I guess"
Me "So what if I said I was in prison right now?"
GC "Well you're not are you"
Me "Well I might be mad and calling you from a nuthouse right now"
CG "Well thats possible but I don't think you are"
Me "Hmmmm. So basically if I was mad or broke the law and banged up I'd be exempt from council tax or I'd pay 25% less if I was actually living in my own property and using all the resources - street lights, rubbish collection etc. is that correct?"
CG "Well um er um er yes I guess so!"
Me "Well thats not very fair is it?"
CG "I don't make the rules madam!"

Sigh! So I've set up a direct debit and I have to pay April and May at full whack then go and see them for a discount once I'm back - they don't make it easy do they?!!! Lol!!!

aries

My council tax bill of £1332.87 has arrived, and I'm still waiting for the balance of my Winter Fuel Payment. I've been phoning them since December, and each person tells me they will sort it out, and nothing happens. The person this morning could find no previous reference to my calls, but will of course sort it out! I've written to them as well, and in January they asked me for a copy of my council tax account, but that achieved nothing either.

With other problems with services, to say I'm underwhelmed with my return to the UK is putting it lightly. I haven't yet seen the Keystone Cops, but I'm sure they're around somewhere, along with Laurel and Hardy!!

WhoFan63

It's too bad you couldn't have told them you DO live there, but you are overseas on holiday at the moment..lol. Or sent the money and got your sister to pay it, discount included Probably not the way it works though right?? LOL

MissBetty

I can see how you'd think that!!! I must admit I still cannot understand how on earth I have to pay more council tax on an empty property than when I am living there, full time, and using all the resources such as rubbish collection/street lighting etc - sheer madness!

MissBetty

You know I did consider that option but its my Mum who has power of attorney and sorts out all my bills. She was dead against it stating that's its fraud and they council would investigate, catch me out and then I'd be in the crap! I'm sure she has overestimated the intellectual capabities of Hastings Borough Council as I'm pretty sure they couldn't investigate their way out of a paper bag -but its just not worth the risk!!!!

passthevalium

Crikey, only 9 nine weeks left, so on a scale of 1 to 10 how stressful is it all getting? and what will you call your thread when leaving?
"I think today I've gone "
Stay sane, or you can join me in the asylum, they serve nice crumpets and biscuits. Not to mention the odd antipsychotic
Wow I'm sounding weird.

NZ can do that to you.

aries

I agree! It is also sheer madness for the streets here to be cluttered with wheelie bins for every conceivable use. Where I am living we each have a bin for personal garbage, then separate community ones for food waste, paper, cardboard, plastic, plastic bottles, and glass and cans.

We have to do the sorting, yet in South Australia I had just 2 bins, one for general garbage including food, and another for recycle. The council employed a contractor to sort it all out, and my rates were lower than here.

So where does the money go, even the roads are full of potholes.

MissBetty

Same here in Queensland - I've just put my two bins out for tomorrow morning!

Where I live in Hastings Old Town in the UK we are not allowed to even have a wheelie bin as its a conservation area and also its a narrow one way street, we are only allowed to put out rubbish bags plus clear ones for recycling. The problem is the seagulls, now I love them, integral part of seaside life, but they are buggers for scavenging. You can only put your rubbish bags out on a Monday morning at 0700 hrs onwards or else they get ripped apart by the gulls and YOU get a fine! Pain in the butt for a shift worker as if I'm on nights I don't get home in time. I therefore have to parcel up my rubbish in bags during the week and do 'drops' in public bins!!!!

MissBetty

About 8 out of 10 atm, I think my main stress has to be selling my car! I live in the middle of nowhere - literally - so I have to get my timing right, too early and I'll be trapped in Loony Town, too late and it might not sell! Of course now I have to sell it things keep going wrong on the bloody thing - last week the cable that opens the petrol cap snapped - not so bad eh? Well it had to be ordered from Germany (I drive a VW Beetle) so that cost $420 - arghhhh! Going in Thurs to be fitted so more money THEN I have to get a road worthy certificate done on it so I can legally sell it THEN the rego runs out May 7th - I honestly feel like I am paying out $$$$$$$$$ hand over fist right now

I think I will join you in the asylum - at least then I won't have to pay my UK council tax ha ha ha!

As for my leaving thread???? Well seeing as (inc with my parents) I've been back to Oz 3 times now I shall call it Betty Boomerangs Back!!!!! Now pass the crumpets please!

Perth