truthseeker - the only reason I can see in your post for not ringing to clarify that you have paid would be the cost of the call and presumption that you would be put on hold and passed from person to person.
I agree it would be better if they gave an email or postal address to contact.
I would be interested to know exactly of the wording in the letter that you consider intimidating if you would be kind enough to post it? I have to say that the words quoted by Greta above ('it has come to our attention that you may be liable for the Household charge') sound very reasonable albeit that this is just a snippet and may not be in context.
It does seem to me, based on the comments in this thread, that a decision to force a trivial matter like this to court when there is a much simpler solution is driven by a desire to vex the authorities and is born of malice. If Dermot can convince the judge that his actions were driven by a sense of civic duty and were reasonable then he has nothing to fear.
My core point as to whether people consider it is reasonable to force enormous expense on the public purse over a matter could be easily resolved with a phone call (maybe even a long phone call) has gone unanswered by all posts to date.
I agree it would be better if they gave an email or postal address to contact.
I would be interested to know exactly of the wording in the letter that you consider intimidating if you would be kind enough to post it? I have to say that the words quoted by Greta above ('it has come to our attention that you may be liable for the Household charge') sound very reasonable albeit that this is just a snippet and may not be in context.
It does seem to me, based on the comments in this thread, that a decision to force a trivial matter like this to court when there is a much simpler solution is driven by a desire to vex the authorities and is born of malice. If Dermot can convince the judge that his actions were driven by a sense of civic duty and were reasonable then he has nothing to fear.
My core point as to whether people consider it is reasonable to force enormous expense on the public purse over a matter could be easily resolved with a phone call (maybe even a long phone call) has gone unanswered by all posts to date.