Termination Notices Regarding Sheds

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

I have just received a 'Termination Notice' regarding my shed.  For months now, have had no more bills since I last paid.  The Notice does not say anything about non payment, just that I have to clear my shed, otherwise they will throw out my stuff!  There is no phone number, or individual person to contact, just Lauderdale Place. 

Does anyone know what is going on here?  The last time I spoke to someone, I can't remember their name, I was told there was a lot of controversy over the billing of sheds, and it was in chaos!  As I received no further bills I naturally assumed everything was fine.  Wrong!!!!  I don't know of anyone else who has received recent bills for sheds.  Even when I did pay I received no receipt!  Surely, no one can be expected to pay for anything without a bill being produced, and the payment 'stub'? 

I was given my shed in good faith, and over the years my partner has turned it into his little 'workshop', which is great for him, especially giving him something positive to do after his heart attack, and stroke.  How mean spirited the City can be!

[SARAH BATTY-SMITH]

Maria, the sheds are very much being charged for. You will only get one bill per year, usually in April for the forthcoming financial year and you either pay it all then or come to some arrangement with Sonia Marquis or Bob Jacks for stepped payment throughout the year.

 

If they wanted to chuck your stuff out then you should have had some warning, either through your front door or a note pinned on the door of the store or both. Any warning should have been dated and then the narrative should have stated that they will empty the store within a month/3 months of the date of the notice? You then of course ask why and sort out any misunderstanding. Hope this helps.

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

Hi Sarah.  Thanks for replying.

The fact is, there was no notice pinned to my shed door.  I am not aware that there is only one bill per year.  Nor am I aware of having to make any payment arrangements with Bob Jacks.  If someone is late in paying any bill, they legally have to receive a 'reminder' first, before anything else.  If the City wish to charge people for sheds then they are obliged to follow correct procedure.  Not to issue receipts of payment is not correct procedure.  I realise that they are trying to cut down on their paperwork because it is costing more to produce than they are making in charging for sheds.  That is their problem.  If they want to have a 'business' here, they should do it properly. 

And, why should anyone pay up front?  This whole thing has not been carefully thought out.  I know of several residents who are confused by this.  A classic case is when a City of London employee told me that the City make a charge for a certain service, but the paperwork that's needed costs far more than the actual charge!! 

Thanks for your help.  I will try and sort it out.  However, if they had left things as they were, there would be nothing to sort out!!

[nathan]

I have also received the termination notice, written in some garbled barrack room lawyer legalese, saying they are terminating my use of the shed and i must remove my belongings within 28 days, or they will remove my belongings, they then say after the termination i can request a new "licence". I have never been given a licence to begin with. According to this I have to remove my belongings or have them removed and presumably destroyed by the corporation, then I can request a "new licence", then move my belongings back into a shed, Who gets paid to write these threatening aggressive  dictates? The letter is then signed by an illegible signature with no name, job title or contact details, "for and on behalf of the city of London corporation".

The only contact detail is for a job title and an address in Lauderdale Place, how wonderfully helpful of the person who composed this letter, obviously he has been given extensive training on customer relations

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

Hi Nathan! 

Yes, that's it!  I went to Lauderdale Place today, with the same contact details as you, and was told I needed to go to our Estate Office!!!  What!  My reply was why then was I told to come here?  A phone call was made by the receptionist to Bob Jacks, who said he had to go to a meeting.  I was told to go back to the Estate office.  I did so, to find Bob Jacks there, who said he would sort it out.  Apparently, i should have received an explanation letter with the Termination one!  I did not.  Did you?  I was told there must be some mistake as to not receiving 'reminder' letters!  Bet you didn't get one either!  Lots of 'mistakes' then! 

This whole thing is a joke!  The amount of money it costs for these 'notices', and sending locksmiths running about all over the place changing shed locks of those who dared not pay, it is certainly costing far more than they could possibly make by charging for the sheds in the first place!  One could almost not mind if they made a 'bob' or two, but they don't!  In fact, I think we are being charged in the first place so they can print 'Termination notices', telling us we are going to have our stuff thrown out!!!   Who, on earth, thought of this ridiculous scheme???  The mind boggles! 

nathan said:

I have also received the termination notice, written in some garbled barrack room lawyer legalese, saying they are terminating my use of the shed and i must remove my belongings within 28 days, or they will remove my belongings, they then say after the termination i can request a new "licence". I have never been given a licence to begin with. According to this I have to remove my belongings or have them removed and presumably destroyed by the corporation, then I can request a "new licence", then move my belongings back into a shed, Who gets paid to write these threatening aggressive  dictates? The letter is then signed by an illegible signature with no name, job title or contact details, "for and on behalf of the city of London corporation".

The only contact detail is for a job title and an address in Lauderdale Place, how wonderfully helpful of the person who composed this letter, obviously he has been given extensive training on customer relations

[nathan]

This is the first communication i have had with them since the beginning of last year, and it doesn't matter if they don't make a profit, they are interested in justifying  their jobs, finding more pieces of paper to shuffle to keep themselves in jobs, busy the whole day through, trying to find lots of things not to do, while giving the  residents a raw deal. Explanation letters, don't make me laugh. I was told by Wendy that the when the whole shed issue emerged, that it had  been under consultation, and when I pointed out that no one consulted me, she merely said, "The corporation didn't have to consult with residents", lol. Its like the whole system is geared to service the employees of the corporation, and the residents are the last thing on any-ones mind, just look read the tone of the letter,  contempt. Maybe if you rolled up a trouser leg and gave them a funny hand shake, or maybe a small token of gratitude given to the estate office just maybe , then, you may have a different experience, lol if you cant beat them join them.

[Maria Elizabeth Prior]

Nathan, I totally agree with you.  It is simply trying to justify their jobs!  Pathetic!  I think more people need to protest about this, instead of letting the Corporation bully us!  We were given our sheds in good faith at the time, until some twit decided to bully us even more by introducing charges!  I really was told I should have received an explanation letter with the Termination notice, but since you have not received one either, well, what can I say? 

nathan said:

This is the first communication i have had with them since the beginning of last year, and it doesn't matter if they don't make a profit, they are interested in justifying  their jobs, finding more pieces of paper to shuffle to keep themselves in jobs, busy the whole day through, trying to find lots of things not to do, while giving the  residents a raw deal. Explanation letters, don't make me laugh. I was told by Wendy that the when the whole shed issue emerged, that it had  been under consultation, and when I pointed out that no one consulted me, she merely said, "The corporation didn't have to consult with residents", lol. Its like the whole system is geared to service the employees of the corporation, and the residents are the last thing on any-ones mind, just look read the tone of the letter,  contempt. Maybe if you rolled up a trouser leg and gave them a funny hand shake, or maybe a small token of gratitude given to the estate office just maybe , then, you may have a different experience, lol if you cant beat them join them.