Similar issue, response from LGMA (Local Government Management Agency)
I have had the same issue. I remembered recently that I needed to pay this and it was only when I logged in that I saw I had not paid it for 2011. I too had received an email reminder for 2010.
I email and asked
[email protected] why did I receive an email for 2010 but none for 2011 or 2012. I also asked why no notification of late charges of any form was sent.
The main points of their response (as I read them) are:
- The reminder is automatic and so I would have received the email for 2011. (It was probably treated as spam).
- It is a self declared charge and so the individual is responsible for paying it.
- They do not send out any correspondence other than the reminder, even when charges start to accrue.
The email address I provided was for a 'gmail' account and I cannot find any relevant emails in the spam or bin folders.
IMHO, more and more websites are using email reminders as a way of notifying when payments etc are due. I think it is a reasonable assumption that if you sign up for a reminder (and especially if you receive at least one) then you can expect to continue to receive them in the future.
If they are not going to guarantee the emails then they should at least state that at the top level. Basically saying that the reminder email is useless as you have to make sure to manually check anyway. They should do this rather than hiding it down through several clicks in the FAQ.
The response from LGMA also stated that they do not send out additional emails or communication for the late charges. This to me is unfair as if an email is genuinely lost then there is no opportunity for an honest person to catch the problem while the amount to be paid is relatively low.
One thing I have since noticed is that when I logged in this year I was again asked to add and confirm my email. I have a feeling that they may have had a failure in their system between 2010 and 2011 resulting in email addresses being lost.
One note regarding a "second house". This is not my second home, I no longer live in Ireland and as this is not my principle residence I am liable to pay the charge.
Richard