Early this morning I watched a recording of last night’s rugby World Cup quarter final match between France and South Africa. Fortunately for England who meet the winner in the semi final I think they have a marginally better, albeit very slender, chance of beating them than the team that lost this one.
Bournemouth having been pinpointed on the map in today’s Antiques Road trip – before I went to sleep, that is – reminded me that I had forgotten to mention the mission for which Jacqueline had volunteered during her visit on Saturday.
When we recently changed cars we were informed by the dealer that a refund of road tax on our old Modus would be sent automatically by the DVLA. Nothing could be simpler, it seemed.
Not so.
The tax has, of course, to be paid on line. This is paid from my bank account. Jackie is the registered car owner, in her previous name of Stockley. She has never changed the name with her bank, which is Barclays.
Mrs J.M. Stockley therefore received a cheque for the required sum. All nearby branches have been closed during the last few years. She does not do on line banking. The nearest open branch is now at Bournemouth, eleven miles away.
Needless to say there is no telephone number on the DVLA paperwork.
My sister, who banks with Barclays and lives at Boston in Lincolnshire, has taken the cheque and Jackie’s bank details home with her to pay into her branch on her sister in law’s behalf.
This afternoon I began reading “Over The Bridge” by Richard Church.
This evening we all dined on tender roast lamb; boiled new potatoes; firm cauliflower, broccoli stems, and al dente mange tout followed by apple pie and vanilla ice cream, with which Jackie drank more of the Lieblich and I finished the Cabernet Zinfandel.
Sometimes things are way more complicated then they need be!
My goodness, what a rigormarole!
More and more. Thanks very much, Dale
True!
I empathise with Jackie’s banking woes: I spent two hours in our local bank because my credit card was rejected when I purchased groceries. An hour and a half waiting to be told that for some reason I was not tax compliant and I was given a ticket number. Then I was told I had to wait an hour before returning to the bank or the priority (!!!!) ticket number wouldn’t work. Then I waited for half an hour until a consultant verified my identification and sent me on my merry way.
How frustrating, Anne!
Good grief, Anne. Thanks very much.
The more technology is allegedly done on our behalf, the less convenient everything becomes. There are no more telephone numbers (of if there are, good luck finally getting a real person.) Local branches are becoming a thing of the past. Bureaucracy has where it wants us, by appointment only, if you can ever figure out how to access one. Dinner sounds delightful. I’m having left over spaghetti which will beg to have a decent red wine to accompany it.
So, far, I can still meet with a person at my bank branch when something goes wrong.
Thank you very much, Pat.
What’s a cheque?
And things were meant to become easier for us. Ha!!
For them, Anne. Thanks very much
Always good to have a refund on something Derrick.. 🙂 We had a beef dinner with cauliflower, carrots and peas… No pudding though 🙂 … Have a great week Derrick x
Bureaucracy in action, it seems.
Yep. Thanks very much, Dolly
You are very welcome, Derrick.
Thanks very much, Dolly
My pleasure, Derrick.
This reminds me Derrick that I need to pay my car registration of nearly $900 today. Highway robbery if you as me!
Quite. 🙂 Thanks very much, Miriam
The banking sounds complicated
Very! Why do banks (and other organizations) continue to make things so hard?
I have no idea why but it is so frustrating at times.
It is progress, Donna. And for the benefit of the organisations, of course. Thanks very much
Oh dear. Poor Jackie. Similar things a heard of here to. We do online banking only for what we need to do and we can keep an eye on the balance and scammers like a hawk. After all, the banks have our accounts on line anyway and who trust banks? 😉 Staff work in little offices all over the country. Even if you had a DVLA phone number, or Barclays, the person you speak to could be anywhere. Possibly Ireland or Scotland. Our medical health fund is the only direct debit from our account. The rest we transfer payments from our account to theirs. Some are set regularly or once only by us, the account holders. While we can manage what we can, go to banks, use pin numbers for purchases, use cash, make payments in person, we will… while we can. One day, some people won’t be able to buy food without a tap and go auto hit because of various reasons. Health, age, can’t afford computers or fancy phones….. Sorry it’s one of my high horse I get on occaisionally. 😉 I love technology. I just don’t like being told I have to use it for everything.
I hope all goes well. mmm… lamb sounds good for tea.
Thanks very much, Chrissy
Absolutely right, Chrissy. Thanks very much
Glad you found a way through that banking maze. Sheesh.
Thanks very much, Jodie
You can use the Post Office to pay in cheques and cash and it will be transferred to your bank account. it’s simple and without hassle.
I receive a cheque each year for the land rent, but I do wish he’d use online banking instead, but as the nearest Post Office is only ten minutes away I shouldn’t complain.
Thanks very much, Sue. We will remember that
Oh, gosh! So frustrating.
Glad your sister is able to help.
Your dinner sounds delicious! A meal of comfort. 🙂
(((HUGS))) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you very much, Carolyn X
We still have problems because I am the person named on most of our household stuff as I was here first. Julia ended up paying most of the bills because she had a steady job while I was self-employed. We can’t be the only household like this but it’s amazing how many problems it causes. Hope yours is sorted now.
Thanks a lot, Quercus. I expect it will be when Jacqueline visits her bank
Fingers crossed.
Taxes – you just can’t escape them can you…
Thanks very much, John
You’re welcome.
How frustrating when Jackie’s nearest bank branch is so far away! Banks would be overjoyed if we all transitioned to online banking.
Thanks very much, Rosaliene
I’m glad it’s getting worked out. I resisted online banking for years and have put my toe in that water. Still, it’s good to have real people willing and able to help.
I was forced into inline banking, after resisting like you, because of branch closures. Thanks very much, JoAnna
I suppose we must adapt. Sigh.
I am glad Jackie had a work around in the form of your sister. So many automated things today are not so simple.
Thanks very much, Lavinia
Sounds like the paper chase in Mexico which is unbelievable. They issued my CURP number under the wrong name 20 years ago and I still can’t get it straightened out!!!
Such is progress, Judy. Thanks very much
I remember a whole lot of issues when I changed my surname with a bank! The bank finally coped but the phone company and the car rego place got completely bamboozled. Mainly to with the fact I now didn’t have that very British “second name”.
A few years ago I discovered my ex, had never deleted my old name off our “joint account”. That caused a huge headache.
Thanks very much, Catherine
Sounds like the DVLA operate the same company policy as so many companies do.
“Just send us your money and that’s the end of it”
Indeed. Making us more determined to get it back. Thanks very much, John
Wow–so needlessly complicated. I’m glad you were able to work things out.
Thanks very much, Merril
Technology was to make life easier so why does it seem things are more complicated?
Thanks very much, Pat
You are welcome, Derrick.
Sorry, Eugi
It’s sadly the same here. Have to go into the city centre but they have made parking so expensive.
Yes – that parking has compounded everything, Gary. Thanks very much
They don’t even try for a mere facade of customer service anymore, do they? … rhetorical question, I know. Costomer service was well on its way out before Covid, and these days? …
… At some point corporations are going to discover that they’ve dehumanised their product/service to such a point that they’ll be the ones disappearing, not humans … at some point.
That is a welcome thought, Widders. Thank you very much
The never ending story of banks, and cheques and online services that when you need them, don’t work 🙂
Thank you so much, Ribana
Nothing is ever simple in my experience. SOuth Africans are very excited about the rugby ????
I’m sure they are. And now their kicking has improved. Thanks very much, Robbie
Ha, sounds familiar. It took me 10 minutes to book a restaurant online yesterday…I should have ignored the prompt and just rung them!
Thanks very much, Lesley. We can never use the on-line booking service to order Red Chilli takeaway. I always ring them.
And ordering the meal on line is the dizzy limit. Nothing is a substitute for a professional waiter who knows that the steak is local and what seasonal vegetables look fantastic.
Agreed