The Zohan

I am in the process of leaving the UK.
I need some documents which I was advised I could get from the Home Office.

I have been on the phone to them since 09:00hrs today.
I have been left on hold x 3
Cut off x 2
Given the numbers for completely irrelevant departments and been dealt with by rude brusque people and when I asked to speak to a manager to complain I was left on hold then cut off.

Great Britain - what a larf

What a fecking joke

JTaylor

Hope you're not moving to France, Italy, Spain, Portugal....... . I know what you mean though, frustrating as ****!

GaryK

thats the public sector for you, complete incompetence in every office at every level.

Brendan Hughes

I've just this minute got off the phone to Lisboagas.

Five years ago, they marketed down our street - if enough people signed up, they'd install a pipeline. My old houseowner signed up.

Two years ago, I bought the house.

Four months ago, they finished installing the pipeline and connecting my house. They sent the bill (in the old owner's name) including the €100 installation fee. I paid it.

The second bill has come through, and I've phoned to have it put into my name. They say there will be a €55 transfer fee, as each time the name changes, they have to send someone out to check the equipment. You know, the brand new equipment they installed four months ago and for which I, not the previous houseowner, paid

Despite my protestations, they have no way of overriding these rules, and cannot bureaucratically comprehend that the old houseowner would not have paid for the installation more than two years after she sold the house.

"Fine" I said "I'll leave it in her name, won't pay it for six months, and then you can sue her for the debt."

"Sure" was the reply.

So, what were you saying about the UK?

EDIT - just remembered that my French colleague had to phone about pensions advice. The conversation went something like this -

Colleague - "Hello, is that XX city council, pensions dept?"

Civil Servant "Yes."

Colleague - "Hello, I'd like to check some information about my pension rights..."

Uncivil Servant "Look, we don't have all the information here, OK? There's a limited amount we can answer, and we're very busy right now."

Colleague - speechless.

CooperS

My missus starts at the Home Office next week

Mrs WRX

You think that's bad, I work for a company that is an IT Helpdesk for the Home Office and some of the people there are that thick ........... they cant turn the base units on themselves, we have to send an engineer out to show them. No bull, totally true.

SJ_Skyline

Just finished a project where I was subcontracted to what I suspect was Mrs WRX's company and it's all true.

I'll eat my insoles before taking another role in the public sector!

homerdog

I work in the public sector and of course there is incompetence in every office, at every level. There are also some very competent people who provide you with essential services. Without them you would find life very difficult - so what's your point?

homerdog

If you work for the same company that provides my Department with IT (FS?), then that really is a case of the pot calling the kettle black! Absolutely useless

GaryK

My point is *every* one of these offices if run as a commercial enterprise wouldnt last more than 3 months, sure stuff gets *done* but the time-scales for doing stuff would put most private companies out of business.

Of course homer thats not say *you* cant do your job its just the bureaucracy (sp?) and paperwork that bogs everything down.

Gary

ChrisB

They're not known as the Turkey Army for nothing

homerdog

I've worked in the private sector as well and the employees are no different - some good, some bad. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the biggest problem with the civil service these days is that it's run like a commercial enterprise, where every decision is based on cost, rather than actual need

ben44

Probally due to you being English and wanting to leave, they've more important people to deal with now adays

Not sure where you want to go, but it might be easier to put a broken accent on and say your from that country and are here without a passport

No, hang on, you'll end up in a 4 bed house with loads of cash in this country

Sorry, thought I had a solution for a min

Scooby Soon!

Try dealing with the home office when they are in foreign places (such as embassys and consulates) they are lazy useless *******s!

brumdaisy

As both a citizen and as an employee in the public sector for nearly ten years I still cant say I've managed to experience every office at every level. Well done u on such a clearly informed point of view.

Mrs WRX

The day that I ring an IT helpdesk to say that my computer wont start and after being told that I had to switch the base unit on and off and after feverishly pressing the on/off switch and still declaring that it wont work, and when an engineer turns up I am actually switching my MONITER on and off then I will agree with you, but until then I will stick with my original post that SOME of the people who work in the home office are scarily thick.

homerdog

You do work for FS don't you! Absolutely useless! So you've got a nerve slagging off civil servants!

paulr

Really????????

....

The Zohan

LOL!
I was putting it into context not harping on.

So whats the score then - have you and psl divided up sn so he now lurks in General waiting to pounce or is it ponce and you have NSR to yourself?



BTW - Did i mention i am off to Dubai to work?

SJ_Skyline

That will make a nice change won't it Mr. H

paulr

Good luck then and i hope you have a long and fruitful career.

ps,postal voting is for wimps....

Leslie

Not only gross incompetence but complete disinterest in serving the public properly. Goes right through the entire system and is engendered by the example which comes right from the top!

Les

GaryK

Thank you! Shall I add that to the list; public sector employees=cant take criticism. I dont need to work at every office, I read the news that tells me all the f**k ups that happen. O and by the way I am working on contract at the moment for a large public sector company so Im on the 'inside' in terms of comparing project deliverables and cost accounting and believe me it is *nothing* like a private commercial enterprise.

Gary

RobA

If you think the home office is bad from the outside you should trying working for them its even more frustrating! and the ones in foreign parts are the foreign Office the only dept less organised than the home office!

what forms you after? can't you get them off the Home office website??

brumdaisy

So u believe everything u read in the media, except any critisism of the private sector and ur working on a 'contract' so u know everything

btw - contradiction of terms.... ur argument appears to have just fallen flat on its face with my boot shoved firmly up its ****