Ok so I’m up bright and early to get to the station in good time for my train to go to a Tribunal at 2 O’clock this afternoon.
I’d already decided that I would collect the post on the way to the station and do some work on the train. I do prefer the train to driving – I detest traffic jams but that’s a subject for another day.
A lucky break?
So I get the post and had 15 minutes to spare before the post office opened (I had some claim forms and an appeal to send off recorded delivery or registered post or whatever they call it now – the one someone signs for – I can tell a tale about that too but another for another day) so I decided to have a nosey through the post.
Lucky, I did. There was a letter saying that the Tribunal I was about to board a train to attend had been postponed. No reason just postponed.
Can’t blame the post
The letter was dated last Friday (today is Tuesday). I hastily text my client to share the news, visit the post office and head off to write a complaint.
I checked with my client later and he got his letter at quarter past one – remember his Tribunal was at 2pm so if I had not checked the post we would have both set off on a wasted trip.
Does no one know how to use a phone?
The Tribunal Service is a huge organisation that seems to lack any customer service skills. Me, I would have made a call, sent a text or even an email on the Friday to say the Tribunal was being postponed and that a letter was on the way. But that means someone would have to have an ounce of common sense and care about the customer.
I will let you know what they say in response to my complaint in a future blog.
In the meantime, I have a very upset client who now must wait for a new date for the Tribunal having waited over a year already.
Can it get worse … yes it can!
Today I get another letter with a date for a hearing on 1st October. What’s the problem with that? Well the letter from the Tribunal service is dated 18th September. They must give 14 days’ notice of a hearing (unless you say you are happy to waive this). On my calendar 14 days from 18th September would be 2nd October so some bright spark can’t add up! Is this being pedantic? Well not when you consider that we had a Judge refuse to allow an appeal to proceed because the appeal had been sent in a day late. Sauce for the goose as the saying goes …
Tell me about your problems with Tribunals - email me at info@benefitanswers.co.uk