I've just had my latest council tax demand from the London Borough of Barnet. Sometimes known as C*apitaville or Broken Barnet but that's not the point of this posting.

I pay by DD but there's a 24/7 automated payment line with an 0845 number on the bill. Not even a note as to call costs. I though this might be an error that's slipped through on the paper bills but it's also on their website: https://www.barnet.gov.uk/benefits-and-grants/overpayments/how-repay-your-overpayment

allegro wrote on Mar 22^nd, 2019 at 3:00pm:

… the London Borough of Barnet. Sometimes known as C*apitaville …… but that's not the point of this posting.

There may indeed be point in the reference to the likely provider of the telephone payment service, under contract to the Borough. Whether this Council service is provided directly or outsourced however makes no difference to the Council's duty to abide by regulations and Cabinet Office Guidance.

A list of currently confirmed offenders with links to evidence of their offences, along with full explanation, is found at Rip-off surcharge on local authority payment lines.

Local campaigns have got rid of many previously listed cases. The fair telecoms campaign is always ready to offer full support.


I have explored the website. The London Borough of Barnet is an interesting case. It uses a 020 number for telephone payment of PCNs, apparently collects no rent from Council Housing and appears not accept telephone payments for Council Tax or General Invoices. It has therefore escaped inclusion in our list.

The message on calling the number does however confirm that payment is accepted for Rent, Council Tax and General Invoices. This is in addition to repayment of overpaid housing benefit, as referred to on the above link, and also Business Rates, as stated on another web page.

I will raise the matter with Barnet on Monday, just to obtain written confirmation of the facts, so this can be published to support inclusion on our list. I will update this thread accordingly.

Any organisation advertising an 08 number has to provide details of charges:

Ofcom published regulations on 12 December 2013 requiring all users of 084, 087 and 09 numbers to declare the service charge anywhere their number is advertised. The new rules came into force on 1 July 2015.

I have public sector customers who followed our recommendation to use the 0345 equivalent number, which have the same charges as geographic numbers and so need no explanation by the organisation. If I was you I'd email Barnet's chief executive stating that they are breaking the law, and asking for an 03 number instead.

Many thanks for the prompt.

The earlier enquiries revealed nothing, but the give-away link has now been found and our list has been updated, also reflecting a few changes (mostly for the better).

See the 1 May 2019 edition of - Rip-off surcharge on local authority payment lines

And thanks for that link! I found that my council is in breach too, so I've emailed them today asking that they sort themselves out.

Maybe other members here too could do the same with their local authorities if they are in breach.

Indeed, if every council were to be contacted by a "concerned resident" over the next few weeks, perhaps the list would have no entries by the end of the year?

I did a bit of stirring with the local newspaper and got this result from Fareham and Havant councils:

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/politics/council/havant-and-fareham-councils-to-review-costly-phone-lines-5-years-after-government-condemned-them-1-8990641