[rant]
I hate local councils. Rang mine earlier to ask about the removal van parking outside our new house when we move next week. The street we're moving to is a controlled parking zone, residents with parking permits only, so we needed to know the situation.
So, this snooty woman at the council tells me we'll have to suspend the parking in the bay outside the house. I say OK, we go through all the details (my name, address, home and mobile numbers, date of last smear test- j/k, but it felt like it!) and then she announces it will cost £46 and I have to pay NOW by credit card.
I'm shocked. A six month resident permit is £42 and she wants £46 for three hours!!
Anyways, I call back later after discussing it with various people who agree that seems a touch over the top. I get a different person, a nice bloke this time, who tells me I don't need to suspend the parking, all I need to do is buy a one day tradesman's permit, which costs £5. So he cancelled the suspension for me.
How much money must they be making off people who take what they're told at face value and don't question it? Shocking.
[/rant]