It's no secret that the city of Johannesburg has had an ongoing billing screw-up of epic proportions. I suspect I'm benefitting from it....but it makes me feel for the people (who must be out there somewhere) on the other end of the billing stick.
Every month, I get my rates bill in the mail. My "current charges" each month are anywhere between R5 and R20 a month. Really? I know my flat was cheap, but....maybe there's some minimum threshold to owe rates? Or maybe some neighborhoods (like Yeoville, where banks won't give you a bond to buy) are exempt? Either way, my monthly bills appear arbitrary, and nonsensically small.
But, the plot thickens....Every month, I tell myself I'll pay up when my "total due" goes over R100 - because really, making a payment for R17 isn't worth the bank charges. So, every month I get a bill that has a total amount outstanding, the current charges, and then the charges that are 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days overdue. Each month, the amounts that are 30 and 60 days overdue accumulates to around R40, and I get a menacing notice saying the City of Joburg is concerned with the arrears on this account, and an immediate payment is required to avoid cut off of all services and legal action.
The catch is, no matter how long I go without paying, the amount that's 90+ days overdue stays at 0. Either the city is very forgiving, has a very short memory, or realises that collecting R5 in rates isn't worth the printing cost of the bill. All in all, I'm probably cheating the city out of about R150 a year by not paying. But it seems bizarre that they just quit asking! And if they do get their house in order and decide to collect the last 5 years of back rates I owe them, it still wouldn't break the bank.
Add it to the list of things I wish I understood; maybe it's time for a field trip to City of Johannesburg's billing office; anybody know anybody who works there?
Every month, I get my rates bill in the mail. My "current charges" each month are anywhere between R5 and R20 a month. Really? I know my flat was cheap, but....maybe there's some minimum threshold to owe rates? Or maybe some neighborhoods (like Yeoville, where banks won't give you a bond to buy) are exempt? Either way, my monthly bills appear arbitrary, and nonsensically small.
But, the plot thickens....Every month, I tell myself I'll pay up when my "total due" goes over R100 - because really, making a payment for R17 isn't worth the bank charges. So, every month I get a bill that has a total amount outstanding, the current charges, and then the charges that are 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days overdue. Each month, the amounts that are 30 and 60 days overdue accumulates to around R40, and I get a menacing notice saying the City of Joburg is concerned with the arrears on this account, and an immediate payment is required to avoid cut off of all services and legal action.
The catch is, no matter how long I go without paying, the amount that's 90+ days overdue stays at 0. Either the city is very forgiving, has a very short memory, or realises that collecting R5 in rates isn't worth the printing cost of the bill. All in all, I'm probably cheating the city out of about R150 a year by not paying. But it seems bizarre that they just quit asking! And if they do get their house in order and decide to collect the last 5 years of back rates I owe them, it still wouldn't break the bank.
Add it to the list of things I wish I understood; maybe it's time for a field trip to City of Johannesburg's billing office; anybody know anybody who works there?
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