Wednesday 19 September 2012

Escorted to the toilet!

Yesterday we continued with our brush with bureaucracy in our endeavours to 'ascent' Mum's bungalow into our names.
Our first attempt involved sending the Land Registry all the documents they'd asked for on their internet site with a letter explaining that we were on an extended holiday (yeah, I know; but it's less complicated that way) so please would they advise us by e-mail when the property had been re-registered as we wouldn't be in receipt of mail at our postal address.The documents included our only copy of Dad's death Certificate and Probate so we paid £5.90 for it to go special delivery.
We were truly gratified that we had been listened to when we found an e-mail in our in box....until we read it. They advised us that they needed an additional form so had returned the documents to (yeah, you've got it) our postal address by 2nd class post....grrrrrrrrrrrr
So we contacted them to say that we would send the form off to them only to be told that we had to resend the cheque and original documents - no, they hadn't/couldn't/wouldn't log the documents as having been seen.
Back to square minus1 as the documents had to be retrieved first, but friend who runs our post kindly said send it to her and she would put it in with the other stuff and send it again. Fortunately we also sent her a replacement covering letter asking them to retain cheque and documents should they need anything else.
Another e-mail to say I needed to have my identity formally certificated and send that to them............grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. This had not been mentioned previously but they did,at least, keep the documents this time.
So, yesterday we had an appointment at Peterborough Land Registry at 10.00am and climbed out of bed at an indecent hour to walk dogs before leaving. We were there by 9.30 so went for breakfast and coffee and discovered that the cafe didn't have a loo.
By the time we reported to the land registry office I was desperate for the loo and enquired where they were only to be told it was a Government building and I wasn't allowed through the door to use them!!
The lady came out to 'certify certificate' me and I asked again to use the loo. Again told no.
When I reached the stage of suggesting I use her loo or pee on her carpet she relented but said she would have to escort me-so that's what we did.
Extraordinary. An escorted pee (a first other than al frescos with Floyd) and now it's official, I'm me.
 Back in plenty of time to get the animals out to play
 Before a very pretty sunset
I wonder what else they'll decide they want - O level certificates, marriage certificate, birth certificate, at the risk of starting to sound like Maffi it's driving me nuts

2 comments:

  1. Very frustrating I know,, but since the spate of false decorations and people loosing title to their properties a few years ago they have tightened up their processes. But it's bad that they didn't tell you in the first place exactly what you needed to complete the business in one hit. It would save everyone so much time.

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  2. I understand their need for caution Kevin but, as you say, why do they keep adding stuff to their list. We fulfill one requirement and then they come up with another. Couldn't they just say that we need this, this and this so that we can sort it in one go. Love to Rupert and Ted (and Debbie of course).

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