Hart District Council

This has to be one of the most corrupt local authorities in the country. Do you think its possible that the only way to get things done is through bribes? Do you think its strange that none of the usual safeguards for dealing with bribes are ineffective at Hart?

Is it because the environment is toxic that planning professionals keep resigning from Hart or is something else at play? Is life made difficult if you don't hold the line or take bribes?

Yuk!

I went to find and view a planning application but the council's public online terminal was unoperational for IT maintenance reasons- for 4vdays over this weekend. NO access to any planning apicstion was possible online!

Staff were helpful in a challenging way, I have to say... You kind of felt that by asking for something it was not quite right but to their credit they found a planning officer and she was very helpful, a good listener and helped by providing great answers to questions and a photo copy of the application site.

I suppose the word for that customer service attitude was (a little) officious. I think others less determined might have found it slightly off-putting. They didn't know to start with that I was a senior officer with an adjoining authority and knew quite a bit more than they expected. I didn't say anything, being interested at a professional level to see how they handled the request for help and information.

Anyway, problem partly solved.

As bad as it can get. They take 2 months to get back to your email. Very rude on the phone (if you are lucky to get through). They keep getting every detail wrong and more over have never heard of GDPR law! Complaint made to MP.

Friendly but over worked. Can promise things then not deliver.

It would appear that everyone at Hart district Council sit on their backsides and do very little, no one ever answers the phone and when they do they’re extremely rude, snotty and abrupt. Clearly in desperate need of more training.... or getting the sack!
What an absolutely awful service! And after reading all the other reviews on here, mine is clearly not a ‘one off’ experience!
Makes me very happy that I live in Rushmoor!
Dreadful!!! 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼

If I could give them no stars I would - recently moved out of the area and notified council, still took council tax via Direct Debit (even though this was cancelled at the bank) Upon ringing them to discuss organising a refund was told we'd receive a breakdown refund slip to sign and return, then refund would be actioned - signed and returned said slip and called through one week later to chase, slip was received the day after we sent but wouldn't be "actioned" until 10 days had passed (No explanation as to why, sure you should just action paperwork as soon as you receive it) and that we were only at the 5 day point, so would need to wait a further week before being actioned. Have called back today (The 11th day) to be told that, after 10 days it had STILL not be actioned (the lady on the phone did do this bregrudgingly - took her less that 30 seconds!!) asked when to expect the refund now that it had been actioned... a further 10 working days until we receive it..... - this whole process is archaic and backwards - the girl on the phone had no bedside manner at all, just quoting that "Sorry company policy, if you want to complain you need to raise it with the local MP" - Yet they are quite happy to take our money within 1 day but have to wait almost a month to get it back?! Absolutely shocking and not how other councils deal with this

The people in the housing department are literally angels.
They looked after me so well and helped me so much.
However their revenue department is outsourced and based in Kent and the people who work there are evil and incompetent and should be held accountable for the misery they bring down on vulnerable people . I got over 20 different bills for council tax in a single year , these people should feel shame for who they are.

Garden waste bin ordered 6 weeks ago, supposed to be delivered within 20 days. Politely asked for an update by email, 3 attempts made no response. Money taken immediately for the subscription and bin, however I have nothing to show for it.