[lettie]

They did exactly the same to me several years ago Pendy. I set up a direct debit for council tax, they didn't take the money and tried to make me pay the whole lot at once for non payment. I rang the bank who said that the direct debit was all set up but the money hadn't been taken. I then went to the Council offices and they tried to blame the bank by saying the DD wasn't set up (good job I'd been to the bank first) I had a few choice words to say to them about their overall incompetence and have been going to the town hall to pay ever since. Been today to be told that I will have to pay by an alternative method, as they will no longer be accepting payments from October. I have a new DD mandate, and I think it will be accompanied by a 'please don't screw up again' letter when I finally send it in.