A bit of daft beaucracy

[Anonymouse]

In January I arranged to have faster broadband put in. Minor problem: I might need permission for them to drill a hole in my wall. So I went to the housing office and put in a request. I was told it would probably be allowed.

The broadband engineer came round before I'd had any word. He didn't mention it, and I figured 'better to ask forgiveness than permission'. So he put it in, and everything's fine.

Then, I can't remember when (late November? Early December? Memory's terrible these days), I got a repairs receipt saying they'd be pre-inspecting the wall on the 10th, i.e. today. I promptly forgot. I had a nagging feeling today that there was something that was going to happen, but I couldn't remember what.

Today a chap called round saying they'd given permission, so if I'd already had it installed that was okay. He didn't even inspect it.

Now why couldn't they have just sent a letter saying 'fine, go ahead, or if you've already got it, that's fine'? Would've been cheaper than a receipt and sending someone.

No wonder council tax keeps going up.

Oh well.

- or 'bureaucracy', even - oops!

[Taf]

I had to get written Council permission to mount a satellite dish to the house wall. I got it, but it came with a list of rules, including stainless steel bolts and brackets, and not mounting it so that any part was above the guttering.

But one rule foxed me. No penetrating the wall or window frames, all cabling had to enter via the eaves, run through the attic, and then down the internal wall.

In the end, I didn't bother. And weeks later we got cable TV with fibre internet that would have made it all redundant anyway. And they installed it by drilling holes in the external wall!