Franklin County Board of Health Yearly Operational Permit - Aeration System LATE FEE charged although statement never received. Told "no possible way to remove and correct my file once attached to account. I would have to prove they did not mass mail it or the postal carrier did not deliver it?" My fifteen years of prompt payment on file means nothing. Columbus Ohio

This isn't your first lap around the track. You stated that this is a YEARLY fee that you have paid EVERY year for THIRTEEN years. One would figure that this fee would also be around the same time of the year, probably even down to the same exact date(give or take due to it falling on a weekend).

So now even though you know this fee comes up YEARLY, you are all of the sudden some "unsuspecting" victim where it is the County's responsibility to "remind" you if you forgot to pay?

Let me guess, you are just too busy to be bothered with something as small as $50 yearly fee, and since they are employees of the County it is their responsibility to follow up with every permit holder...right?

No I really do get it. It is impossible for you to have accidentally received the letter and thrown it away, it has to be something they did. So what you want is them to "Cut you a Break", because you did exactly what you were supposed to do for the last 13 years...pay this permit fee. Perhaps you feel that each year of a good payment should get you 1 courtesy call. Where they should have attempted to contact you 13 times before they assessed the late fee.

You of course will probably throw out the "Well if I am ever late on my (insert bill here) they waive the late fee". But here is the difference...even if every other company in the world did this did great..but they are under no obligation to.

Good luck and perhaps after another several hours on the phone, writing to everyone you can think of, complaining all over the Internet you MAY get them to forgive the $12.50. After all it is all about the principal..right?  And I am sure if you did get it removed,  you will be beaming from ear to ear about how smart you were and it was worth it and how no one can push you around.

By the way I am sure when you go to your attorney, they will inform you that in cases of a "mass mailing" in general they don't have to prove that your specific letter went out, just the batch. The presumption with the court is after that the letter made it to the US Mail it was delivered. I am sure your attorney will also bring up the fact that this is a yearly fee that you knew about and that does play into your responsibility.

I left another voicemail for the Department Manager, Jeff Grubbs. He did not pick up. At this point , I decided to drive to their downtown Columbus office and pay in person my usual $50 permit fee. Not the tacked on $12.50. Afetr a ten minute wait, Jeff Grubbs comes out from back offices with a girl and man  trailing. They wee not introduced nor did they introduce themselves. I had to assume  were Jessica and Nathan. Jeff asked do I want to talk about this? I dont appreciate how you spoke to my employees.

Really, after being spoken to by Jessica like I was some sort of idiot that would believe there is no way to remove a false charge from my invoice once it is put on automatically. Nor was there any possibility that some error had occured in the pipeline resulting in me not getting my usual mass mailing.. I stated that was horseshit, and now she is so distraught that you want to make this about her? I am sure she has heard bigger words than that in her young lifetime.

Rather than admit something happened, let us take care of this with a keystroke for you.....we are going to make this about trumped up accusations of verbal abuse? Typical. 

I stated I was paying my usual $50 , no late fee. Go ahead and put a lein for $12.50 on my property, I am not moving. does not matter . Jeff put my check and paperwork on the desk and walked away. I stated I wanted a signed receipt of my payment before I leave. Jessica processed my check of which i made copies of all at home and gave me a receipt.

Let us see what happens. I am getting with the reporting sites to alert of this County scam. Will also speak with my attorney. I was spoken to like I was an idiot and would believe there is nothing in place to  make corrections when they make mistakes.